[Samba] Fundamental question about the SMB protocol

[Hall, Ken (ECSS)]

As I understand from reading this list, you need a WINS server anyway if the server and clients are not on the same segment or LAN, correct?

Since there won't be any clients on the LAN containing the server, I'd need a WINS server anyway, and it sounds like the multicasting issue is moot.

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Andrew Bartlett [mailto:abartlet at pcug.org.au]
> Sent: Tuesday, April 02, 2002 4:49 PM
> To: Hall, Ken (ECSS)
> Cc: samba at samba.org
> Subject: Re: [Samba] Fundamental question about the SMB protocol
> 
> 
> "Hall, Ken (ECSS)" wrote:
> > 
> > I realize this may seem like a lame question, but I'm not 
> an expert on the SMB/CIFS protocol, so I'd be very grateful 
> if someone could help me.
> > 
> > We're considering putting a Samba server on a Linux/390 
> system, but the new networking mechanism under IBM's VM OS 
> doesn't support multicasting yet.  I understand that the 
> SMB/CIFS protocol depends,
> > at least partially, on multicasting, so I'm wondering if 
> what I want to do is even possible.
> 
> Samba relies on broadcasting for interopablity with clients that don't
> use a wins server.
> 
> > Is it possible to use Samba on a LAN that doesn't support 
> multicast?  If so, what capabilities would be lost?  The 
> clients would be on the other side of a router-type system.
> 
> Just set a common wins server and all will be good, broadcast 
> traffic is
> no longer required.
> 
> Andrew Bartlett
> 
>