cifs file system vs samba

[Alzhy]

CIFS is NOT Samba. Samba is NOT CIFS.

CIFS is a protocol -- acronym for Common Internet File System. It was originally called SMB (server message block) protocol that was an IBM (note SEP..) origination and was heavily improved by Microsoft. Around 1999, it was renamed to CIFS. CIFS is the protocol by which Samba and other SMB comaptible systems like Windows share resources like filesystems and printers.

SAMBA is a software suite that mimics the behaviour of a Windows Server so it can do most of what a Windows File server can. And that includes serving resources via the CIFS protocol. On HP-UX environments, SAMBA is implemented via the CIFS Server software.

CIFS as a filesystem on HP-UX environments came about as an adoption of HP by a Product From Sharity, Inc. that allows HP-UX to mount CIFS enable shares (i.e. Samba or Windows Shares). It is via the CIFS Client Software that makes it possible.