Chapter 14. Samba
Samba is an open-source implementation of the Server Message Block (SMB) and Common Internet File System (CIFS) protocols that provides file and print services between clients across various operating systems.[15]
In Red Hat Enterprise Linux, the samba package provides the Samba server. Enter the following command to see if the samba package is installed:
~]$ rpm -q samba
package samba is not installed
If it is not installed and you want to use Samba, use the
yum utility as the root user to install it:
~]# yum install samba14.1. Samba and SELinux
When SELinux is enabled, the Samba server (
smbd) runs confined by default. Confined services run in their own domains, and are separated from other confined services. The following example demonstrates the smbd process running in its own domain. This example assumes the samba package is installed:
- Run the
getenforcecommand to confirm SELinux is running in enforcing mode:~]$
getenforceEnforcingThe command returnsEnforcingwhen SELinux is running in enforcing mode. - Enter the following command as root to start
smbd:~]#
systemctl start smb.serviceConfirm that the service is running. The output should include the information below (only the time stamp will differ):~]#
systemctl status smb.servicesmb.service - Samba SMB Daemon Loaded: loaded (/usr/lib/systemd/system/smb.service; disabled) Active: active (running) since Mon 2013-08-05 12:17:26 CEST; 2h 22min ago - To view the
smbdprocesses, execute the following command:~]$
ps -eZ | grep smbsystem_u:system_r:smbd_t:s0 9653 ? 00:00:00 smbd system_u:system_r:smbd_t:s0 9654? 00:00:00 smbdThe SELinux context associated with thesmbdprocesses issystem_u:system_r:smbd_t:s0. The second last part of the context,smbd_t, is the type. A type defines a domain for processes and a type for files. In this case, thesmbdprocesses are running in thesmbd_tdomain.
Files must be labeled correctly to allow
smbd to access and share them. For example, smbd can read and write to files labeled with the samba_share_t type, but by default, cannot access files labeled with the httpd_sys_content_t type, which is intended for use by the Apache HTTP Server. Booleans must be enabled to allow certain behavior, such as allowing home directories and NFS volumes to be exported through Samba, as well as to allow Samba to act as a domain controller.
