[Samba] Samba CTDB which Distro have it best ready

[Martin Schwenke]

Hi Min Wai,

On Fri, 25 Sep 2020 20:09:34 +0800, Min Wai Chan via samba
<samba at lists.samba.org> wrote:

> I'm thinking of implementing Samba CTDB as a Files server which join to DC.
> 
> Would like to have your advise on which distro get the setup example and
> the package ready?

This isn't easy for some of us to answer.  Various Samba team members
work for different Linux distributors, so people are likely to have
different answers.  :-)

If you are testing CTDB for the first time then you will want version
4.9 or newer. We changed a lot of configuration options in 4.9.  It
would be a waste of your time to test an earlier version and then have
to re-learn everything.

Note that Samba 4.9 is no longer supported upstream:

  https://wiki.samba.org/index.php/Samba_Release_Planning

Supported versions are 4.13, 4.12 and 4.11.

It appears that Debian stable has a version based on 4.9.5
and CentOS 8 has version based on 4.11.2.

> Also anythings that I should be know...

If you are not yet familiar with configuring a Samba file server as a
domain member then I suggest you first set up a standalone Samba file
server without worrying about clustering.  Configuring too many
unfamiliar things at the same time can be a frustrating experience!

This appears to be well documented at:

  https://wiki.samba.org/index.php/Setting_up_Samba_as_a_Domain_Member

Similarly, installing and setting up a cluster filesystem is likely to
be a separate learning experience if you have not done it before.

When/if you are familiar with Samba as a domain member and have a
working cluster filesystem then I suggest looking at the CTDB pages in
the Samba wiki:

  https://wiki.samba.org/index.php/CTDB_and_Clustered_Samba

I suggest that you work through the first 5 sections under "Configuring
Clusters with CTDB".  This lets you get a basic CTDB cluster working
and then build upon it.  If something stops working when working in the
logical manner presented, then hopefully the last thing you did caused
the problem...  ;-)

There are many tutorials online but I hope that the above sections in
the wiki will help you to get a basic, working CTDB configuration.

If you have questions then please ask them on this mailing list.  If you
include "CTDB" in the subject line then I will see your post.

Good luck!

peace & happiness,
martin