Samba is an Open Source/Free Software suite that provides seamless file and print services to SMB/CIFS clients." Samba is freely available, unlike other SMB/CIFS implementations, and allows for interoperability between Linux/Unix servers and Windows-based clients.
Samba is software that can be run on a platform other than Microsoft Windows, for example, UNIX, Linux, IBM System 390, OpenVMS, and other operating systems. Samba uses the TCP/IP protocol that is installed on the host server. When correctly configured, it allows that host to interact with a Microsoft Windows client or server as if it is a Windows file and print server.
The Samba source code is distributed via ftp and http. View the download area via HTTP. Also, see the complete list of download mirrors. The file you probably want is called samba-latest.tar.gz. Old releases are available in the Samba archives.
The Samba distribution GPG public key can be used to verify that current releases have not been tampered with. Using GnuPG, simply download the Samba source distribution, the tarball signature, and the Samba distribution public key. Then run :-
$ gpg --import samba-pubkey.asc
$ gunzip samba-version.tar.gz
$ gpg --verify samba-release.tar.asc
gpg: Signature made Tue 20 Nov 2007 07:12:04 PM CST using DSA key ID 6568B7EA
gpg: Good signature from "Samba Distribution Verification Key
It is recommended that you also review the list of patches for current releases.
Samba's configuration is stored in the smb.conf file, which usually resides in /etc/samba/smb.conf or /usr/local/samba/lib/smb.conf. You can either edit this file yourself or do it using one of the many graphical tools that are available, such as the Web-based interface SWAT, that is included with Samba.
Configuration File Syntax :-
The smb.conf file uses the same syntax as the various old .ini files in Windows 3.1: Each file consists of various sections, which are started by putting the section name between brackets ([]) on a new line. Each contains zero or more key/value pairs separated by an equality sign (=). The file is just a plaintext file, so you can open and edit it with your favorite editing tool.
Each section in the smb.conf file represents either a share or a meta-service on the Samba server. The section [global] is special, since it contains settings that apply to the whole Samba server. Samba supports a number of meta-services, each of which serves its own purpose. For example, the [homes] share is a meta-service that causes Samba to provide a personal home share for each user. The [printers] share is a meta-service that establishes print queue support and that specifies the location of the intermediate spool directory into which print jobs are received from Windows clients prior to being dispatched to the UNIX/Linux print spooler.
The printers meta-service will cause every printer that is either specified in a printcap file, via the lpstat, or via the CUPS API, to be published as a shared print queue. The printers stanza in the smb.conf file can be set as not browseable. If it is set to be browseable, then it will be visible as if it is a share. That makes no sense given that this meta-service is responsible only for making UNIX system printers available as Windows print queues. If a comment parameter is specified, the value of it will be displayed as part of the printer name in Windows Explorer browse lists.
Each section of the smb.conf file that specifies a share, or a meta-service, is called a stanza. The global stanza specifies settings that affect all the other stanzas in the smb.conf file. Configuration parameters are documented in the smb.conf man page. Some parameters can be used only in the global stanza, some only in share or meta-service stanzas, and some can be used globally or just within a share or meta-service stanza.
A minimal smb.conf contains a very minimal smb.conf.
Example 1.1. A minimal smb.conf
[global]
workgroup = WKG
netbios name = MYNAME
[share1]
path = /tmp
[share2]
path = /my_shared_folder
comment = Some random files
