[ubuntu-users] Confused over CIFS

[Matthew Flaschen]

Preston Kutzner wrote:

> If it wasn't meant for large transfers of data, it wouldn't be the primary protocol
> for file-sharing in Microsoft solutions.

I think you're oversimplifying things.  Even Microsoft recognizes the
need for using differential compression
(http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb540031(VS.85).aspx), one of
the main technologies rsync uses.

> You really should make sure you have at least samba-client and smbfs
> installed.  Then, use the following command to mount your share from
> your Windows XP box:

I (and the OP) obviously have smbfs installed, as smbmount is part of
that package.  umount.cifs

> sudo mount -t cifs //<windows_machine>/<share> /<mount>/<point> -o
> username=*****,password=*****

It appears smbmount/mount.smbfs is actually just a thin wrapper around
mount.cifs.  Can you give a reason to use one over the other?

> When you want to unmount, just do:
> 
> sudo umount /<mount>/<point>

This is a wrapper around umount.cifs.

> You can either try to find a Windows rsync "server" application,

As I already said, there are several, including cwrsync which is
actively maintained.

Matt Flaschen