[Samba] Design conflict between samba and NFS

[Nico Kadel-Garcia]

On Sun, Apr 23, 2023 at 10:32 AM Rowland Penny via samba
<samba at lists.samba.org> wrote:
>
>
>
> On 23/04/2023 15:14, Nico Kadel-Garcia wrote:
> > On Sat, Apr 22, 2023 at 11:09 AM Rowland Penny via samba
> > <samba at lists.samba.org> wrote:
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> On 22/04/2023 15:51, Sac Isilia via samba wrote:
> >>> Hi Team,
> >>>
> >>> We have multiple cloud accounts in AWS that uses both file shares and
> >>> printer shares . There are mainly either Linux(server) to Linux (client) or
> >>> Linux(server) to windows(client) shares and very small fraction of shares
> >>> from windows (server) to Linux(client).
> >>>
> >>> Can we go for samba for both Linux to Linux and Linux to windows for both
> >>> file and printer shares? Or do we go for NFS in Linux to Linux for file and
> >>> printer shares?
> >>
> >> Whilst Samba can be used for Linux clients, you can also use NFS, it is
> >> basically what works for you. Having said that, if you are using Samba
> >> for the Windows clients, it makes sense to use it for everything, just
> >> one thing to set up and maintain.
> >
> > Picking one makes sense. There are more Windows systems today that do
> > NFS, even NFSv4, and many cloud storage services provide both. I'd
> > done both NFS and CIFS for a shared server myself, namely a NetApp
> > server, and maintaining both simultaneously.... well, it was much more
> > expensive than my employer realized when they demanded we "save work
> > and money" that way.
>
> Which is really just another way of saying what I said.

Sure. I hope some specfics help make a sensible decision.

> >>> Also we use centrify client to authenticate AD users. Can someone guide me
> >>> what will be the best practice for above scenario?
> >>
> >> Unless there is someone who is using centrify and is willing to share
> >> their knowledge, then this is doubtful, Samba has no connection with
> >> centrify, so you would be better off asking them.
> >>
> >> Having said that, you could probably replace centrify with Samba alone.
> >>
> >> Rowland
> >
> > Probably, but over-riding some upstream manager's corporate mandate
> > can be.... difficult. And kicking free the team that's been collecting
> > hourly consulting fees to maintain or tune it can be.... its own
> > delightful exercise in office politics.
>
> Personally, I never understood why anyone would pay anything to do what
> Samba would do for free, perhaps paying for Samba support yes, but
> paying for things like centrify ?????

Centrify's identity management is a big deal for some providers, as is
the keystroke logging they provide.

> > What I noticed as critical for consistent NFS use was to use NFSv4,
> > and make sure Kerberos was working well. Samba and honest-to-God
> > Active Directory support Kerberos well.
>
> That all depends on Samba working correctly and once Samba is working
> correctly, you do not really need any other file service such as NFS,
> but you can use it with Samba.

When I did this, it was for a CGI farm some years back. Someone had
sold them a bill of goods about how they could have the Linux of their
choice, NFS boot, graphics tablets that had not been ported to any
64-bit Linux, and no ability to connect storage devices. Hilarity
ensued, but I wound up using Samba on top of their storage arrays to
handle the demands for Windows support as well as the Linux originally
specified.

> > Centrify is now renamed
> > "Delinea", and I've not dealt with them since the rename, so have no
> > extra insights there.
>
> Yes, the free centrify express seems to have disappeared, which appears,
> at least to myself, how these companies work. Create a free component,
> get people to use it, create a corporate version and then, eventually,
> remove the free version.
>
> Rowland

It's not unheard of.  Samba's consistent free software licensing is
much appreciated.