[Samba] NAS on 2 sites connected via slow link

[Kevin Keane]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: samba-bounces at lists.samba.org [mailto:samba-
> bounces at lists.samba.org] On Behalf Of Koen Linders
> Sent: Thursday, November 26, 2009 10:36 PM
> To: samba at lists.samba.org
> Subject: Re: [Samba] NAS on 2 sites connected via slow link
> 
> 
> > Oh, I thought the NAS was in the 192.168.5 network. If it is on the
> > same network as the clients, that would be fast.
> >
> > In that case, do NOT try to mount the NAS on the PDC. What you'd
> > actually accomplish is this:
> >
> > Client ------SLOW---------> PDC --------SLOW-----------> NAS
> >
> > Instead, do this:
> >
> > Client -----FAST----------> NAS
> >
> > In other words, have the NAS appear as just another Samba server on
> the
> > same network.
>
> Is there no other way to mount the drive somehow and still have the
> clients
> access it over the fast link instead of going over the slow link main
> site?
> I hoped not having to install another server :)

Well, magic would work ;-)

The only option you really have is to, in some way, shape or form, make sure there is no slow link anywhere between the client and the data. Whether that means moving the NAS device to the other site, or caching the data somewhere, is up to you. 

> Maybe other solutions. It would be great if users authenticated at the
> main site over the slow link, but still be able to access resources local
> over the fast link.

That should work easily as long as all computers are part of the same domain. Windows domains would work better here than Samba domains, because Kerberos really works nicely as an authentication mechanism. But you should also be able to make it work with a Samba PDC.