1<html><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=ISO-8859-1"><title>Chapter�20.�Hosting a Microsoft Distributed File System Tree</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 3.5.x HOWTO and Reference Guide"><link rel="up" href="optional.html" title="Part�III.�Advanced Configuration"><link rel="prev" href="InterdomainTrusts.html" title="Chapter�19.�Interdomain Trust Relationships"><link rel="next" href="classicalprinting.html" title="Chapter�21.�Classical Printing Support"></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">Chapter�20.�Hosting a Microsoft Distributed File System Tree</th></tr><tr><td width="20%" align="left"><a accesskey="p" href="InterdomainTrusts.html">Prev</a>�</td><th width="60%" align="center">Part�III.�Advanced Configuration</th><td width="20%" align="right">�<a accesskey="n" href="classicalprinting.html">Next</a></td></tr></table><hr></div><div class="chapter" lang="en"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h2 class="title"><a name="msdfs"></a>Chapter�20.�Hosting a Microsoft Distributed File System Tree</h2></div><div><div class="author"><h3 class="author"><span class="firstname">Shirish</span> <span class="orgname">Samba Team & Veritas Software</span> <span class="surname">Kalele</span></h3><div class="affiliation"><span class="orgname">Samba Team & Veritas Software<br></span><div class="address"><p><br> 2 <code class="email"><<a class="email" href="mailto:samba@samba.org">samba@samba.org</a>></code><br> 3 </p></div></div></div></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">12 Jul 2000</p></div></div></div><div class="toc"><p><b>Table of Contents</b></p><dl><dt><span class="sect1"><a href="msdfs.html#id2621432">Features and Benefits</a></span></dt><dt><span class="sect1"><a href="msdfs.html#id2621844">Common Errors</a></span></dt><dd><dl><dt><span class="sect2"><a href="msdfs.html#id2621877">MSDFS UNIX Path Is Case-Critical</a></span></dt></dl></dd></dl></div><div class="sect1" lang="en"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h2 class="title" style="clear: both"><a name="id2621432"></a>Features and Benefits</h2></div></div></div><p> 4<a class="indexterm" name="id2621440"></a> 5<a class="indexterm" name="id2621449"></a> 6<a class="indexterm" name="id2621456"></a> 7<a class="indexterm" name="id2621463"></a> 8<a class="indexterm" name="id2621470"></a> 9 The distributed file system (DFS) provides a means of separating the logical 10 view of files and directories that users see from the actual physical locations 11 of these resources on the network. It allows for higher availability, smoother 12 storage expansion, load balancing, and so on. 13 </p><p> 14<a class="indexterm" name="id2621485"></a> 15<a class="indexterm" name="id2621492"></a> 16<a class="indexterm" name="id2621498"></a> 17 For information about DFS, refer to the <a class="ulink" href="http://www.microsoft.com/NTServer/nts/downloads/winfeatures/NTSDistrFile/AdminGuide.asp" target="_top">Microsoft 18 documentation</a>. This document explains how to host a DFS tree on a UNIX machine (for DFS-aware clients 19 to browse) using Samba. 20 </p><p> 21<a class="indexterm" name="id2621519"></a> 22<a class="indexterm" name="id2621526"></a> 23<a class="indexterm" name="id2621532"></a> 24<a class="indexterm" name="id2621539"></a> 25 A Samba server can be made a DFS server by setting the global Boolean <a class="link" href="smb.conf.5.html#HOSTMSDFS" target="_top">host msdfs</a> 26 parameter in the <code class="filename">smb.conf</code> file. You designate a share as a DFS root using the share-level Boolean 27 <a class="link" href="smb.conf.5.html#MSDFSROOT" target="_top">msdfs root</a> parameter. A DFS root directory on Samba hosts DFS links in the form of 28 symbolic links that point to other servers. For example, a symbolic link 29 <code class="filename">junction->msdfs:storage1\share1</code> in the share directory acts as the DFS junction. When 30 DFS-aware clients attempt to access the junction link, they are redirected to the storage location (in this 31 case, <em class="parameter"><code>\\storage1\share1</code></em>). 32 </p><p> 33<a class="indexterm" name="id2621601"></a> 34<a class="indexterm" name="id2621608"></a> 35<a class="indexterm" name="id2621615"></a> 36<a class="indexterm" name="id2621621"></a> 37 DFS trees on Samba work with all DFS-aware clients ranging from Windows 95 to 200x. 38 <a class="link" href="msdfs.html#dfscfg" title="Example�20.1.�smb.conf with DFS Configured">The following sample configuration</a> shows how to setup a DFS tree on a Samba server. 39 In the <code class="filename">/export/dfsroot</code> directory, you set up your DFS links to 40 other servers on the network. 41</p><pre class="screen"> 42<code class="prompt">root# </code><strong class="userinput"><code>cd /export/dfsroot</code></strong> 43<code class="prompt">root# </code><strong class="userinput"><code>chown root /export/dfsroot</code></strong> 44<code class="prompt">root# </code><strong class="userinput"><code>chmod 755 /export/dfsroot</code></strong> 45<code class="prompt">root# </code><strong class="userinput"><code>ln -s msdfs:storageA\\shareA linka</code></strong> 46<code class="prompt">root# </code><strong class="userinput"><code>ln -s msdfs:serverB\\share,serverC\\share linkb</code></strong> 47</pre><p> 48</p><div class="example"><a name="dfscfg"></a><p class="title"><b>Example�20.1.�smb.conf with DFS Configured</b></p><div class="example-contents"><table class="simplelist" border="0" summary="Simple list"><tr><td> </td></tr><tr><td><em class="parameter"><code>[global]</code></em></td></tr><tr><td><a class="indexterm" name="id2621731"></a><em class="parameter"><code>netbios name = GANDALF</code></em></td></tr><tr><td><a class="indexterm" name="id2621743"></a><em class="parameter"><code>host msdfs = yes</code></em></td></tr><tr><td> </td></tr><tr><td><em class="parameter"><code>[dfs]</code></em></td></tr><tr><td><a class="indexterm" name="id2621763"></a><em class="parameter"><code>path = /export/dfsroot</code></em></td></tr><tr><td><a class="indexterm" name="id2621775"></a><em class="parameter"><code>msdfs root = yes</code></em></td></tr></table></div></div><br class="example-break"><p> 49<a class="indexterm" name="id2621790"></a> 50<a class="indexterm" name="id2621797"></a> 51<a class="indexterm" name="id2621803"></a> 52 You should set up the permissions and ownership of the directory acting as the DFS root so that only 53 designated users can create, delete, or modify the msdfs links. Also note that symlink names should be all 54 lowercase. This limitation exists to have Samba avoid trying all the case combinations to get at the link 55 name. Finally, set up the symbolic links to point to the network shares you want and start Samba. 56 </p><p> 57<a class="indexterm" name="id2621821"></a> 58<a class="indexterm" name="id2621828"></a> 59 Users on DFS-aware clients can now browse the DFS tree on the Samba server at 60 <code class="constant">\\samba\dfs</code>. Accessing links linka or linkb (which appear as directories to the client) 61 takes users directly to the appropriate shares on the network. 62 </p></div><div class="sect1" lang="en"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h2 class="title" style="clear: both"><a name="id2621844"></a>Common Errors</h2></div></div></div><div class="itemizedlist"><ul type="disc"><li><p>Windows clients need to be rebooted 63 if a previously mounted non-DFS share is made a DFS 64 root, or vice versa. A better way is to introduce a 65 new share and make it the DFS root.</p></li><li><p>Currently, there's a restriction that msdfs 66 symlink names should all be lowercase.</p></li><li><p>For security purposes, the directory 67 acting as the root of the DFS tree should have ownership 68 and permissions set so only designated users can 69 modify the symbolic links in the directory.</p></li></ul></div><div class="sect2" lang="en"><div class="titlepage"><div><div><h3 class="title"><a name="id2621877"></a>MSDFS UNIX Path Is Case-Critical</h3></div></div></div><p> 70 A network administrator sent advice to the Samba mailing list 71 after long sessions trying to determine why DFS was not working. 72 His advice is worth noting. 73 </p><p>“<span class="quote"> 74 I spent some time trying to figure out why my particular 75 DFS root wasn't working. I noted in the documentation that 76 the symlink should be in all lowercase. It should be 77 amended that the entire path to the symlink should all be 78 in lowercase as well. 79 </span>”</p><p> 80 “<span class="quote">For example, I had a share defined as such:</span>” 81 </p><table class="simplelist" border="0" summary="Simple list"><tr><td> </td></tr><tr><td><em class="parameter"><code>[pub]</code></em></td></tr><tr><td><a class="indexterm" name="id2621918"></a><em class="parameter"><code>path = /export/home/Shares/public_share</code></em></td></tr><tr><td><a class="indexterm" name="id2621930"></a><em class="parameter"><code>msdfs root = yes</code></em></td></tr></table><p> 82 “<span class="quote">and I could not make my Windows 9x/Me (with the dfs client installed) follow this symlink:</span>” 83 </p><pre class="screen"> 84 damage1 -> msdfs:damage\test-share 85 </pre><p> 86 </p><p> 87 “<span class="quote">Running a debug level of 10 reveals:</span>” 88 </p><pre class="programlisting"> 89 [2003/08/20 11:40:33, 5] msdfs/msdfs.c:is_msdfs_link(176) 90 is_msdfs_link: /export/home/shares/public_share/* does not exist. 91 </pre><p> 92 “<span class="quote">Curious. So I changed the directory name from <code class="constant">.../Shares/...</code> to 93 <code class="constant">.../shares/...</code> (along with my service definition) and it worked!</span>” 94 </p></div></div></div><div class="navfooter"><hr><table width="100%" summary="Navigation footer"><tr><td width="40%" align="left"><a accesskey="p" href="InterdomainTrusts.html">Prev</a>�</td><td width="20%" align="center"><a accesskey="u" href="optional.html">Up</a></td><td width="40%" align="right">�<a accesskey="n" href="classicalprinting.html">Next</a></td></tr><tr><td width="40%" align="left" valign="top">Chapter�19.�Interdomain Trust Relationships�</td><td width="20%" align="center"><a accesskey="h" href="index.html">Home</a></td><td width="40%" align="right" valign="top">�Chapter�21.�Classical Printing Support</td></tr></table></div></body></html> 95