About: Server Message Block is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 302 publications have been published within this topic receiving 2630 citations. The topic is also known as: SMB & Common Internet File System.
TL;DR: In this paper, a connection-oriented protocol is proposed for the Common Internet File System (CIFS) protocol, where multiple clients share a Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) connection by allocation of virtual channels within the shared TCP connection and multiplexing of data packets of the virtual channels.
Abstract: A first data mover computer services data access requests from a network client, and a second data mover computer is coupled to the first data mover computer for servicing data access requests from the first data mover computer. The first data mover computer uses a connection-oriented protocol to obtain client context information and to respond to a session setup request from the client by authenticating the client. Then the first data mover computer responds to a file system connection request from the client by forwarding the client context information and the file system connection request to the second data mover computer. Then the first data mover computer maintains a connection between the first data mover computer and the second data mover computer when the client accesses the file system and the first data mover computer passes file access requests from the client to the second data mover computer and returns responses to the file access requests from the second data mover computer to the client. In a preferred embodiment, the connection-oriented protocol is the Common Internet File System (CIFS) Protocol, and multiple clients share a Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) connection between the first data mover computer and the second data mover computer by allocation of virtual channels within the shared TCP connection and multiplexing of data packets of the virtual channels over the shared TCP connection.
TL;DR: In this article, the server management block (SMB) protocol is extended to facilitate exchange of such credentials wherein the server utilizes the generic security subsystem (GSS) API interface to obtain and validate such credentials.
Abstract: LAN server machines are configured to utilize their existing mechanisms to pass generic security subsystem (GSS) distributed computing environment (DCE) credentials. The server management block (SMB) protocol is extended to facilitate exchange of such credentials wherein the server utilizes the GSS API interface to obtain and validate such credentials. The GSS interface provides tokens which encapsulate all necessary information to perform mutual authentication between the client and server. A new protocol level is defined with respect to such SMB protocol extensions which includes a new protocol name exchanged in the negotiate protocol (NP) SMB. Pre-existing LAN servers will turn on a bit in the SMB -- Secmode field in the NP response indicating that the server supports exchange of secpkgX SMB. The server will then wait for an SMB secpkgX or SMB sesssetupX response. The former response will permit the user/client and server to exchange GSS tokens utilizing a conventional LAN server mechanism and to thereby and mutually authenticate.
TL;DR: In this paper, the performance of two typical iSCSI storage subsystems by measuring and analyzing block-level I/O access performance and file-level access performance was evaluated.
Abstract: iISCSI is emerging as an end-to-end protocol for transporting storage I/O block data over IP networks. By exploiting the ubiquitous Internet infrastructure, iSCSI greatly facilitates remote storage, remote backup, and data mirroring. This article evaluates the performance of two typical iSCSI storage subsystems by measuring and analyzing block-level I/O access performance and file-level access performance. In the file-level performance study, we compare file access performance in an NAS scheme with that in an iSCSI-based SAN scheme. Our test results show that Gigabit Ethernet-based iSCSI can reach very high bandwidth, close to that of a direct FC disk access in block I/O access. However, when the iSCSI traverses through longer distance, throughput relies heavily on the available bandwidth between the initiator and the target. On the other hand, the file-level performance shows that iSCSI-based file access (SAN scheme) provides higher performance than using NFS protocol in Linux and SMB protocol in Windows (NAS scheme). However, the advantage of using iSCSI-based file accesses decreases as the file size increases. The obtained experimental results shed some light on the performance of applications based on iSCSI storage.
TL;DR: In this paper, the user is provided with an option to select a server domain from a set of one or more native Windows NT server domains and/or non-native server domains for authentication.
Abstract: A method of authenticating a user of a Windows NT client normally configured against an account held at a Windows NT server. The method begins in response to a logon request at the client. In particular, the user is provided with an option to select a server domain from a set of one or more native Windows NT server domains and/or non-native server domains for authentication. The list of native and/or non-native server domains is compiled by an administrator (e.g., during installation) or by the user (at logon). In response to user selection of the server domain, a connection is then established between the Windows NT client and the server domain. The user is then authenticated at the server domain. Following successful authentication of the Windows NT client at the server domain, a Windows NT user account is then established and maintained at the client.
TL;DR: In this paper, a user is authenticated at a client machine running a native operating system and a user profile is retrieved from the non-native server domain and used to establish at the client a user desktop and any preferences associated with the user.
Abstract: A user is authenticated at a client machine running a native operating system. Authentication may be effected from one or more non-native server domains including, without limitation, a Server Message Block (SMB) server domain, a DCE Cell, or some other non-Windows NT server domain. Following successful authentication, a user account is dynamically established or updated at the client by retrieving from the server user information and a set of "group" privileges associated with the authenticated user. A "user profile" is retrieved from the non-native server domain and used to establish at the client a user desktop and any preferences associated with the user.