OSSA 14/3/2024

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Campus Area Network
Server Configuration

DFN50303 OPEN SOURCE SERVER ADMINISTRATION

+2.3 FILE SHARING SERVICES IN LINUX

SERVER

Objectives:

1. Identify the two most common file sharing services
   in Linux (NFS and SMB protocol).

2. Explain Common Internet File System (CIFS)
   protocol suite.

3. Identify the four basic CIFS services

4. Identify various open source services solution for
   File Server.

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+FILE SHARING SERVICES IN LINUX

SERVER

� A file server dedicated to store the files in a

centralized location - Users can save work and have
access to files without having to carry around a
disk.

� File Server permitting access to networked

computers to access files, databases and for
server-based applications.

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� Linux-dedicated file servers permit networked

computers to carefully share files. (implement
security)

� Thus it also allows users to save different types of

data and give them access to files through
a software client.

� Individuals can also allot different permit rights to

stored information/access information.

FILE SHARING SERVICES IN LINUX
SERVER

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+BENEFIT OF FILE SERVER

✔ Centralized file storing location – which can

provide regular basis centralized backup strategies
and security implementation.

✔ Files on the server are available to access whether

you are at your personal office PC or using a
coworker's PC or mobile devices.

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+ADVANTAGES OF THE LINUX FILE

SERVER

✔ Strong performance

Linux was made and designed to be a very
strong operating system. Hardware resources
that center on processing users recommend
these.

✔ Reliability

The Linux File Server can last for a long time.

✔ Easy to use

Rebooting process and management found to be very
easy for users.

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+Most Common File Sharing Services

In Linux

Network File System (NFS) vs Samba (SMB Protocol)

✔In a typical scenario, a client-based application or

system makes a request of a server for access to a file or
to pass a message to a program that runs in the server.

✔The file server takes the requested action and returns a

response, a user is then able to view, store and update
files on a remote computing or storage device as though
they were on their own computer.

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✔ Originally developed by Sun Microsystems in 1984 and

managed by IETF - with the goal of enabling file
system resources to be shared over a network at a
speed comparable to local file access.

✔ NFS is an open standard, cross-platform file system utility

with implementations available for a wide range of OSs,
architectures, platforms, and appliances, from embedded
systems to mainframes and high-performance clusters.

✔ Nearly all Linux distributions come with the ability to set

up a Network File System (NFS).

NETWORK FILE SYSTEM (NFS)

HISTORY

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What is NFS and its purpose?

�NFS stands for Network File System, is a file system
used for sharing of files over a network that
allows the different Linux computers to easily
share files on the network .

�NFS provides file sharing for Unix, Linux,
mainframes, and other file systems, including
Mac OS X.

NETWORK FILE SYSTEM (NFS)

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� By using NFS, files can be accessed (sharing of files)

remotely, where a client/server system that allows
users to access files across a network and treat as if
they resided in a local file directory.

� It also reduced of the number of removable media

drives throughout the network since they can be
shared.

� NFS is only suitable for networks comprised

entirely of Linux computers and servers

NETWORK FILE SYSTEM (NFS)

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� This is accomplished through the processes of

exporting (the process of an NFS server provides
remote clients with access to its files) andmounting
(the process of file systems are made available to the
operating system and the user).

� Export in NFS implementation refer to 🡪process

making the directories available by the server for use
by other machines. 🡪Server makes the directory
available (to export) for use by other machines.

NETWORK FILE SYSTEM (NFS)

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� How NFS works? - when sharing files with NFS, there

are two side: the server and the clients. NFS will need
to be configured on both the server and any client
that wants to connect. It uses Remote Procedure
Calls (RPC) to route requests between clients and
servers.

� The server is the computer that is actually storing the

files, while the clients are the computers that are
accessing the shared folder by mounting the shared
folder as a virtual drive.

NETWORK FILE SYSTEM (NFS)

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� The NFS protocol is designed to be independent of

the

computer,

operating

system,

network

architecture, and transport protocol.

� This means that systems using the NFS service may

be manufactured by different vendors, use different
operating systems, and be connected to networks
with different architectures.

� These differences are transparent to the NFS

application, and thus, the user.

NETWORK FILE SYSTEM (NFS)

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■ Currently, there are three versions of NFS.

� NFS version 2 (NFSv2)

■ older , released in 1985

■ widely supported.

� NFS version 3 (NFSv3)

■ more features, including variable size file handling and better error

reporting, released in 1995

■ not fully compatible with NFSv2 clients.

� NFS version 4 (NFSv4)

■ Released in 2003 for Sun and NetApp

■ includes Kerberos security,

■ works through firewalls and on the Internet.

■ no longer requires portmapper.

■ supports ACLs.

■ utilizes stateful operations.

NETWORK FILE SYSTEM (NFS)

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What is SAMBA and its purpose?

� Samba is the standard Windows interoperability suite of

programs for Linux and Unix, specifically used at
allowing Windows and Linux servers to access the same
file systems.

� It is most commonly used with Microsoft operating

systems - used by Windows systems for file sharing.

� Samba will run on nearly any Unix-like system and can

be found in the repositories in every Linux distribution.

� This service allowed Windows systems to map shared

drives and act as a local drive on the computer.

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SAMBA /SMB

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� Samba seamlessly integrate Linux/Unix Servers and

Desktops into Active Directory environments.

� It can function both as a domain controller or as a

regular domain member.

� This is what allows Samba to communicate with

(newer) MS Windows systems. Typically you will see
it referred to SMB/CIFS.

� The configuration file is commonly found at.

/etc/samba/smb.conf

or

/usr/local/samba/lib/smb.confNote that you will need
to be root to edit these, or use sudo.

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SERVER ADMINISTRATION

SAMBA

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� Linux

� Solaris 2.x

� SunOS 4.x

� HP HP-UX

� FreeBSD

� NetBSD

� OpenBSD

� IRIX

� Ultrix

� AIX

� Mach BSD

� Macintosh OSX

� SCO Unix

SAMBA SUPPORTED PLATFORM

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In the real world, which protocol would you use?

�Windows shares support both SMB and NFS, or both
at the same time. It is just a matter of configuring
which one you need or configuring both if you need
to utilize both.

� Ideally, you’ll want to use a native protocol (NFS for
Linux/Unix users) when possible, without any
additional overhead or conversion, which make it
much more efficient and more reliable.

WHEN TO USE NFS AND WHEN TO USE SAMBA

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� For example, if you are connecting two Unix

systems, it will be best to utilize NFS.

� If you are connecting two Windows systems, SMB

would be the obvious choice.

� Even though both achieve the goal of file sharing,

there are differences in the way Windows and Unix
based systems handle file systems and the users
that will be using the systems

NFS vs SAMBA

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NFS vs SAMBA

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SMB

NFS

User-space servers and processess

Kernel server with threads

Per-user server processess
Same server (one process) for all
clients

Uses underlying OS for access
control
Has it own access control system

Mounters: usually individual users

Mounters: usually systems

Pretty good performance compared
to NFS
Best performance

+WHEN TO USE NFS AND WHEN TO USE

SAMBA

Server O/S

Client O/S

Use Samba or NFS?

Linux

Linux

NFS

Windows

Linux

Samba

Linux

Windows

Sambak

Windows

Windows

Samba

Here are some examples of when to use Samba and when
to use NFS:

In a various network (-i.e. containing more than one O/S), you'd
use NFS to connect the Linux members and Samba only when one
O/S is talking to a different O/S.

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+ COMMON INTERNET FILE SYSTEM

(CIFS) PROTOCOL SUITE

� CIFS (Common Internet File System) is a protocol that

gained popularity around the year 2000, as vendors
worked

to

establish

an

Internet

Protocol-based

file-sharing protocol.

� The CIFS is based on the enhanced version of

Microsoft’s Server Message Block (SMB) protocol for
Internet and intranet file sharing.

� It is standard file-sharing protocol that provides an open

and cross-platform mechanism for requesting network
server files and services.

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CIFS

� With CIFS, changes made to a file are simultaneously

saved on both the client and server side and users with
different platforms and computers can share files without
having to install new software.

� It operates as an application-layer network protocol.

� CIFS was designed to not only provide clients with

managed, concurrent access to files and directories
hosted on server systems, but to facilitate access to print
queues and interproses communication services over a
network.

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✔ Samba consists of two key programs, smbd and

nmbd.

✔ Their job is to implement the four basic CIFS

services:

■ File and print services (smbd)

■ Authentication and Authorization (smbd)

■ Name resolution (nmbd)

■ Service announcement (browsing) (nmbd)

BASIC CIFS SERVICES

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■ File and print services

✵ Allows clients to access shared data and printers.

These shares can be mapped as a local disk drive and
shared printers can be used as if they were local
printers.

✵ This services provided by key program smbd, which

handles "share mode" and "user mode" authentication
and authorization. That is, you can protect shared file and
print services by requiring passwords.

BASIC CIFS SERVICES

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■ File and print services

✵ Share mode - a password can be assigned to a shared

directory or printer (simply called a "share"). This single
password is then given to everyone who is allowed to use
the share.

✵ User mode authentication - each user has their own

username and password and the System Administrator
can grant or deny access on an

✵ Provide for highly available data in a highly protected

environment.

BASIC CIFS SERVICES

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■ Authentication & Authorization

⧜

Authentication is the process where user’s
credentials are used to verify the user’s identity.

⧜

It is a process of determining the identity of request
entity.

⧜

Authorization is the process in which the
authenticated user is allowed (authorized) access to
resources.

⧜

The basic idea is that a user should only have to log
in once to have access to all of the authorized
services on the network.

BASIC CIFS SERVICES

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■ Name Resolution

⧜

The clients send their NetBIOS names & IP
addresses to the NBNS (NetBIOS Name Service)
server, which keeps the information in a simple
database.

⧜

When a client wants to talk to another client, it sends
the other client's name to the NBNS server.

⧜

If the name is on the list, the NBNS hands back an IP
address. You've got the name, look up the number.

BASIC CIFS SERVICES

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■ Service announcement (browsing)

⧜

a browsable list of services (file and print shares)
offered by the computers on a network.

BASIC CIFS SERVICES

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+Open Source Solution for File

Server

▪ Samba Server

▪ NFS Server (Network File System Server)

▪ SSHFS Server (Secure SHell FileSystem)

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+Open Source Software Web

Resource for File Server

■ http://www.samba.org

■ https://nfs.sourceforge.net

■ http://fuse.sourceforge.net/sshfs.html

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Samba Server Configuration

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+Step by Step

Before to start we need to install samba, you can do that from Ubuntu
software center or by co.mmand line.

After samba is installed we need to install the graphical interface
System-config sambausing the command:

Now we will try for example to share the directory /home/____ /______
to do that,

sudo apt-get install samba samba-common

sudo apt-get install system-config-samba

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■ First open GUI samba server configuration tool by going

to System--> Administration-->Samba

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■ Edit existing shares

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■ Add new share

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+Installation and configuration using
SWAT. Web Samba Adminisration tooll

■ SWAT is a tool that allows Web-based configuration of Samba. It has a

wizard that may help to get Samba configured quickly, it has
context-sensitive help on each smb.confparameter, it provides for
monitoring of current state of connection information, and it allows
networkwide MS Windows network password management.

■ SWAT uses integral Samba components to locate parameters supported

by the particular version of Samba. Unlike tools and utilities that are
external to Samba, SWAT is always up to date as known Samba parameters
change. SWAT provides context-sensitive help for each configuration
parameter, directly from man page entries.

■ Note : Before using SWAT, please be warned SWAT will completely

replace your smb.conf with a fully optimized file that has been stripped of
all comments you might have placed there and only non default settings
will be written to the file.

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■ To install SWAT open terminal and type the command:

■ This will install SWAT also samba and dependencies.

■ Now to access SWAT, open your browser and type :

■ Then use your root login and password

sudo apt-get install swat

http://your- ip:901 or http://localhost:901

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+Getting Started with SWAT

■ To get started, go to Applications –> Ubuntu Software

Center.

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■ Then type the line below in the search box and install SWAT:

Samba Web Administration Tool

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■ Next, search and install xinetd:

xinetd

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■ After installing both programs, press Alt-F2 on your

keyboard and type the line below, then clickRun:

gksu gedit /etc/xinetd.d/swat

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■ Then edit the file to look line the one below, then save and

close out.

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■ After that, go to Applications –> Accessories –>

Terminal and type the line below and press Enter

sudo /etc/init.d/xinetd restart

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■ Also create a password for the root user by typing the line

below:

sudo passwd root

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■ When done, press Alt-F2 on your keyboard, then type the

line below and click Run:

http://localhost:901

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■ Enter the username and password for the root user.

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■ Login admin page:

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■ Global informations

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■ Wizard to edit the samba config

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■ Server Status:

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■ View of the actual samba config:

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■ Changes admin password page

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+Note

■ if you have problems with opening the files you placed in

your shared folder from another location… here’s how you fix
it!

■ Open a Terminal window and copy+paste the following line:

� sudo chmod o+w YOURSHAREDFOLDER/filename

■ replace YOURSHAREDFOLDER for the location of our shared

folder and replace filename for the file you need to take the
permissions from

■ Another way to fix this is to replace some lines in your

smb.conf.

■ Open a Terminal window and copy+paste the following line:

sudo gedit /etc/samba/smb.conf

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■ Open a Terminal window and copy+paste the following line:
sudo gedit /etc/samba/smb.conf

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+■ Now your Samba config file is opened, scroll down to the part

that begins with: [yoursharedfolder] (in my case
[Shared-10.10])

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■ Now copy the text below (change the

[YourShared-FolderName], comment, path, user and group
name to the ones you use) and replace it for the text in your
smb.conf file

■ [YourShared-FolderName]

comment = your comment here
path = your/shared/folder
force user = yourusername
force group = yourgroupname
writeable = yes
browseable = yes
guest ok = yes

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+■ In the screenshot below you see how my smb.conf file looks

after the changes

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+Getting a Webmin

■ WebminWebmin is a

web-based interface for
system administration for
Unix/. Using any modern web
browser, you can setup user
accounts, Apache, DNS, file
sharing and much more.
Webmin removes the need to
manually edit Unix
configuration files like
/etc/passwd, and lets you
manage a system from the
console or remotely you can
also create backups for the
system and restore.

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■ Download webmin from http:www.webmin.com .

Currently 1.520

■ Execute webmin package. It will fail but it’s easier for us,

since we’ll just force installing dependencies, rather than
installing them one by one

■ Install missing dependencies and it will automatically

recompile webmin

■ Now restart webmin

wget http://www.webmin.com/download/deb/webmin-current.deb

sudo dpkg -i webmin-current.deb

sudo apt-get -f install

sudo /etc/init.d/webmin restart

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■ To access webmin, open your browser and type :

https://localhost:10000 or https://your-ip:10000

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Word Cloud

What have we learn today?

Multiple Choice

A Standard UNIX client-server file sharing protocol

• Client-Server

• CIFS

• NFS

• NIS

Multiple Choice

All of these are linux server type EXCEPT

• data server

• application server

• file server

• phone server

Multiple Choice

This server is used to transfer files from one computer to other computer through internet and uses port 21.

• FTP server

• NTP server

• Proxy server

• DHCP server

• Remote server

Multiple Choice

The correct parameter to install SAMBA is...

• 
  apt-get instal samba

• apt get install samba

• apt-get install samba

• apt-get-install samba