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<html><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=ISO-8859-1"><title>Introduction</title><link rel="stylesheet" href="../samba.css" type="text/css"><meta name="generator" content="DocBook XSL Stylesheets V1.74.0"><link rel="home" href="index.html" title="The Official Samba 3.4.x HOWTO and Reference Guide"><link rel="up" href="index.html" title="The Official Samba 3.4.x HOWTO and Reference Guide"><link rel="prev" href="TOSHpreface.html" title="Preface"><link rel="next" href="introduction.html" title="Part�I.�General Installation"></head><body bgcolor="white" text="black" link="#0000FF" vlink="#840084" alink="#0000FF"><div class="navheader"><table width="100%" summary="Navigation header"><tr><th colspan="3" align="center">Introduction</th></tr><tr><td width="20%" align="left"><a accesskey="p" href="TOSHpreface.html">Prev</a>�</td><th width="60%" align="center">�</th><td width="20%" align="right">�<a accesskey="n" href="introduction.html">Next</a></td></tr></table><hr></div><div class="preface" lang="en"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h2 class="title"><a name="IntroSMB"></a>Introduction</h2></div><div><div class="author"><h3 class="author"><span class="firstname">John</span> <span class="othername">H.</span> <span class="orgname">Samba Team</span> <span class="surname">Terpstra</span></h3><div class="affiliation"><span class="orgname">Samba Team<br></span><div class="address"><p><code class="email"><<a class="email" href="mailto:jht@samba.org">jht@samba.org</a>></code></p></div></div></div></div><div><p class="pubdate">June 29, 2003</p></div></div></div><div class="toc"><p><b>Table of Contents</b></p><dl><dt><span class="sect1"><a href="IntroSMB.html#id2551351">What Is Samba?</a></span></dt><dt><span class="sect1"><a href="IntroSMB.html#id2498862">Why This Book?</a></span></dt><dt><span class="sect1"><a href="IntroSMB.html#id2551647">Book Structure and Layout</a></span></dt></dl></div><p>“<span class="quote">

A man's gift makes room for him before great men. Gifts are like hooks that can catch

hold of the mind taking it beyond the reach of forces that otherwise might constrain it.

</span>” --- Anon.

</p><p>

This is a book about Samba. It is a tool, a derived work of the labors

of many and of the diligence and goodwill of more than a few.

This book contains material that has been contributed in a persistent belief

that each of us can add value to our neighbors as well as to those who will

</p><p>

This book is designed to meet the needs of the Microsoft network administrator.

UNIX administrators will benefit from this book also, though they may complain

that it is hard to find the information they think they need. So if you are a

Microsoft certified specialist, this book should meet your needs rather well.

If you are a UNIX or Linux administrator, there is no need to feel badly you

should have no difficulty finding answers to your current concerns also.

</p><div class="sect1" lang="en"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h2 class="title" style="clear: both"><a name="id2551351"></a>What Is Samba?</h2></div></div></div><p>

Samba is a big, complex project. The Samba project is ambitious and exciting.

The team behind Samba is a group of some thirty individuals who are spread

the world over and come from an interesting range of backgrounds. This team

includes scientists, engineers, programmers, business people, and students.

</p><p>

Team members were drawn into active participation through the desire to help

deliver an exciting level of transparent interoperability between Microsoft

Windows and the non-Microsoft information

technology world.

</p><p>

The slogan that unites the efforts behind the Samba project says:

<span class="emphasis"><em>Samba, Opening Windows to a Wider World!</em></span> The goal

behind the project is one of removing barriers to interoperability.

</p><p>

Samba provides file and print services for Microsoft Windows clients. These

services may be hosted off any TCP/IP-enabled platform. The original deployment

platforms were UNIX and Linux, though today it is in common use across

a broad variety of systems.

</p><p>

The Samba project includes not only an impressive feature set in file and print

serving capabilities, but has been extended to include client functionality,

utilities to ease migration to Samba, tools to aid interoperability with

Microsoft Windows, and administration tools.

</p><p>

The real people behind Samba are users like you. You have inspired the

developers (the Samba Team) to do more than any of them imagined could or should

be done. User feedback drives Samba development. Samba-3 in particular incorporates

a huge amount of work done as a result of user requests, suggestions and direct

code contributions.

</p></div><div class="sect1" lang="en"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h2 class="title" style="clear: both"><a name="id2498862"></a>Why This Book?</h2></div></div></div><p>

There is admittedly a large number of Samba books on the market today and

each book has its place. Despite the apparent plethora of books, Samba

as a project continues to receive much criticism for failing to provide

sufficient documentation. Samba is also criticized for being too complex

and too difficult to configure. In many ways this is evidence of the

success of Samba as there would be no complaints if it was not successful.

</p><p>

The Samba Team members work predominantly with UNIX and Linux, so

it is hardly surprising that existing Samba documentation should reflect

that orientation. The original HOWTO text documents were intended to provide

some tips, a few golden nuggets, and if they helped anyone then that was

just wonderful. But the HOWTO documents lacked structure and context. They were

isolated snapshots of information that were written to pass information

on to someone else who might benefit. They reflected a need to transmit

more information that could be conveniently put into manual pages.

</p><p>

The original HOWTO documents were written by different authors. Most HOWTO

documents are the result of feedback and contributions from numerous

authors. In this book we took care to preserve as much original content as

possible. As you read this book you will note that chapters were written by

multiple authors, each of whom has his own style. This demonstrates

the nature of the Open Source software development process.

</p><p>

Out of the original HOWTO documents sprang a collection of unofficial

HOWTO documents that are spread over the Internet. It is sincerely intended

that this work will <span class="emphasis"><em>not</em></span> replace the valuable unofficial

HOWTO work that continues to flourish. If you are involved in unofficial

HOWTO production then please continue your work!

</p><p>

Those of you who have dedicated your labors to the production of unofficial

HOWTOs, to Web page information regarding Samba, or to answering questions

on the mailing lists or elsewhere, may be aware that this is a labor

of love. We would like to know about your contribution and willingly receive

the precious pearls of wisdom you have collected. Please email your contribution to

<a class="ulink" href="mailto:jht@samba.org" target="_top">John H. Terpstra (jht@samba.org)</a>.

As a service to other users we will gladly adopt material that is technically accurate.

</p><p>

Existing Samba books are largely addressed to the UNIX administrator.

From the perspective of this target group the existing books serve

an adequate purpose, with one exception now that Samba-3 is out

they need to be updated!

</p><p>

This book, the <span class="emphasis"><em>Official Samba-3 HOWTO and Reference Guide</em></span>,

includes the Samba-HOWTO-Collection.pdf that ships with Samba.

These documents have been written with a new design intent and purpose.

</p><p>

Over the past two years many Microsoft network administrators have adopted

Samba and have become interested in its deployment. Their information needs

are very different from that of the UNIX administrator. This book has been

arranged and the information presented from the perspective of someone with previous

Microsoft Windows network administrative training and experience.

100

</p></div><div class="sect1" lang="en"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h2 class="title" style="clear: both"><a name="id2551647"></a>Book Structure and Layout</h2></div></div></div><p>

101

This book is presented in six parts:

102

</p><div class="variablelist"><dl><dt><span class="term">General Installation</span></dt><dd><p>

103

Designed to help you get Samba-3 running quickly.

104

The Fast Start chapter is a direct response to requests from

105

Microsoft network administrators for some sample configurations

106

that <span class="emphasis"><em>just work</em></span>.

107

</p></dd><dt><span class="term">Server Configuration Basics</span></dt><dd><p>

108

The purpose of this section is to aid the transition from existing

109

Microsoft Windows network knowledge to Samba terminology and norms.

110

The chapters in this part each cover the installation of one type of

111

Samba server.

112

</p></dd><dt><span class="term">Advanced Configuration</span></dt><dd><p>

113

The mechanics of network browsing have long been the Achilles heel of

114

all Microsoft Windows users. Samba-3 introduces new user and machine

115

account management facilities, a new way to map UNIX groups and Windows

116

groups, Interdomain trusts, new loadable file system drivers (VFS), and

117

more. New with this document is expanded printing documentation, as well

118

as a wealth of information regarding desktop and user policy handling,

119

use of desktop profiles, and techniques for enhanced network integration.

120

This section makes up the core of the book. Read and enjoy.

121

</p></dd><dt><span class="term">Migration and Updating</span></dt><dd><p>

122

A much requested addition to the book is information on how to migrate

123

from Microsoft Windows NT4 to Samba-3, as well as an overview of what the

124

issues are when moving from Samba-2.x to Samba-3.

125

</p></dd><dt><span class="term">Troubleshooting</span></dt><dd><p>

126

This short section should help you when all else fails.

127

</p></dd><dt><span class="term">Reference Section</span></dt><dd><p>

128

Here you will find a collection of things that are either too peripheral

129

for most users, or are a little left of field to be included in the

130

main body of information.

131

</p></dd></dl></div><p>

132

Welcome to Samba-3 and the first published document to help you and your users to enjoy a whole

133

new world of interoperability between Microsoft Windows and the rest of the world.

134

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