Topic: Problem after mounting SME Samba share from linux

[tas]

I am running SME 6.0.1-01 server with a number of iBays and user personal shares, I have also another PC with Fedora Core 2 running to be backup storage for SME server. From Fedora I can use smbmount to mount the SME iBay shares without problem.  

When I try to smbmount any of the personal user shares, smbmount returns ok, then any operation on the mount point locks (ie. ls), attempts to umount this point result in "device busy" errors, even shutdown hangs trying to unmount this point resulting in (panic) reset.

The command I am using to mount these shares is:
#smbmount //server/share /mnt/backup/share -o usernamer=realuser,password=theirpwd

What is different about the users personal fileshares and why do these act different to the iBays?

[Damian]

Hi tas,

My 2 pennies worth ...

You're probably hitting permissions issues. I tried this too originally from a SUSE 9.1 host and had varying success.
In the end I realised that Server Message Block is a conversion tool used at both ends of the conversation. A better solution would be to keep it native and use (trumpet fanfare) NFS.

NFS isn't installed by default due to security issues. If you're using your SME server in Server-Only mode and have a separate firewall box then I see no issue with using NFS.

If you export the ibays level to your named FedCore machine with root equivalency then you can be sure that your backups will cover ALL files.

Check out http://forums.contribs.org/index.php?topic=24054.0 if you'd like to try it. Can't be any less than SMB

Damian

[tas]

Thanks Damian

Your advice on installing portmap and nfs-utils on the SME server put me on the right track to fix the problem. I had tried nfs earlier with no hint of success only obscure error messages, that's why I tried Samba.

I have now successfully backed up all the fileshares on my SME server (including personal user shares) using rsync to another Linux PC.

The successful method used (after many failed attempts) was:

On the PC acting as backup server (Fedora Core 2 in this case)

Add the following line to /etc/exports (note that /backup is a HD mounted specifically for this purpose)
/backup  192.168.100.1(rw,sync,no_root_squash)

Add the following 2 lines to /etc/hosts.deny
portmap: ALL
nfs: ALL

Add the following 2 lines to /etc/hosts.allow
portmap: 192.168.100.1
nfs: 192.168.100.1

Restart the portmap and the nfs services.

Create the same users and groups with the same UID and GID numbers as exist on the SME server.


On the SME server

Install the portmap and nfs-utils as described by Damian, and start these services.

Mount the /backup partition from above
#mount 192.168.100.2:/backup /mnt/backup -o suid

Now backup ALL the users and iBay shares
#rsync -auv /home/e-smith/files /mnt/backup


  I now have a complete and working backup.

Tas

[Damian]

Hi Tas,

Pleased you got it working. I note that you mounted the backup area from SME meaning that as long as you had write access to /backup you definately had permissions (as root on SME) to access all share and data areas. Nice one.

To add the ability to recover from previous backups you might want to look at this page by Mike Rubel - http://www.mikerubel.org/computers/rsync_snapshots/

Cheers,

Damian