NetBIOS, NetBEUI, NBF, SMB, CIFS networking links page

There is a suite or family of protocols which includes the NetBIOS Frames Protocol, NBF, (often referred to as NetBEUI or sometimes as NetBIOS), the Server Message Block protocol, SMB, and Common Internet File System, CIFS. These protocols are associated with the original NetBIOS implementation with which they have a historical link.

Many systems use SMB including Microsoft's Windows for Workgroups, Windows 95, LAN Manager and Windows NT and IBM's OS/2 and LAN Server and the SAMBA implementation.

While there is documentation readily available for protocol suits such as AppleTalk, DECnet, IPX/SPX and TCP/IP, it is difficult to find documentation for SMB and the other protocols in the suite; this page provides links to some documentation available on the Web.

A general document is available:
NetBios, NetBEUI, NBF, SMB, CIFS Networking.
(Requires a browser which can show tables.)

NetBIOS / NetBEUI / NBF

There is no formal standard which defines the protocol(s) used with NetBIOS; in practice the IBM LAN Technical Reference IEEE 802.2 and NetBIOS Application Program Interfaces is used as a reference.

Title: LAN Technical Reference: 802.2 and NetBIOS APIs
Document Number: SC30-3587-01
Build Date: 04/30/96 15:30:53 Build Version: 1.3.0
Book Path: /home/publib/epubs/book/bk8p7001.boo

This document is available from IBM and on line via:

http://publibz.boulder.ibm.com/
and directly at:

http://publibz.boulder.ibm.com/cgi-bin/bookmgr_OS390/BOOKS/BK8P7001/COVER

• Some information about NetBIOS is provided at:
  http://www.ossir.org/ftp/supports/96/netbios.html
  Netbios Network Basic Input/Output System Protocols

• Bay Networks (Now Nortel Networks) had produced some on line documentation for managing Bay Networks routers and this documentation includes information about NetBIOS.
  The documentation can be found by searching:
  http://support.baynetworks.com

NetBIOS overview / programming

• Gavin Winston has provided information about NetBIOS and programming with NetBIOS:
  http://members.tripod.com/~Gavin_Winston/NETBIOS.HTM
  NetBIOS Specification

NetBIOS on a TCP/UDP transport

NetBIOS can be carried over TCP/IP networks. The relevant RFCs describing NetBIOS on a TCP and UDP foundation are:

RFC 1001

PROTOCOL STANDARD FOR A NetBIOS SERVICE ON A TCP/UDP TRANSPORT: CONCEPTS AND METHODS

RFC 1002

PROTOCOL STANDARD FOR A NetBIOS SERVICE ON A TCP/UDP TRANSPORT: DETAILED SPECIFICATIONS

There are several implementations of NetBIOS on a TCP/UDP transport. A free implementation is "SAMBA" which is available for various Unix platforms and non-Unix platforms. Further information about "SAMBA" can be obtained from the "SAMBA" Web page:

http://www.samba.org

Server Message Block protocol (SMB)

SMB is an application level protocol which runs over NBF (NetBEUI / NetBIOS) or NetBIOS over TCP/IP or NetBIOS over IPX/SPX. Further information can be found at the following locations:

• The Open Group has some documents on SMB

  http://www.opengroup.org/public/pubs/catalog/ws.htm
  Open Group Work Station Data Access Titles

  The following publications are currently available.

  • http://www.opengroup.org/public/pubs/catalog/c209.htm
    Protocols for X/Open PC Interworking: SMB, Version 2

  • http://www.opengroup.org/public/pubs/catalog/c195.htm
    IPC Mechanisms for SMB

• Richard Sharpe has produced a document which explains what the SMB protocol is and discusses the many client and server implementations:
  http://samba.anu.edu.au/cifs/docs/what-is-smb.html
  Just what is SMB? V1.0 Richard Sharpe

• A history of SMB can be found at:
  http://samba.anu.edu.au/cifs/docs/smb-history.html
  History of SMB

  Dan.Shearer@unisa.edu.au
• Microsoft has made some documentation on SMB available at: ftp://ftp.microsoft.com/developr/drg/CIFS
  See index.txt

  The following documents are available, and seem to be in "MS-DOS text with layout" format.

  • " COREP.TXT is the orginal core protocol developed for MSnet and PCLP. It is the common protocol (ie least common denominator) spoken by any SMB server (ie MSnet, Lan Manager, VMS SMB servers, XenixNet, etc)."

    Microsoft Networks/OpenNET
    FILE SHARING PROTOCOL
    INTEL Part Number 138446
    Document Version 2.0
    November 7, 1988
    

  • " DOSEXTP.TXT is the LM 1.0 SMB protocol. "

    Microsoft Networks
    SMB FILE SHARING PROTOCOL EXTENSIONS
    SMB File Sharing Protocol Extensions Version 2.0
    Document Version 3.3
    November 7, 1988
    

  • " SMB.TXT is the LM 2.0 protocol. Note: In the doc is calls LM 2.0 as LM 1.2 (it's orginal name before being renamed to LM 2.0). "

    Microsoft Networks
    SMB FILE SHARING PROTOCOL EXTENSIONS
    SMB File Sharing Protocol Extensions Version 3.0
    Document Version 1.09
    November 29, 1989
    

  • " XEXTNP.TXT is the XenixNet SMB protocol. "

    OpenNET/Microsoft Networks
    FILE SHARING PROTOCOL EXTENSIONS
    INTEL Part Number 138447
    Version 1.9
    September 5, 1986
    

• An article titled:
  "Understanding the Network Neighborhood
  How Linux Works With Microsoft Networking Protocols"
  by Christopher R. Hertel appeared in Linux Magazine May 2001 and is available on line at: http://www.linux-mag.com/2001-05/smb_01.html

Common Internet File System (CIFS)

A new version of SMB is being developed which will be called CIFS. Further information can be found at:

• John Kleven at CodeFX ( www.codefx.com ) wrote an excellent PDF document, CIFS Explained that can be downloaded from their web site http://www.codefx.com/CIFS_Explained.pdf

• Microsoft has made some documentation on CIFS available at: ftp://ftp.microsoft.com/developr/drg/CIFS

• Microsoft has produced a document listing public information on SMB and CIFS:
  CIFS or Public SMB Information on Common Internet File System (Q199072)
  This document can be obtained from the Microsoft support site.

• jCIFS There is a project to implement the Common Internet File System (CIFS) in Java. Information on this project can be found at: http://jcifs.samba.org/

• The Storage Networking Industry Association (SNIA) has produced a work-in-progress document:
  Common Internet File System (CIFS)
  Version: CIFS-Spec 0.9
  Draft SNIA CIFS Work Group Work-in-Progress
  This document can be found at: http://www.snia.org/English/Collaterals/Work_Group_Docs/NAS/CIFS/CIFS-SPEC-0P9-REVIEW.pdf

• CIFS is also documented in:
  Implementing CIFS
  The Common Internet File System
  by Christopher R. Hertel
  This document can be found at:
  http://www.ubiqx.org/cifs/index.html

• Another useful source of information about CIFS can be found at:
  "CIFS 2001 Conference and Plug Fest" web site: http://www.cifs2001.org/

• There is a Microsoft article titled:
  "CIFS: A Common Internet File System "
  Paul Leach and Dan Perry
  http://www.microsoft.com/mind/1196/cifs.asp

  Microsoft Interactive Developer magazine, November, 1996. Microsoft Internet Developer is now incorporated into MSDN Magazine.

• Microsoft is making CIFS documentation available to users who are willing to sign a Royalty-Free CIFS Technical Reference License Agreement.

  Details can be found at the msdn site, at the link below:

  Royalty-Free CIFS Technical Reference License Agreement

All trade marks are respectfully acknowledged.

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