Samba frustrations on reboot... fix!

[Jeff Campbell]

"John E. Malmberg" wrote:
> 
> [posted to comp.os.vms also]
> I usually define the rooted logical names in the SYLOGICALS.COM phase of
> the boot.  Of course that just hides the problem.

The SYLOGICALS workaround is not necessary. TCPIP's native services have
known default devices and directories. SAMBA_STARTUP.COM is a perfectly
normal place to define the SMBD specific logicals. The problem arises
because, during installation, the UCX SET CONFIGURATION ENABLE SERVICE SMBD
command is executed. If this command were not ever executed UCX would not
attempt to automatically enable the SMBD service.

> 
> When putting things in the system startup with multiple dependencies,
> all sorts of problems can occur.
> 
> The dissapearing batch jobs on reboot is another such problem.  In this
> case the batch job starts running before the resources that it uses have
> been set up, like a database service.
> 
> With SAMBA, the issue is that the logical names, and images need to be
> installed before the TCP/IP program is started, but the NMBD process
> must be started after the TCP/IP program is started.

I disagree with the notion that SAMBA must be defined to TCPIP before
TCPIP starts. TCPIP will accept service definitions after it is up.
Services need be defined only once. TCPIP's configuration database will
retain the service's parameters across subsequent boots.

The automatic enabling of a service is a separate issue. My preference
is to localize all site specific startup configuration things in something
like (my) SITE_STARTUP.COM, rather than have stuff scattered about in
several command files. LAT setup comes to mind. 8-)

I do not know MultiNet, TCPWare, etc., so I don't know how they handle
the situation.

> 
> So there are some things to consider on getting this right.  It also
> looks like a future version of SAMBA would need to have the NMBD process
> started as a TCPIP service, so that might simplify it.

Control of enabling SMBD and a possible NMBD should, in my opinion, be
left to the site specific startup procedure. TCPIP gives us both methods -
TCPIP SET CONFIGURATION ENABLE SERVICE xxx enables the xxx service
automatically, and a TCPIP ENABLE SERVICE xxx after TCPIP starts enables
the xxx service 'manually'. In either case the installation of SAMBA needs
only to define the SMBD service to TCPIP. The installation does not have
to make enabling the service at startup automatic.

> 
> On many systems the network protocol stacks must be started really early
> in the boot process because so much may depend on it.

DECNET?  8-)

> 
> -John
> wb8tyw at qsl.network
> Personal Opinion Only

Jeff Campbell
n8wxs at arrl.net