[ Thanks to Steven J.
Vaughan-Nichols for this link. ]
“Getting a little tired of one Windows SMB (Server
Message Block) security problem after another? Want a reliable and
fast file and print server without the Windows server headaches?
Then, may I strongly recommend that you give Samba on Linux a try?
Samba is an open-source program that had provided file and print
services to SMB/CIFS (Common Internet File System) clients for more
than a decade. This is the same core functionality that Windows
Server had provided since NT roamed the Earth. Thus, Samba can
provide file and printer services for any version of Windows. Samba
runs on essentially all Linux/Unix servers. Indeed, it’s a rare
Linux distribution that doesn’t include the Samba server as a
ready-to-run option.“Why Samba
“Why would you bother? There are several good reasons to move to
Samba. The first is cost. Not only is Samba free, it can run on
hardware that Windows Server 2008 R2 would roll over and die on. In
addition, there are no CAL (client access license) fees.“Samba is also fast. When I first tested Samba in 1999, it was
already delivering files faster than NT. It’s only gotten better
since then. In informal tests at my office, I’ve found Samba 3.4.3,
the latest version to be as fast as Server 2008 R2 on the same
servers at delivering files.”