source: branches/samba-3.3.x/docs-xml/Samba3-HOWTO/TOSHARG-IntroSMB.xml@ 274

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<!DOCTYPE preface PUBLIC "-//Samba-Team//DTD DocBook V4.2-Based Variant V1.0//EN" "http://www.samba.org/samba/DTD/samba-doc">
<preface id="IntroSMB">
<prefaceinfo>
        &author.jht;
        <pubdate>June 29, 2003</pubdate>
</prefaceinfo>

<title>Introduction</title>

<para><quote>
A man's gift makes room for him before great men. Gifts are like hooks that can catch
hold of the mind taking it beyond the reach of forces that otherwise might constrain it.
</quote> --- Anon.
</para>


<para>
This is a book about Samba. It is a tool, a derived work of the labors
of many and of the diligence and goodwill of more than a few.
This book contains material that has been contributed in a persistent belief
that each of us can add value to our neighbors as well as to those who will
follow us.
</para>

<para>
This book is designed to meet the needs of the Microsoft network administrator.
UNIX administrators will benefit from this book also, though they may complain
that it is hard to find the information they think they need. So if you are a
Microsoft certified specialist, this book should meet your needs rather well.
If you are a UNIX or Linux administrator, there is no need to feel badly &smbmdash; you
should have no difficulty finding answers to your current concerns also.
</para>

<sect1>
<title>What Is Samba?</title>

        <para>
        Samba is a big, complex project. The Samba project is ambitious and exciting.
        The team behind Samba is a group of some thirty individuals who are spread
        the world over and come from an interesting range of backgrounds. This team
        includes scientists, engineers, programmers, business people, and students.
        </para>

        <para>
        Team members were drawn into active participation through the desire to help
        deliver an exciting level of transparent interoperability between Microsoft
        Windows and the non-Microsoft information
        technology world. 
        </para>

        <para>
        The slogan that unites the efforts behind the Samba project says:
        <emphasis>Samba, Opening Windows to a Wider World!</emphasis> The goal
        behind the project is one of removing barriers to interoperability.
        </para>

        <para>
        Samba provides file and print services for Microsoft Windows clients. These
        services may be hosted off any TCP/IP-enabled platform. The original deployment
        platforms were UNIX and Linux, though today it is in common use across
        a broad variety of systems.
        </para>

        <para>
        The Samba project includes not only an impressive feature set in file and print
        serving capabilities, but has been extended to include client functionality,
        utilities to ease migration to Samba, tools to aid interoperability with
        Microsoft Windows, and administration tools.
        </para>

        <para>
        The real people behind Samba are users like you. You have inspired the
        developers (the Samba Team) to do more than any of them imagined could or should
        be done. User feedback drives Samba development. Samba-3 in particular incorporates
        a huge amount of work done as a result of user requests, suggestions and direct
        code contributions.
        </para>

</sect1>

<sect1>
<title>Why This Book?</title>

        <para>
        There is admittedly a large number of Samba books on the market today and
        each book has its place. Despite the apparent plethora of books, Samba
        as a project continues to receive much criticism for failing to provide
        sufficient documentation. Samba is also criticized for being too complex
        and too difficult to configure. In many ways this is evidence of the
        success of Samba as there would be no complaints if it was not successful.
        </para>

        <para>
        The Samba Team members work predominantly with UNIX and Linux, so
        it is hardly surprising that existing Samba documentation should reflect
        that orientation. The original HOWTO text documents were intended to provide
        some tips, a few golden nuggets, and if they helped anyone then that was
        just wonderful. But the HOWTO documents lacked structure and context. They were
        isolated snapshots of information that were written to pass information
        on to someone else who might benefit. They reflected a need to transmit
        more information that could be conveniently put into manual pages.
        </para>

        <para>
        The original HOWTO documents were written by different authors. Most HOWTO
        documents are the result of feedback and contributions from numerous
        authors. In this book we took care to preserve as much original content as
        possible. As you read this book you will note that chapters were written by
        multiple authors, each of whom has his own style. This demonstrates
        the nature of the Open Source software development process.
        </para>

        <para>
        Out of the original HOWTO documents sprang a collection of unofficial
        HOWTO documents that are spread over the Internet. It is sincerely intended
        that this work will <emphasis>not</emphasis> replace the valuable unofficial 
        HOWTO work that continues to flourish. If you are involved in unofficial 
        HOWTO production then please continue your work!
        </para>

        <para>
        Those of you who have dedicated your labors to the production of unofficial
        HOWTOs, to Web page information regarding Samba, or to answering questions
        on the mailing lists or elsewhere, may be aware that this is a labor
        of love. We would like to know about your contribution and willingly receive
        the precious pearls of wisdom you have collected. Please email your contribution to
        <ulink noescape="1" url="mailto:jht@samba.org">John H. Terpstra (jht@samba.org)</ulink>.
        As a service to other users we will gladly adopt material that is technically accurate.
        </para>

        <para>
        Existing Samba books are largely addressed to the UNIX administrator.
        From the perspective of this target group the existing books serve
        an adequate purpose, with one exception &smbmdash; now that Samba-3 is out
        they need to be updated!
        </para>

        <para>
        This book, the <emphasis>Official Samba-3 HOWTO and Reference Guide</emphasis>,
        includes the Samba-HOWTO-Collection.pdf that ships with Samba.
        These documents have been written with a new design intent and purpose.
        </para>

        <para>
        Over the past two years many Microsoft network administrators have adopted
        Samba and have become interested in its deployment. Their information needs
        are very different from that 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.
        </para>

</sect1>

<sect1>
<title>Book Structure and Layout</title>

        <para>
        This book is presented in six parts:
        </para>

        <variablelist>
                <varlistentry><term>General Installation</term>
                        <listitem><para>
                        Designed to help you get Samba-3 running quickly.
                        The Fast Start chapter is a direct response to requests from
                        Microsoft network administrators for some sample configurations
                        that <emphasis>just work</emphasis>.
                        </para></listitem>
                </varlistentry>

                <varlistentry><term>Server Configuration Basics</term>
                        <listitem><para>
                        The purpose of this section is to aid the transition from existing
                        Microsoft Windows network knowledge to Samba terminology and norms.
                        The chapters in this part each cover the installation of one type of 
                        Samba server.
                        </para></listitem>
                </varlistentry>

                <varlistentry><term>Advanced Configuration</term>
                        <listitem><para>
                        The mechanics of network browsing have long been the Achilles heel of
                        all Microsoft Windows users. Samba-3 introduces new user and machine
                        account management facilities, a new way to map UNIX groups and Windows
                        groups, Interdomain trusts, new loadable file system drivers (VFS), and
                        more. New with this document is expanded printing documentation, as well
                        as a wealth of information regarding desktop and user policy handling,
                        use of desktop profiles, and techniques for enhanced network integration.
                        This section makes up the core of the book. Read and enjoy.
                        </para></listitem>
                </varlistentry>

                <varlistentry><term>Migration and Updating</term>
                        <listitem><para>
                        A much requested addition to the book is information on how to migrate
                        from Microsoft Windows NT4 to Samba-3, as well as an overview of what the
                        issues are when moving from Samba-2.x to Samba-3.
                        </para></listitem>
                </varlistentry>

                <varlistentry><term>Troubleshooting</term>
                        <listitem><para>
                        This short section should help you when all else fails.
                        </para></listitem>
                </varlistentry>

                <varlistentry><term>Reference Section</term>
                        <listitem><para>
                        Here you will find a collection of things that are either too peripheral
                        for most users, or are a little left of field to be included in the
                        main body of information.
                        </para></listitem>
                </varlistentry>
        </variablelist>
                
<para>
Welcome to Samba-3 and the first published document to help you and your users to enjoy a whole
new world of interoperability between Microsoft Windows and the rest of the world.
</para>

</sect1>

</preface>