Download and Install Packages for SAMBA - PART2

Most RedHat and Fedora Linux software products are available in the RPM format. Downloading and installing RPMs isn't hard. If you need a refresher, Chapter 6, "Installing Linux Software", covers how to do this in detail.

Samba is comprised of a suite of RPMs that come on the Fedora CDs. The files are named:

• samba
• samba-common
• samba-client
• samba-swat

When searching for the file, remember that the RPM's filename usually starts with the RPM name followed by a version number as in samba-client-3.0.0-15.i386.

How to Get Samba Started

• You can configure Samba to start at boot time using the chkconfig command:

[root@bigboy tmp]# chkconfig smb on

• You can start/stop/restart Samba after boot time using the smb initialization script as in the examples below:

[root@bigboy tmp]# service smb start
[root@bigboy tmp]# service smb stop
[root@bigboy tmp]# service smb restart

Sometimes Samba may have an ancillary nmb daemon that also needs to be started. The syntax is the same as that for the smb daemon.

[root@bigboy tmp]# service nmb start
[root@bigboy tmp]# service nmb stop
[root@bigboy tmp]# service nmb restart

Note: Unlike many Linux packages, Samba does not need to be restarted after changes have been made to its configuration file, as it is read after the receipt of every client request.

• You can test whether the smb process is running with the pgrep command, you should get a response of plain old process ID numbers:

[root@bigboy tmp]# pgrep smb

The Samba Configuration File

The /etc/samba/smb.conf file is the main configuration file you'll need to edit. It is split into five major sections, which Table 10-1 outlines:

Table 10-1 : File Format - smb.conf

Section	Description
[global]	General Samba configuration parameters
[printers]	Used for configuring printersUsed for configuring printers
[homes]	Defines treatment of user logins
[netlogon]	A share for storing logon scripts. (Not created by default.)
[profile]	A share for storing domain logon information such as "favorites" and desktop icons. (Not created by default.)

You can edit this file by hand, or more simply through Samba's SWAT web interface.

In the next PART we will find more about SWAT Web interface..!!