Re: End of Samba ???

[BGanesh <BGa@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi,

Shanu wrote :
>         I came across this interesting post in one of the slashdot
> articles.
> "Samba is (presumably) so named because it permits Linux to 
> communicate using SMB (Server Message Blocks). SMB (as I understand 
> it) is the upper-level protocol used by NetBIOS. 
I believe that is correct. SMB is used to expose 'services' of the
machine. The documentation for this is available on MSDN, if you want
the details for the protocol and the calls there is documentation and
code available on the MS/MSDN website. (search for netbios)

> NetBIOS is supposed to go away in Windows 2000 (aka NT 5). From that 
> point forward, there will be no need for SMB and thus Samba."
>                                                 - Anonymous Coward
SMB is being replaced by CIFS (Common Internet File System) fm MS.
afaik, CIFS=SMB + some other stuff. So it is simply a matter of
extending Samba... 

> I a assume that SMB will be replaced by a proprietor MS protocol. 
> So... - Wouldn't this mean that we will be forced to use NT itself as 
> back ends for serving win32 clients ?
While CIFS is proprietary, so is SMB. You won't be forced to use Win*
for CIFS anymore than you are for SMB.

> Existing installations of win98/95 + Samba wont have an upgrade 
> path, ie, they will not be able to upgrade to Win2000 on the client
> side.
I'm not sure I really understand the question, but if you meant :

a) I have Win95/98, how do I use Win2K on the same machine?
Insert CD. Reboot.

b) I have Win95/98 and I need to access Win2k that uses CIFS.
Get a CIFS client/browser.

Afaik, CIFS willl run completely on top of TCP/IP. So in the worst case
of non-availability of documentation, someone will analyse the packets
and build a program that has the same request/response sequences. 

BGa

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