[Samba] Construction to access Windows Network and other networks.
Stef Bon
stef at bononline.nl
Fri Nov 7 19:36:55 GMT 2008
Hello,
Hello all,
I've been working on a construction to make access to networkresources easier,
using autofs.
The construction permits user access to networkresources like a Samba/Windows
server with cifs, FTP servers using curlftpfs and SSH using sshfs (fuse), in
one directory created with autofs. I'm sure more services like nfs and ipx are
possible, but I did not test that. (in fact there should be a lookup utility,
simular to nmblookup or nbtscan and a mount helper, and of course support in
the kernel..)
The construction creates a directory in your home directory like:
/home/sbon/Global Network
under which the different networks go:
/home/sbon/Global Network/FTP
SSH access
Windows Network
When browsing the Windows Network tree, you're able to select the workgroup,
host and share.
/home/sbon/Global Network/
Windows Network/
BONONLINE/
ROUTER/
bononline
ftp
public
sbon
CWWERKGROEP
These shares are mounted when accessed, using cifs. The use of credentials is
supported, guest access is the default.
Cifs is supporting much more than the kioslaves or the Gnome VFS. For example
oplocks, ACL's and inotify, which play an important role in the Windows
networks, but I think you already know that...
(and: a desktop manager should should not be involved with network
services/filesystems)
The tree is dynamically created using nbtscan (or nmblookup) and smbclient.
Because here mounts are used, the "remote" filesystem is accessible just like
it's local. That's something else compared to the "vitual" kioslaves and Gnome
VFS.
I'm trying to write an article about this topic, which should soon appear in
the dutch Linux Magazine.
What I'm asking is, are you interested in this construction? I'm very
enthousiast about it, and I'm sure it has potential.
That's the reason I'm writing this email to you, I've posted about this issue
on several places (OpenSuse forums, Fedora maillist, autofs maillist) but no
reaction so far. And I do not understand. Like I said, this construction is
imho far better than the existing ones! Or not...??
So please let me know what you think of it, positive or negative.
At this moment I've stopped developing this futher (documentation/website!),
due to lack of interest, but using this construction at home, with one server
and one workstation.
Look for some information at the website:
http://linux.bononline.nl/linux/automountsmbshares/index.php
Information there is not ready yet, I'm working on that. You'll get a good
impression how it looks like on the screenshots page, of course.
If you would like to have a installable example, please let me know.
Looking forward to your reply,
Stef Bon
Voorburg
the Netherlands
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