Translating Samba to non-geek speakers

NETWORK WORLD NEWSLETTER: DAVE KEARNS ON WINDOWS NETWORKING TIPS
08/08/05
Today's focus: Translating Samba to non-geek speakers

Dear networking.world@gmail.com,

In this issue:

* Understanding Samba through the geekspeak
* Links related to Windows Networking Tips
* Featured reader resource
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Today's focus: Translating Samba to non-geek speakers

By Dave Kearns

I've mentioned Samba in this newsletter before
<http://www.networkworld.com/newsletters/nt/2003/0811nt2.html?rl>
, but a short refresher course might be in order.

Samba is an open source package, so the description from the
documentation is a bit "high flown," to whit: "Samba is a
software package that gives network administrators flexibility
and freedom in terms of setup, configuration, and choice of
systems and equipment. Because of all that it offers, Samba has
grown in popularity, and continues to do so, every year since
its release in 1992."

You will note, though, that this description doesn't exactly
tell you what the package does. So we looked a bit further
afield and found a definition from John H. Terpstra, President
of PrimaStasys and a co-founder of Samba.org. According to
Terpstra: "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 were a Windows file and print
server."

In other words, Samba makes a Unix or Linux host look like a
Windows File Server. This gives Windows clients access to files
stored on Unix/Linux but it also gives Unix/Linux clients access
to files stored on Windows servers.

That sounds laudable, especially as you're facing pressures to
make your network more heterogeneous. But if you decide to
acquire Samba, your first stop might be the samba.org download
page <http://us5.samba.org/samba/download/>.

As long as you are fluent in "geek," especially the Unix/Linux
dialect, you should have no problem negotiating the download
page to grab the files you need. But then you discover that, not
only is the documentation written in geekspeak, but it's also in
bits, dribs and drabs assembled by a myriad of people over time
and added to, cobbled up and stitched together to solve a
particular problem that's probably not even relevant to you.
There's no charge for the software but you might need to hire an
interpreter in order to install, configure and maintain it.

I mentioned Terpstra a few paragraphs ago. He makes his living
as one of those interpreters you can hire, but he's now done an
even better thing: he's written a book to handle that
interpretation for you. As he says in the introduction to "The
Official Samba-3 HOWTO and Reference Guide"
<http://www.phptr.com/title/0131453556> : "There is admittedly a
large number of Samba books on the market today." But, he adds,
"Existing Samba books are largely addressed to the Unix
administrator." The organization has found that "Over the past
two years many Microsoft network administrators have become
interested in [Samba's] deployment. Their information needs are
very different from those of the Unix administrator. This book
has been arranged and the information presented from the
perspective of someone with previous Microsoft Windows network
administrative training and experience."

It's a $49.95, 800-page tome, with a companion volume of
exercises ("Samba-e By Example," $44.99 also from Prentice Hall
PTR).

If you've been interested in seeing if Samba can help you, but
been daunted by the geekspeak which surrounds most open source
projects, then this book and the companion volume might be just
what you need. Check it out.

The top 5: Today's most-read stories

1. First family of Windows Vista viruses unleashed
<http://www.networkworld.com/nlwnt4536>

2. The CEO's sidekick
<http://www.networkworld.com/nlwnt4537>

3. BellSouth sues AT&T
<http://www.networkworld.com/nlwnt4538>

4. Leaked Cisco slides pulled after legal threats
<http://www.networkworld.com/nlwnt4539>

5. Cisco vulnerability posted to Internet
<http://www.networkworld.com/nlwnt4540>
_______________________________________________________________
To contact: Dave Kearns

Dave Kearns is a writer and consultant in Silicon Valley. He's
written a number of books including the (sadly) now out of print
"Peter Norton's Complete Guide to Networks." His musings can be
found at Virtual Quill <http://www.vquill.com/>.

Kearns is the author of three Network World Newsletters: Windows
Networking Tips, Novell NetWare Tips, and Identity Management.
Comments about these newsletters should be sent to him at these

respective addresses: <mailto:windows@vquill.com>,
<mailto:netware@vquill.com>, <mailto:identity@vquill.com>.

Kearns provides content services to network vendors: books,
manuals, white papers, lectures and seminars, marketing,
technical marketing and support documents. Virtual Quill
provides "words to sell by..." Find out more by e-mail at
<mailto:info@vquill.com>
_______________________________________________________________
This newsletter is sponsored by Nokia
Empower Your Mobile Enterprise

Nokia believes that business mobility will fundamentally change
the way work gets done-and for the better. To allow the entire
organization to get the most from this paradigm shift in
productivity, Nokia Enterprise Solutions focuses on delivering
increased efficiency through enhanced mobility. Learn more by
downloading this white paper today!
http://www.fattail.com/redir/redirect.asp?CID=109976
_______________________________________________________________
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