[Samba] what are *.tdb files?

[Eric Feldhusen]

Gerald (Jerry) Carter wrote:
> Adam Williams wrote:
> | In /varcache/samba/ I have several .tdb files.
> | Like brlock.tdb,  locking.tdb, ntdrivers.tdb, etc.
> | Excusing my ignorance, what are these  files, and
> | what do they do?  And why must they be copied when
> | migrating  from one samba server to a new one?
> 
> Samba uses a lightweight database called Trivial Database
> (tdb).  Here's the list  (john, we should really document
> this somewhere).
> 
> (*) information persistent across restarts (but not
> necessarily important to backup).
> 
> account_policy.tdb*    NT account policy settings
>             such as pw expiration, etc...
> 
> brlock.tdb        byte range locks
> 
> browse.dat        browse lists
> 
> connections.tdb        share connections (used to enforce
>             max connections, etc...)
> 
> gencache.tdb        generic caching db
> 
> group_mapping.tdb*    group mapping information
> 
> lang_en.tdb        Language encodings (i think).
> 
> locking.tdb        share modes & oplocks
> 
> login_cache.tdb*    bad pw attempts
> 
> messages.tdb        Samba messaging system
> 
> netsamlogon_cache.tdb*    cache of user net_info_3 struct
>             from net_samlogon() request (as a
>             domain member)
> 
> ntdrivers.tdb*        installed printer drivers
> 
> ntforms.tdb*        installed printer forms
> 
> ntprinters.tdb*        installed printer information
> 
> printing/        directory containing tdb per print
>             queue of cached lpq output
> 
> registry.tdb        Windows registry skeleton
>             (connect via regedit.exe)
> 
> sessionid.tdb        session information (e.g. support for
>             'utmp = yes')
> 
> share_info.tdb*        share acls
> 
> unexpected.tdb        unexpected packet queue needed to
>             support windows clients that respond
>             on a difference port that the
>             originating request)  (i could be wrong
> ~             on this one).
> 
> winbindd_cache.tdb    winbindd's cache of user lists, etc...
> 
> winbindd_idmap.tdb*    winbindd's local idmap db
 >
> wins.dat*        wins database when 'wins support = yes'
> 
> The following tdb's should be backed up IMO:
> 
>     nt*.tdb
>     account_policy.tdb
>     group_mapping.tdb
>     share_info.tdb

As a brief follow-up to this, I'm in the process of moving 2 RH8/Samba 
3.0.x servers to 2 new FC3/Samba 3.0.1x servers, users, groups, 
printers, roaming profiles, samba tdb files, cups printers, etc.. I've 
seen several people ask how to do this on the list, so I'm starting a 
"how-to" that I'll post to the list for corrections, changes, etc..

Just thought it'd be useful.  Figured since I can't code, I can help 
with documentation.  Of course, I'll see how the move goes for me before 
posting a "how-to" to the list.

Eric Feldhusen
-- 
NOTICE: New email address: eric at remc1.org
--------------
Eric Feldhusen
Network Administrator for Adams, Chassell,
Dollar Bay-Tamarack City, and
Lake Linden-Hubbell Public Schools
emailto:eric at remc1.org