An overview of SMB support

The Distributed File Service Server Message Block (SMB) support provides a server that makes Hierarchical File System (HFS) files and data sets available to SMB clients. At the same time, these files can be shared with local z/OS® UNIX applications. In addition, Windows SMB clients can make remote print requests to z/OS printers that are connected to the Infoprint Server for z/OS.

Server Message Block (SMB) is a protocol for remote file/print access that is used by Windows clients. This protocol is also known as Common Internet File System (CIFS). The data sets supported include: sequential data sets on DASD (Direct Access Storage Device), partitioned data sets (PDS), partitioned data sets extended (PDSE) and Virtual Storage Access Method (VSAM) data sets. The data set support is typically referred to as Record File System (RFS) support. To access shared directory paths and shared printers, the SMB protocol is supported through the use of TCP/IP on z/OS. Personal Computer (PC) clients on the network use the file and print sharing functions that are included in their operating systems.

Note: Throughout this documentation, references are made to HFS. Unless otherwise stated, HFS is a generic reference that includes HFS, z/OS File System (zFS), TFS, and AUTOMNT file system data. If you are in a sysplex shared file system environment, SMB support of zFS is limited to zFS compatibility mode file systems that are non-sysplex aware.

Distributed File Service includes an SMB function that is based on the X/Open SMB Version 2 specification and the IETF RFCs on NetBIOS over IP (RFC1001 and RFC1002). The Version 2 specification refers to the publication level and does not imply support of the Microsoft SMBv2 protocol or later.