Samba Limiting connections.

[JAMIE WILBRAHAM]

We have increased the number of users that have access to a samba share. The issue we are currently having, is a maximum of 16 users only can access the share at a time.

Now comes the fun part, I have adjusted the smb.conf file in /usr/local/samba/lib to include the control parameters max connection and max session. The problem is, even thou I have increased these variables to quite large numbers, the server is still capping our users at 16. But the interesting thing is, if I set the above parameters is 3, it will cap out users of samba at 3, but increase above 16 and it caps at 16. Is there something I am missing?????

Our smb.conf file's global configuration is as below....

[global]
netbios name = RP5430
workgroup = WORKGROUP
server string = Samba Server
security = share
update encrypted = Yes
syslog = 0
log file = /var/opt/samba/log.%m
max log size = 50
guest account = pcguest
writeable = Yes
max connections = 100
max smbd processes = 100
hosts allow = 192.8.8.
dos filetime resolution = Yes
[BP.START]
comment = BP.START
path = /user/ult/UA/BP.START
public = Yes
guest ok = Yes
guest account = pcguest
hosts allow = 192.8.8.

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

[Michael Tully]

I've never really looked at this problem, but have you looked at the parameters in the /etc/rc.config.d/nfsconf file. Some of these are capped at 16

[JAMIE WILBRAHAM]

Thanks for your reply, I have had a look and yes the nfsconf has the entries

NUM_NFSD=16
NUM_NFSIOD=16

I have changed these values to 26 (as a test), the question now is, there is no nfsd process running, only a nfskd, is that the same one.??.

[Michael Tully]

What are these set as in the /etc/rc.config.d/netconf file?

NFS_CLIENT=1
NFS_SERVER=1

[Dave Olker]

Michael,

Are you trying to get NFS to take the fall for a Samba/CIFS problem now?

NFS has nothing to do with Samba on the server. On the client system, the HP CIFS Client product does leverage some of the NFS client RPC procedures to work its magic, but that shouldn't limit anything to do with the smbds or smbd connections associated with servicing CIFS connections on the server.

Jamie - the nfskd daemon does absolutely nothing on the HP-UX server. It is a daemon that was originally intended to serve as a holding process for NFS kernel threads that service NFS requests arriving via UDP. However, we decided to continue servicing NFS/UDP requests via the user-space nfsd daemons and haven't converted to kernel threads for UDP requests. Bottom line, the nfskd process doesn nothing, but don't try to terminate it.

We will be moving to kernel threads servicing NFS/UDP requests in an upcoming release of HP-UX, but at that time the daemon process will be called "nfsd" as it is today (i.e. a "ps -ef" will show 1 nfsd daemon running and all UDP and TCP requests will be serviced from a pool of kernel threads).

I really don't think NFS should take the fall for this problem.

Dave

[Dave Olker]

Hi Jamie,

Regarding your original problem, the "max smbd processes" parameter is a GLOBAL parameter, so you have it in the right area of the smbd.conf file.

However, the "max connections" parameter is a SHARE level parameter, so I doubt it will take effect unless it is defined within the area of the specific share that you're trying to limit access to.

Try moving this parameter down into the share definition and see if it makes a difference.

Regards,

Dave

[Michael Tully]

While on a good thing stick to it. (blaming NFS)

I did say in my first reply:
"I've never really looked at this problem"

Sorry I couldn't help further.

[Darren Prior]

Hi Jamie,

It would be useful to know which version of CIFS/Samba you are running.

The docs for versions of CIFS from A.01.08 and above suggests that kernel parm changes can be required. It might be worth checking these.

regards,

Darren.

[RAC_1]

I also think the max connections options needs to be under respective share section.
Check the following document.

http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/samba/chapter/book/appc_01.html

Anil

[RAC_1]

If you have swat(Samba Administration tool - On port 901), you explore lot more options and also get quick help. Open it up and set the option you require(max. connections)

Anil

[JAMIE WILBRAHAM]

Thanks for your help so far, it has helped me move at least in a positive direction.

As for the version of samba, it is 2.2.5 .

I have tried to access the swat from the browser, but get a browser error
"Samba is configured to deny access from this client
Check your "hosts allow" and "hosts deny" options in smb.conf".
I have checked the smb.conf file, as it is above, there is not hosts.deny and the hosts.allow is the range for my machine.

I am wondering is there any kernal values that could influence the samba client???

[Dave Olker]

Hi Jamie,

If you remove the "hosts allow" lines from the smb.conf file does Samba allow the SWAT connection to work?

Dave

[Darren Prior]

Yes, there are kernel parms that will affect Samba/CIFS. maxusers, nproc, nfile, nflocks and ninode are the ones you need to look at; the CIFS documentation at http://docs.hp.com goes into detail on setting these for CIFS. You should refer to the docs for your version of Samba.

regards,

Darren.

[JAMIE WILBRAHAM]

Thankyou for all your ideas. We have found the main configuration problem was there were two version of samba on the server. Once we isolated the correct version, and impletemented your suggestions all became good with the world.