LinuxSA Mailing list archives

  From: Adrian Butterworth <adrian@econ-outlook.com.au>
  To  : linuxsa@linuxsa.org.au
  Date: Tue, 4 May 1999 11:28:55 +0930

Re: Novell & Samba

Hi Steven
On Tue, 04 May 1999, O'Connor, Steven wrote:
...snip...
> 
> 1) If I configure IPX services in the kernel of the Linux machine, is there
> something that I can use to MOUNT the Novell server (in the same way that I
> can mount a remote SMB or NFS server) ???

yes see - ncpmount
man ncpmount 
it works a treat

> 
> 2) Once I have mounted the Novell server, can I re-export this as an SMB
> service ???  The purpose is to allow all the of the workstations in
> locations [2..n] to be able to 'see' the big shared drive on the Novell
> server at location 1.  It is not important for the workstations in [2..n] to
> be able to see the workstations on the token ring subnet at location 1.
> 
Yes - I have used these in production using dosemu, and native unix applications
for over 2 years. They coexist with PC/DOS/IPX clients happily. And share
the tree out under samba fine.
(Remember to consider any bandwith limitations you may have in the link between
locations - file sharing across modems is not a "production" choice!) 
>
> Possible bugs:
> I know that you cannot mount an NFS drive, and re-export it as NFS, this
> being a built in security mechanism of NFS. You can however mount a remote
> SMB service and export it as NFS. I have no idea whether remote mounting a
> Novell server and reexporting it as SMB is legal ...
Yes - I have not tested the locking in multi user access through samba.
Samba is being routinely used for programmer access to the codebases, and
maintenance of files on the novell server without problems. But I don't have a
site using NOVEL-UNIX-SAMBA multi user access to database files.
There have been no problems with unix apps & even DOSEMU handling the locks
through the ncpmount even to 30+ users accessing a database with its files
stored on the mounted novell system along with many PC/DOS/IPX clients.
The good news is the latest samba also claims to now fully interoperate SMB
locks with unix level locks so on the surface the prospects look very good.
As always, test thoroughly before you commit to a heavyload mission critical
app, and I always have a bridge back for a few weeks of production use just in
case. I know the first time I don't build one I'll wish I had!

Regards
Adrian Butterworth

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