HP CIFS Client A.02.02.03 Administrator's Guide

The HP CIFS Client supports the following DFS servers:
• Windows NT
• Windows 2000/2003
• HP CIFS Server
For information on how to set up DFS on a CIFS server, consult your CIFS server documentation.
The following describe the major features of DFS:
• High data availability
Multiple copies of read-only shares can be mounted under the same logical DFS name to
provide alternate locations for accessing data. If one of the copies becomes unavailable, an
alternate is automatically selected.
• Load balancing
Multiple copies of read-only shares on separate disk drivers or servers can be mounted under
the same logical DFS name, thus permitting limited load balancing between drives or servers.
• Name and location transparency
DFS transparently links server volumes and shares into a single name space. You can navigate
the logical name space without consideration to the physical location of your data.
• Integration with Windows NT security model
There are no additional administrative or security issues. Users who connect to DFS shares
are only permitted to access files for which they have appropriate rights on that share.
Limitations
CIFS Client MS DFS support has the following limitations:
• Moving files across DFS links is not supported.
• Before the CIFS Client connects to a DFS Root on an HP CIFS Server (Samba), CIFS UNIX
Extensions must be disabled on either the CIFS Client or Server.
Dynamically Loadable Kernel Module
The kernel component of the HP CIFS Client is implemented as a Dynamically Loadable Kernel
Module (DLKM). Both static binding and dynamic loading are supported. Dynamic loading can
be demand-loading or auto-loading. With DLKM support, installation, removal, and update of the
HP CIFS Client do not require a system reboot.
The HP CIFS Client supports the following kernel module states:
• Auto: The module will be dynamically loaded at the first time it is used.
• Static: The module is statically linked into the kernel.
• Loaded: The module is dynamically loaded and running in the kernel.
• Unused: The module is not loaded in the kernel.
• Best: A state that selects the following order of preference: auto, static,loaded, unused.
By default, the kernel module state is auto. The HP CIFS Client kernel module will be dynamically
loaded when the first CIFS file system mount is performed. You may use the kcmodule command
to change the kernel configuration state. Ensure you understand the effects of any changes if you
want to modify the kernel configuration state. Refer to man page kcmodule(1M) for details.
NOTE: HP CIFS Client DLKM support is available only on HP-UX release 11i v2 or later.
12 Introduction to the HP CIFS Client