To Install and Configure the Samba Server on Oracle Linux

Introduction:

Samba is a free and open-source software that allows files to be shared across Windows and Linux system.Samba provides file and print services for various Microsoft Windows clients .Samba is released under the terms of the GNU General Public License.The SMB is a protocol that is used for sharing access to files, printers.

Installation steps:

Step 1: check the OS version by using the below command

[root@linuxhelp ~]# cat /etc/os-release 
NAME="Oracle Linux Server"
VERSION="8.4"
ID="ol"
ID_LIKE="fedora"
VARIANT="Server"
VARIANT_ID="server"
VERSION_ID="8.4"

Step 2: Install the samba packages by using the below command

[root@linuxhelp ~]# yum install samba*
Last metadata expiration check: 1 day, 0:19:12 ago on Friday 26 November 2021 09:35:06 AM IST.
Package samba-client-libs-4.13.3-3.el8.x86_64 is already installed.
Package samba-common-4.13.3-3.el8.noarch is already installed.
Package samba-common-libs-4.13.3-3.el8.x86_64 is already installed.
Dependencies resolved.
============================================================================================================================================
 Package                                    Architecture           Version                          Repository                         Size
============================================================================================================================================
Installing:
 samba                                      x86_64                 4.14.5-2.el8                     ol8_baseos_latest                 847 k
 samba-client                               x86_64                 4.14.5-2.el8                     

ol8_baseos_latest                 700 k
 samba-common-tools                         x86_64                 4.14.5-2.el8                     ol8_baseos_latest                 499 k
 samba-krb5-printing                        x86_64                 4.14.5-2.el8                     ol8_baseos_latest                  98 k
 samba-libs                                 x86_64                 4.14.5-2.el8                     ol8_baseos_latest                 169 k
 samba-pidl                                 noarch                 4.14.5-2.el8                     ol8_baseos_latest                 196 k
 samba-test                                 x86_64                 4.14.5-2.el8                     ol8_baseos_latest                 
python3-ldb                                x86_64                 2.2.0-2.el8                      ol8_baseos_latest                  64 k
 python3-samba                              x86_64                 4.14.5-2.el8                     ol8_baseos_latest                 3.2 M
/sbin/ldconfig: /etc/ld.so.conf.d/kernel-5.4.17-2102.201.3.el8uek.x86_64.conf:6: hwcap directive ignored
Complete!

Step 3: Start the samba service by using the below command

[root@linuxhelp ~]# systemctl start smb

Step 4: Enable the samba service by using the below command

[root@linuxhelp ~]# systemctl enable smb
Created symlink /etc/systemd/system/multi-user.target.wants/smb.service → /usr/lib/systemd/system/smb.service.

Step 5: Check the status of samba service by using the below command

[root@linuxhelp ~]# systemctl status smb
● smb.service - Samba SMB Daemon
   Loaded: loaded (/usr/lib/systemd/system/smb.service; enabled; vendor preset: disabled)
   Active: active (running) since Sat 2021-11-27 09:55:20 IST; 26s ago
     Docs: man:smbd(8)
           man:samba(7)
           man:smb.conf(5)
 Main PID: 10590 (smbd)

   Status: "smbd: ready to serve connections..."
    Tasks: 4 (limit: 10509)
   Memory: 41.2M
   CGroup: /system.slice/smb.service
           ├─10590 /usr/sbin/smbd --foreground --no-process-group
           ├─10592 /usr/sbin/smbd --foreground --no-process-group
           ├─10593 /usr/sbin/smbd --foreground --no-process-group

Step 6: Edit the configuration file by using the below command

[root@linuxhelp ~]# vim /etc/samba/smb.conf
[samba]
path=/sambashare
comment=samba
browseable=yes
writable=yes
guest ok=yes
read only=no

Step 7: create a directory for sharing by using the below command

[root@linuxhelp ~]# mkdir /sambashare

Step 8: change the permission of shared folder by using the below command

[root@linuxhelp ~]# chmod 777 /sambashare/

Step 9: create files in shared folder by using the below command

[root@linuxhelp ~]# touch /sambashare/abc{1..10}

Step 10: check the configuration file by using the below command

[root@linuxhelp ~]# testparm
Load smb config files from /etc/samba/smb.conf
Loaded services file OK.
Weak crypto is allowed
Server role: ROLE_STANDALONE
Press enter to see a dump of your service definitions
#Global parameters
[global]
printcap name = cups
	security = USER
	workgroup = SAMBA
	idmap config * : backend = tdb
	cups options = raw
[homes]
	browseable = No
	comment = Home Directories
	inherit acls = Yes
	read only = No
	valid users = %S %D%w%S
[printers]
	browseable = No
	comment = All Printers
	create mask = 0600
	path = /var/tmp
printable = Yes
[print$]
	comment = Printer Drivers
	create mask = 0664
	directory mask = 0775
	force group = @printadmin
	path = /var/lib/samba/drivers
	write list = @printadmin root
[samba]
	comment = samba
	guest ok = Yes
	path = /sambashare
	read only = No

Step 11: Adding a new user by using the below command

[root@linuxhelp ~]# useradd sambauser

Step 12: Set the password to sambauser by using the below command

[root@linuxhelp ~]# passwd sambauser
Changing password for user sambauser.
New password: 
BAD PASSWORD: The password is shorter than 8 characters
Retype new password: 
passwd: all authentication tokens updated successfully.

Step 13 : Change the user to samba user by using the below command

[root@linuxhelp ~]# smbpasswd -a sambauser
New SMB password:
Retype new SMB password:
Added user sambauser.

Step 14: Restart the samba service by using the below command

[root@linuxhelp ~]# systemctl restart smb

Step 15: Avoid a home directory comment by using the below command

[root@linuxhelp ~]# vim /etc/samba/smb.conf
#[homes]
#	browseable = No
#	comment = Home Directories
#	inherit acls = Yes
#	read only = No
#	valid users = %S %D%w%S

Conclusion:

We have reached the end of this article. In this guide, we have walked you through the steps required to install and configure the Samba server on Oracle Linux. Your feedback is much welcome.