How Samba let us down

[Jay Ts]

Mathew McKernan wrote:
> > > My suggestion:
> > > Install a WINS Server (simple 400MHz box even)
> > > running Linux, and if you
> > > like run an internal DNS too which is syncronised to
> > > the WINS database using
> > > the "wins hook" option in smb.conf. Point all your
> > > devices' WINS addresses
> > > to this new WINS server. You will notice a dramatic
> > > improvement in
> > > performance.
> >
> > I did try WINS in testing; I made one of the Samba
> > servers a WINS server and pointed my workstation to
> > it.  I didn't see other addresses caching in the Samba
> > WINS database and often I would see "WINS server
> > appears to be down" when using smbclient.  However, no
> > other machines were using the WINS server, and the
> > WINS server was not local subnet browse master, so
> > that might have stopped me.
> 
> WINS will only work if every "device" on the LAN registers with the WINS
> server. Device meaning Server, Workstation, PLCs etc.

It may be a pain to configure all those clients, but it's certainly
worth it.  Take a look at Microsoft's documentation (in their resource
kits) on how various Windows versions do name resolution, and you'll
see what I mean.

> Our WINS server is the local subnet master along
> being domain master as well.

I don't know if this needs to be said or not, but ...

IIRC, Chris' setup was to run Samba with security = domain, and
passing authentication to a Samba or Windows NT/2000 Server domain
controller.  (Or am I thinking of someone else? Sorry, I lost Chris'
orginal message already. :( )

If that is the case, then it's important to let the PDC handle
both domain master browser and local master browser tasks, and
not ever let any system steal either role away from it (or
else bad things can happen).

But if the Samba server in question is PDC, then definitely
have it take both roles:

[global]
	; act as the domain and local master browsers
	domain master = yes
	local master = yes
	preferred master = yes
	os level = 65

If there's no PDC, then have the Samba server just take
the local master browser role:

[global]
	local master = yes
	preferred master = yes
	os level = 65

I don't think this is Chris' problem, but wanted to say
it just in case.

> > Have you seen better documents on implementing Samba
> > WINS than what is on samba.org or in /usr/share/doc?
> 
> In a nutshell:
> 
> In smb.conf add:
> wins support = yes
> 
> And configure each device to have the IP (of the samba box running with wins
> support=yes) in the WINS address field on each device.
> On samba servers use this line in smb.conf :
> wins server = ip.of.wins.server

Yep, then restart the Samba daemons.  It's really simple.

Jay Ts