CIFS concepts

NetApp

Vserver : Configuration > Protocols > CIFS : Understanding CIFS : CIFS concepts

CIFS clients can access files on a Vserver using the CIFS protocol provided Data ONTAP can properly authenticate the user.

When a CIFS client connects to a Vserver, Data ONTAP authenticates the user with a Windows domain controller. Data ONTAP uses two methods to obtain the domain controllers to use for authentication:

•	It queries DNS servers in the domain that the Vserver is configured to use for domain controller information.

•	It queries a list of preferred domain controllers you can optionally specify.

Next, Data ONTAP must obtain UNIX credentials for the user. It does this by using mapping rules on the Vserver or a LDAP server, or by using a default UNIX user instead. You can specify for a Vserver which mapping services are searched in which order, or specify a default UNIX user.

Data ONTAP then checks different name services for UNIX credentials for the user, depending on the name services configuration of a Vserver. The options are local UNIX accounts, NIS domains, and LDAP domains. You must configure at least one of them so Data ONTAP can successfully authorize the user. You can specify multiple name services and the order in which they are searched.

Was this topic helpful? Send comments to NetApp.