Buffer limit on server listings.

[Rakesh Patel]

Christopher R. Hertel wrote:

>Rakesh Patel wrote:
>  
>
>>Pardon my simple questsions on this topic - with a full Windows 2003
>>domain level/Windows 2003 forest level infrastructure, is browsing
>>accomplished via DNS service location records, or is some level of
>>RPC still required? Does the entire browse master election process become
>>eliminated if NetBIOS over TCP/IP is disabled and only DNS is utilized?
>>    
>>
>
>On that last question... Yes.  The older Browse Service is entirely based on
>NetBIOS.
>
>On the other questions...  I *think* that there are multiple mechanisms, but
>that LDAP is one of the tools used.  Others on this list will know better. 
>I have not played with browsing in a W2K-AD environment.  Yet.
>
>  
>
On W2K3-AD, I am fairly certain it uses DNS SRV records to locate 
(browse) services. I also do
know that DNS records, while sitting in AD do not have to be on every 
domain controller and a
separate portion of the DIT is used to host the DNS data so that it can 
be replicated using
different rules.  I don't recall if the DNS information goes into the 
Global Catalog and if clients
can use the Global Catalog in place of DNS lookups, but I am sure at 
least the location of
Kerberos and LDAP services is performed via DNS SRV record lookups.  Of 
course NetBIOS over
TCP/IP is enabled by default during installation and I doubt most places 
turn it off.

>>I may be confusing a few protocols and technologies here since
>>I have not had much experience with WINS and Browse master procotols
>>since I have primarily been involved with the UNIX side of things and
>>only have debugged WINS on the UNIX side from early Samba implementations.
>>I do understand that WINS just addresses simplistic name resolution on a
>>dynamic and static basis like DNS and WINS servers can co-ordinate name
>>resolution between segments unlike broadcasts.
>>    
>>
>
>Full documentation is in RFC1001/1002,
>and also here:  http://ubiqx.org/cifs/NetBIOS.html
>
>  
>
Thanks for the link.

>>I am also talking about Domain environment instead of a Workgroup
>>environment, so there may be a difference there in who handles WINS as
>>well as Browsing.
>>    
>>
>
>A Windows NT Domain (notice: I said "NT" there) *is* a workgroup.  An NT
>Domain is just a workgroup with a Domain Controller.  That's really the only
>difference.  The existence of a Domain Controller also implies the existance
>of a Domain Master Browser, but Samba can run as a Domain Master Browser
>without the need for a Domain Controller.
>
>  http://ubiqx.org/cifs/Browsing.html
>
>SMB network browsing has evolved and changed over the years, and there are
>multiple protocols that may it work.  That's why it's so confusing.  You are
>confusing a few protocols, but that's *completely natural*.
>
>Quick guide:
>  Older forms of browsing make use of Remote Administration Protocol (RAP)
>  to access the lists of workgroups, servers, and shares.  Common RAP calls
>  used in browsing include NetServerEnum2() and NetShareEnum().  I've only
>  just learned about NetServerEnum3().
>
>  With W/NT (NT4?), Windows started using Remote Procedure Call (RPC) to
>  access the same types of information.  The most common example is the
>  NetrShareEnum() call.  (Note the extra 'r' following "Net").  I've just
>  been informed that there is also an RPC version of NetServerEnum2() which
>  is called BrowserrServerEnum().
>
>  With W2K, if NetBIOS is disabled the old browse service goes away and is
>  replaced with something new.  I don't know the mechanism, but I suspect
>  that the services are announced via DynamicDNS (as you suggested) and the
>  equivalent of a Browse List is accessed using LDAP.  Others on this list
>  probably have this stuff nailed down.  Hopefully, they'll comment.
>  
>
Definitely DNS SRV records are involved at the beginning - not sure if 
the records are stored in the GC
and if the clients can look for the DNS info in the GC if the data is there.

RPC is still used for CIFS and OWA to Exchange200x [and outlook clients 
to exchange?] from what I've read.
Not sure where else they still use it.

>Chris -)-----
>
>  
>