SAMBA - is it only a dance ?

["Sunil Dhaka" <lindel@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi List,
This is for SAMBA newbies ( a query I got offline ) Think I should share it
on the list too.
> We want to use samba intra-hostel. never used (or heard) about Samba.
Windows networking uses SMB (now its known as CIFS or something like that)
To enable a unix / linux box to join a Windoze network SMB is implemented
over TCP/IP with the free program called SAMBA. By running SAMBA you can do
the following:-
1. Share a directory on a linux box in the Windoze network ( It can be
browsed under Network Neighbourhood)
2. Make a Linux box act as a domain controller ( so u can throw out the NT /
win2k server )
3. Mount windoze shares on the linux box thru a samba mount
>Can you suggest  a complete beginner's guide ?
There are lots of docs on the web on SAMBA configurations - all you have to
do is take the trouble of searching and reading the documentation (use
google with the search string "SMB"). The books available in the market as
of now are 4-5 : of these
1. SAMBA Server administration - Craig Hunt
2. SAMBA - O'Reilly publication
are excellent sources of SAMBA implementation
After you d/l the SAMBA rpms / tarballs - install/ compile the program.
Ensure that samba daemon is running. ( smbd and nmbd should be running )
If all is fine, now you have only one monster to kill : the /etc/smb.conf
file
Its really a simple endeavour and not the monster u think it was ( try
/etc/sendmail.cf if u want to see an actual monster)
You can also use SWAT to configure you SAMBA thru a web browser either
remotely or locally.
Ensure that /etc/services file has the port 901 entry for SWAT uncommented
and also there is an entry in the inetd.conf file for swat.
The command #testparm is used to check if your smb.conf file is configured
ok
Please read throug the enclosed files and other documentation.
Try www.samba.org for more information.
Let me know if you have any other queries.
Regards,
Sunil Dhaka