[Gllug] File sharing protocols

[Xander D Harkness]

Simon Morris wrote:

>Hi all,
>
>I have got a chance to design a new network for a startup company. They
>are using MAC OS X on the clients, and XServe's and Linux boxes for the
>servers.
>
>I've got OpenLDAP in mind to centralise user accounts and store mail
>routing information (Postfix).
>
>My question to the list is with this mix of OS's what would be best file
>sharing protocol to use. Pro's and cons would be most helpful.
>
>* Netatalk -- Not very standard, requires keeping index files for the Macs
>
>* Samba -- requires maintaining SMB passwords as well as Linux passwords
>
I do not see samba as more secure to NFS; for while you can easily set 
passwords and use that to control rather than UIDs and IP addresses, 
samba is still susceptable to the IP packet replay. (where you replay 
the captured auth sequence to the server from your IP address and are 
subsequently given access to the share)

Mac uses insecure NFS mode, because the users are not able to mount from 
below ports 1024;  It is called insecure I guess because it does not 
need root to mount the share.

I really like NFS because it survives time-outs and other network 
problems and is much more stable that samba or windows implemented CIFS 
- so much so that a file copy under NFS can survive a server reboot.

>
>* NFS -- Native protocol, but (possibly) not as secure. Is this still the
>case with NFS? Also some file locking issues that I hope someone can
>explain further.
>
>Also I want to centralise the users Homedirs on OS X. Am I forced here in
>using NFS, or can I mount homedirs over Samba etc. (Well it is possible,
>is it a good idea or not?)
>
I would suggest that NFS with NIS / LDAP is much easier to control 
shares that LDAP and TNG samba.

Kind regards
Xander


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