I have an interesting problem.

We have a Windows server that contains a rather large number of files.  We need to access these files from any machine on our network (Unix, Linux, Windows, hey, even a Tandem and VAX).

We have been using Services for Unix to create a NFS share on this windows server, but SFU is being a real pain.  It tends to loose configuration settings, and just crashes, quite often.  Not to mention some security issues.

My solution, was to add a new Linux machine (FC4) that can serve both NFS and SMB/CIFS.  All is going great, but there is one directory with our released software that I'm not quite willing to move for safety reasons (my Linux server does not have off site backups).

My brilliant solution was to do a smbmount of this folder onto my Linux machine, then do an NFS export.  Stop laughing.

Only problem is that NFS is too smart.  It refuses to serve any files that are not local to my machine.  At least that's what I've found in my research.  These same references also say there are other ways to do this, but doesn't give a hint to what they are.  Thanks a lot.

I've tried sym-links from the NFS exported directory to a SMB shared directory, but NFS just serves the sym-link.

Any other suggestions (besides shoving the Windows machine out a window on the 5th floor)?  


Wayne Johnson
Senior Software Engineer
MQSoftware, Inc.
1660 S Highway 100
Minneapolis, MN 55416
(952) 345-8628