Linux / Unix Tips and Tricks

Solaris 10: Enable Samba for Windows File Sharing

len | 23 December, 2008 09:44

Today I got a question about users that want to access some FIX logfiles on a Solaris 10 server.
Of course you can give them (restricted) ssh access so they could access the files using WinSCP,
but I thought it would be easier to enable SAMBA for them so they could access the logfiles using their Windows Explorer. The good news is that Solaris 10 (9 as well) comes with SAMBA included in the OS, so you just need to enable it.

Configure Samba by creating the file /etc/sfw/smb.conf
Here's a minimal /etc/sfw/smb.conf which I used:

[global]
      workgroup = WORKGROUP
      server string = Fix Server
      log file = /var/samba/log/log.%M
      security = user

[logs]
      comment = FIX Log files
      path = /path/to/logs
      browseable = yes
      read only = yes
      guest ok = No
Add a user called "readlog" on Unix

# useradd -d /path/to/logs -s /bin/false readlog

Add the new created user "readlog" to the SAMBA password database and configure a password:

# /usr/sfw/bin/smbpasswd -a readlog
Now we can start Samba for the first time !

# /etc/init.d/samba start
Test the Samba Server by starting a new Windows Explorer and type \\yourserver in the address bar.
If everything is okay you'll get a password dialog where you can login with the username "readlog" and the password supplied at step 3.