The server implements the SMB protocols as used by Microsoft Windows platforms. From the client perspective, the server is indistinguishable from a Windows file server.
- Share manipulation (for example, add, list, and delete).
- File manipulation (for example, read, write, create, delete, move, and copy).
- File locking and byte-range locking.
- File access control using standard Windows ACLs.
- File and directory attributes (for example, read-only, and archive).
- Automatic creation of user home directories.
- Windows Extended Attributes (note that this should not be confused with NFS or POSIX xattr).
- BranchCache.
- Support for remote management from Server Manager (Windows Server 2012 or later).
- SMB2 large read/write MTU (NAS Server limited to 64KiB).
- SMB3 Directory Leasing.
- SMB Direct (SMB3 over RDMA).
- Offloaded Data Transfer (ODX).
- Library storage (for Hyper-V management tools).
Prerequisites
- Enter a CIFS license key.
- Enable the CIFS service.
- Configure the server.
Depending on the security model used on the SMB network, configure the server using one of the following methods:
| Security Model | Client Authentication | Configuration Method |
|---|---|---|
| NT Domain security | NT 4 only | Add server to NT domain |
| Active Directory | NT 4 only | Add server to NT domain |
| Kerberos and NT 4 | Join Active Directory |
When configured to join an Active Directory, the server functions the same way as a server added to an NT domain, except that after joining an Active Directory, the server can authenticate clients using the Kerberos protocol as well as NT 4-style authentication. Most modern Windows clients support both authentication methods, though a number of older Windows clients only support NT 4-style authentication.
Supported clients
The server supports platforms and clients that are compliant with SMB versions 1, 2, 2.1, and 3.
Domain controller interaction
The storage server relies on Windows domain controllers to authenticate users and to obtain user information (for example, group membership). The server automatically discovers and connects to the fastest and most reliable domain controllers. Because operating conditions can change over time, the server selects the best domain controller every 10 minutes.
By default, when authenticating clients in an Active Directory, the server uses the time maintained by the domain controller, automatically adjusting for any clock inconsistencies.
Dynamic DNS
The storage server supports DNS and DDNS. For more information, see the Network Administration Guide.
SMB (CIFS) Statistics
SMB statistics for the storage server (in 10-second time slices) are available for activity since the previous reboot or since the point when statistics were last reset.