Let's Dance: Learning The Samba

Today, I'll point out some good resources to help you tackle an essential job for many small-business owners: Cross-platform (including Linux) networking.

Matt McKenzie

October 21, 2008

2 Min Read
NetworkComputing logo in a gray background | NetworkComputing

Today, I'll point out some good resources to help you tackle an essential job for many small-business owners: Cross-platform (including Linux) networking.Many small businesses now own at least some PCs running Windows Vista. And many of these aren't interested in getting any closer to the Vista tar-baby than they already are. That makes the hunt for alternative operating systems -- and the ability to network multiple desktop OSes -- a very high priority.

A recent how-to guide on TechRadar, a UK-based IT site, provides a great starting point for anyone looking to set up a network that allows Windows, Mac OS, and Linux machines to share resources with one another. This tutorial relies upon three key technologies: The open-source Samba protocol (based on Microsoft's proprietary SMB/CIFS protocols); the Remote Desktop support built into Windows XP/Vista (a Mac version of the RDC client allows OS X users to open a Windows remote session); and Xming, a secure remote access client that allows Windows users to access a Linux desktop.

You can get started with the five-page TechRadar guide here.

Samba is really the key piece of this puzzle, since both OS X and Liniux use it to access Windows network shares. On the Mac, using Samba to access shares on a properly configured Windows system is extremely easy. While most current Linux distros also do a fine job of making Samba work from the get-go, others (including, sometimes, Ubuntu) may require tweaking.

Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols addresses this issue in two of his recent articles. First, on his Computerworld blog, he looks at some of the basics required to use Samba to do basic file-sharing between Ubuntu Linux and Windows systems. This post includes a link to a second article focusing on how to get Vista to work with (that is, to recognize the existence of) Samba-based network-attached storage (NAS) devices. Since an awful lot of entry-level NAS devices still seem to have nagging reliability issues, and since many of these devices rely on Samba, this article in particular could save you a lot of time and trouble.

Finally, this Flash video on quick-and-dirty Ubuntu-Windows file sharing with a Samba server is worth checking out. While I didn't have very high expectations for a video tutorial on this subject -- much less a video tutorial with the title, "From Zero To Samba In Six Minutes" -- I must say that I was pleasantly surprised. (As blogger Charlie Schluting points out, however, take the "six minutes" bit literally at your own risk.)

SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER
Stay informed! Sign up to get expert advice and insight delivered direct to your inbox

You May Also Like


More Insights