Chapter 8. Stand-Alone Servers

Chapter 8. Stand-Alone Servers
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John H. Terpstra

Samba Team

<jht@samba.org>

Table of Contents

Features and Benefits

Background

Example Configuration

Reference Documentation Server
Central Print Serving

Common Errors

-Stand-Alone servers are independent of Domain Controllers on the network. -They are NOT domain members and function more like workgroup servers. In many -cases a stand-alone server is configured with a minimum of security control -with the intent that all data served will be readily accessible to all users. -

Features and Benefits

-Stand-Alone servers can be as secure or as insecure as needs dictate. They can -have simple or complex configurations. Above all, despite the hoopla about -Domain security they remain a very common installation. -

-If all that is needed is a server for read-only files, or for -printers alone, it may not make sense to affect a complex installation. -For example: A drafting office needs to store old drawings and reference -standards. No-one can write files to the server as it is legislatively -important that all documents remain unaltered. A share mode read-only stand-alone -server is an ideal solution. -

-Another situation that warrants simplicity is an office that has many printers -that are queued off a single central server. Everyone needs to be able to print -to the printers, there is no need to affect any access controls and no files will -be served from the print server. Again a share mode stand-alone server makes -a great solution. -

Background

-The term stand-alone server means that the server -will provide local authentication and access control for all resources -that are available from it. In general this means that there will be a -local user database. In more technical terms, it means that resources -on the machine will be made available in either SHARE mode or in -USER mode. -

-No special action is needed other than to create user accounts. Stand-alone -servers do NOT provide network logon services. This means that machines that -use this server do NOT perform a domain logon to it. Whatever logon facility -the workstations are subject to is independent of this machine. It is however -necessary to accommodate any network user so that the logon name they use will -be translated (mapped) locally on the stand-alone server to a locally known -user name. There are several ways this can be done. -

-Samba tends to blur the distinction a little in respect of what is -a stand-alone server. This is because the authentication database may be -local or on a remote server, even if from the Samba protocol perspective -the Samba server is NOT a member of a domain security context. -

-Through the use of PAM (Pluggable Authentication Modules) and nsswitch -(the name service switcher, which maintains the unix user database) the source of authentication may reside on -another server. We would be inclined to call this the authentication server. -This means that the Samba server may use the local UNIX/Linux system password database -(/etc/passwd or /etc/shadow), may use a -local smbpasswd file, or may use -an LDAP back end, or even via PAM and Winbind another CIFS/SMB server -for authentication. -

Example Configuration

-The following examples are designed to inspire simplicity. It is too easy to -attempt a high level of creativity and to introduce too much complexity in -server and network design. -

Reference Documentation Server

-Configuration of a read-only data server that EVERYONE can access is very simple. -Here is the smb.conf file that will do this. Assume that all the reference documents -are stored in the directory /export, that the documents are owned by a user other than -nobody. No home directories are shared, that are no users in the /etc/passwd -UNIX system database. This is a very simple system to administer. -

Example 8.1. smb.conf for Reference Documentation Server

# Global parameters

[global]

workgroup = MIDEARTH

netbios name = GANDALF

security = SHARE

passdb backend = guest

wins server = 192.168.1.1

[data]

comment = Data

path = /export

guest only = Yes

-In the above example the machine name is set to REFDOCS, the workgroup is set to the name -of the local workgroup so that the machine will appear in with systems users are familiar -with. The only password backend required is the "guest" backend so as to allow default -unprivileged account names to be used. Given that there is a WINS server on this network -we do use it. -

Central Print Serving

-Configuration of a simple print server is very simple if you have all the right tools -on your system. -

Assumptions:

- The print server must require no administration -
- The print spooling and processing system on our print server will be CUPS. - (Please refer to the chapter about CUPS for more information). -
- All printers that the print server will service will be network - printers. They will be correctly configured, by the administrator, - in the CUPS environment. -
- All workstations will be installed using postscript drivers. The printer - of choice is the Apple Color LaserWriter. -

-In this example our print server will spool all incoming print jobs to -/var/spool/samba until the job is ready to be submitted by -Samba to the CUPS print processor. Since all incoming connections will be as -the anonymous (guest) user, two things will be required: -

Enabling Anonymous Printing

- The UNIX/Linux system must have a guest account. - The default for this is usually the account nobody. - To find the correct name to use for your version of Samba do the - following: -
```
-$ testparm -s -v | grep "guest account"
-
```
- Then make sure that this account exists in your system password - database (/etc/passwd). -
- The directory into which Samba will spool the file must have write - access for the guest account. The following commands will ensure that - this directory is available for use: -
```
-root# mkdir /var/spool/samba
-root# chown nobody.nobody /var/spool/samba
-root# chmod a+rwt /var/spool/samba
-
```
-

Example 8.2. smb.conf for anonymous printing

# Global parameters

[global]

workgroup = MIDEARTH

netbios name = GANDALF

security = SHARE

passdb backend = guest

wins server = noldor

printing = cups

printcap name = cups

[printers]

comment = All Printers

path = /var/spool/samba

printer admin = root

guest ok = Yes

printable = Yes

use client driver = Yes

browseable = No

Common Errors

-The greatest mistake so often made is to make a network configuration too complex. -It pays to use the simplest solution that will meet the needs of the moment. -

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