e of) running SMB as either a client, a server, or both. 2.2 What is CIFS (SMP)?SMB, which stands for Server Message Block, is a protocol for sharing files, printers, serial ports, and communications abstractions such as named pipes and mail slots between computers as Figure ( 3 ) . Figure ( 3 )The earliest document I have on the SMB protocol is an IBM document from 1985. It is a copy of an IBM Personal Computer Seminar Proceedings from May 1985. It contains the IBM PC Network SMB Protocol. The next document I have access to is a Microsoft/Intel document called Microsoft Networks/OpenNET-FILE SHARING PROTOCOL from 19873.2 SMB Clients and Servers Currently AvailableThere are a few SMB clients available today and a relatively large number of servers available from a range of vendors. The main clients are from Microsoft, and are included in Windows for WorkGroups 3.x, Windows 95, and Windows NT. They are most evident when you use the File Manager or the Windows 95 Explorer, as these allow you to connect to servers across the network. However they are also used when you open files using a UNC (universal naming convention).Some other clients that I am aware of are: smbclient from Samba smbfs for Linux SMBlib (an SMB client library that is in development) Server implementations are available from many sources. Some that I am aware of are: Samba Microsoft Windows for Workgroups 3.x Microsoft Windows 95 Microsoft Windows NT The PATHWORKS family of servers from Digital LAN Manager for OS/2, SCO, etc VisionFS from SCO TotalNET Advanced Server from Syntax Advanced Server for UNIX from AT&T (NCR?) LAN Server for OS/2 from IBM There are four basic things that one can do with Samba: 1.Share a Linux drive with Windows machines. 2.Access an SMB share with Linux machines. 3.Share a Linux printer with Windows machines. 4.Share a Windows printer with Linux machines. 4.2 Comparison between NFS and CIFS(SMP)Here is how they compare from a users...
