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Deciding whether to use the SMB/CIFS Reference

This guide describes ONTAP file access features available for the SMB protocol. It shows you how to enable a CIFS server, create shares, and enable Microsoft services. It includes planning guidance and detailed implementation instructions.

Note
SMB (Server Message Block) refers to modern dialects of the Common Internet File System (CIFS) protocol. You will still see CIFS in the ONTAP command-line interface (CLI) and in OnCommand management tools.

You should use this guide under the following circumstances:

  • You want to understand the range of ONTAP SMB protocol capabilities.

  • You want to perform less common configuration and maintenance tasks, not basic SMB/CIFS configuration.

  • You want to use the command-line interface (CLI), not ThinkSystem Storage Manager for DM Series or an automated scripting tool.

If you want to create a basic configuration using best practices, you should choose among the following documentation:
If you require additional configuration or conceptual information, you should choose among the following documentation: