[Samba] RE: License Metering Software to work with SAMBA

[Chris Lindberg]

Dear Tom,

The express product makes standard windows api calls to the machine where it
is installed to open, read, write to, and close files on the network. It
does not, in any way tell samba how to react, it is simply telling Windows
to open, read and write to the files on the network leaving how it is done
to the underlying network protocols.

Based on what I have seen it appears that Windows XP workstations are
intermittently writing invalid data to the log files. The log files
containing invalid data are deleted by express when a repair is run, at the
beginning of any update of the database, which is done to prevent corrupt
data from being written to the database.

We believe that there is a conflict between Windows XP and samba which
results in the intermittent writing of invalid data.

The applib.loc file is a text file which simply indicates what machine last
had the library open in the Express Administrative Console.

Sincerely, Chris Lindberg
Express Metrix Technical Support
  -----Original Message-----
  From: Thomas G. Tri, P.E. [mailto:ttri at skees.com]
  Sent: Wednesday, November 20, 2002 5:40 AM
  To: samba at lists.samba.org
  Cc: bburnett at skees.com; clindberg at expressmetrix.com;
ssipinen at expressmetrix.com
  Subject: License Metering Software to work with SAMBA


  Dear List:

  We have a 25+ node mixed networked of NT4SP5, Win2K, & WinXP.  We are
currently using Express Meter to control our software licensing and capture
data to analyze software license utilization to justify additional licenses,
etc. We are running SAMBA v 2.0.7 on a Sun Ultra 2 running Solaris 7. We
have been unable to get the reporting functions to work (the Express Meter
log files get purged when the data merging / reporting process is
performed).  A SAMBA debug log shows the following strange sequence of locks
/ unlocks. The applib.loc file is opened with read=No, write=Yes and then
followed by opening another handle on the same file with read=Yes and
write=No. This seems a little strange to me and may not be the problem at
all. Their tech support is apparently not willing to invest any more time to
investigate this problem as it appears to function correctly when the files
are stored on an NT workstation. We are not willing to

  [2002/11/05 15:17:33, 2] smbd/open.c:(602)
    bburnett opened file em/fromtaurus/applib.loc read=No write=Yes
(numopen=3)
  [2002/11/05 15:17:33, 2] smbd/open.c:(602)
    bburnett opened file em/fromtaurus/applib.lib read=Yes write=No
(numopen=4)
  [2002/11/05 15:17:33, 2] smbd/open.c:(602)
    bburnett opened file em/fromtaurus/applib.loc read=Yes write=No
(numopen=5)

  We would like to continue to use Express Meter because of the time we have
invested in setup and configuration.  However, the reporting capability is a
requirement for our firm.  Therefore, we are considering switching to
another software metering application. We are currently reviewing the
following:
  Keyserver from Sassafras Software
  Application Metering from Codework

  If anyone has a suggestion to correct / workaround the above file locking
sequence or has experience with these or other software metering
applications, I would greatly appreciate your comments (good & bad).

  Thanks,
  Tom
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