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Manage SMB using the GUI

This page provides procedures for setting up an SMB cluster over WEKA filesystems and managing the cluster itself, using the GUI.
Using the GUI, you can:
Considerations:
  • When configuring the SMB cluster, the default cluster is of the SMB-W type. To create a legacy SMB cluster, contact the Customer Success Team.
  • When managing an SMB-W cluster using the GUI, the limitations related to SMB-W in the CLI commands also apply.
  • You can manage the legacy SMB cluster using the GUI but not configure or delete it. See Manage SMB using the CLI.
Use ASCII format when configuring name fields, such as domain and shares.

Configure the SMB cluster

The SMB cluster comprises at least three WEKA servers running the SMB-W stack.
Before you begin
Verify a persistent cluster-wide configuration filesystem for protocols is set. If the filesystem still needs to be created, create a filesystem with 100 GB capacity.
Procedure
  1. 1.
    From the menu, select Manage > Protocols.
  2. 2.
    From the Protocols pane, select SMB.
  3. 3.
    On the Configuration tab, select Configure.
SMB cluster configuration tab
4. In the SMB Cluster Configuration dialog, set the following properties:
  • Name: A NetBIOS name for the SMB cluster.
  • Domain: The domain the SMB cluster joins.
  • Domain NetBIOS Name: (Optional) The domain NetBIOS name.
  • Encryption: Select the in-transit encryption to use in the SMB cluster:
    • enabled: enables encryption negotiation but doesn't turn it on automatically for supported sessions and share connections.
    • desired: enables encryption negotiation and turns on data encryption on supported sessions and share connections.
    • required: enforces data encryption on sessions and share connections. Clients that do not support encryption will be denied access to the server.
  • Servers: List 3-8 WEKA system servers to participate in the SMB cluster based on the server IDs in WEKA.
  • IPs: (Optional) List of public IPs (comma-separated) used as floating IPs for the SMB cluster to serve the SMB over and thereby provide HA (do not assign these IPs to any server on the network). For an IP range, use the following format: a.b.c.x-y.
  • Config Filesystem: select the filesystem used for persisting cluster-wide protocols' configurations.
Setting a list of SMB service addresses in all cloud installations is impossible. The SMB service must be accessed using the primary addresses of the cluster nodes.
  1. 5.
    Select Save.
SMB cluster configuration (TBD: replace image)
Once the system completes configuration, the server statuses change from not ready (red X icon) to ready (green V icon).
SMB cluster configuration example

Edit the SMB cluster

You can modify the encryption and IPs settings according to your needs.
Procedure
  1. 1.
    In the SMB Cluster Configuration, select the pencil icon.
Edit the SMB cluster
  1. 2.
    In the Edit SMB Configuration dialog, do the following:
    • Encryption: Select one of the in-transit encryption enforcements: enabled, desired, or required.
    • IPs: List of public IPs (comma-separated) used as floating IPs for the SMB cluster. (Floating IPs are not supported for cloud installations.)
Edit SMB configuration
3. Select Save.

Join the SMB cluster in the Active Directory

To enable the organizational Active Directory to resolve the access of users and user groups to the SMB cluster, join the SMB cluster in the Active Directory (AD).
Before you begin
Ensure the AD servers are resolvable to all WEKA servers. This resolution enables the WEKA servers to join the AD domain.
Procedure
  1. 1.
    In the SMB Cluster Configuration, select Join.
Join the SMB cluster in the Active Directory
  1. 2.
    In the Join to Active Directory dialog, set the following properties:
    • Username and Password: A username and password of an account that has join privileges to the Active Directory. WEKA does not save these credentials, instead a computer account is created on behalf of the user for the SMB cluster.
    • Server: (Optional) WEKA identifies the AD server automatically based on the AD name. You do not need to set the server name. In some cases, if required, specify the AD server.
    • Computers Org. Unit: The default organization unit is the Computers directory. You can define any other directory to connect to in Active Directory, such as SMB servers or Corporate computers.
Join Active Directory dialog
Once the SMB cluster joins the Active Directory, the join status next to the domain changes to Joined.
To join a different Active Directory to the existing SMB cluster configuration, select Leave. To confirm the action, enter the username and password to connect to the Active Directory.

Add servers to the SMB cluster

Adding servers to the SMB cluster can provide several benefits and address various requirements, such as scalability, load balancing, high availability, and improved fault tolerance.
You can add servers to the SMB cluster already joined to the Active Directory (domain).

Procedure

  1. 1.
    On the Servers pane, select Add.
  2. 2.
    In the Add SMB Cluster Servers dialog, select an available server or more from the list (maximum eight servers).
  3. 3.
    Select Save.
Add servers to the SMB cluster

Remove servers from the SMB cluster

If the SMB cluster has more servers than you need, for example, to use them in another cluster, you can remove the server.
The minimum required number of servers in an SMB cluster is three.

Procedure

  1. 1.
    On the Servers pane, select Remove.
  2. 2.
    To remove one server, select the three dots next to the server to remove and select Remove.
Remove one server from the SMB cluster
  1. 3.
    To remove more than one server, from the Remove SMB Cluster Servers dialog, select the servers to remove (click the X), and select Save.
Remove more than one server from the SMB cluster

Delete the SMB cluster

Deleting the SMB cluster resets its configuration data. Deleting an SMB cluster only applies to SMB-W.

Procedure

  1. 1.
    In the SMB Cluster Configuration, select the trash icon.
Delete the SMB cluster configuration
  1. 2.
    In the SMB Configuration Reset message, select Reset.

Display the SMB shares list

The Shares tab displays the SMB shares already created in the system. You can also customize the table columns of the SMB shares.
Procedure
  1. 1.
    From the menu, select Manage > Protocols.
  2. 2.
    From the Protocols pane, select SMB.
  3. 3.
    Select the Shares tab. You can filter the list using any column in the table.
SMB shares list

Add an SMB share

Once the SMB cluster is created, you can set SMB shares (maximum 1024). Each share must have a name and a shared path to the filesystem. It can be the root of the filesystem or a sub-directory.
Procedure
  1. 1.
    In the Shares tab, select +Create.
  2. 2.
    In the Add SMB Share dialog, set the following properties:
    • Name: A meaningful name for the SMB share.
    • Filesystem: The filesystem name that includes the directory to share. Select one from the list. A filesystem with Required Authentication set to ON cannot be used for SMB share.
    • Description: A description or purpose of the SMB share.
    • Path: A valid internal path, relative to the root, within the filesystem to expose the SMB share.
    • Encryption: Select in-transit encryption enforcement of the share. The global cluster encryption settings can affect the actual encryption.
    • Read Only: Select to set the share as read-only.
    • Hidden: Select if you want to hide the share so it is not visible when viewing the list of system shares.
    • Allow Guest Access: Select if you want guests to access without authentication.
    • Access Permissions: Define the share access permissions. If you select ON, select the access type and the users or groups allowed to access the share (comma-separated users and groups list, add '@' as a group prefix).
    • Files/Directories POSIX Mode Mask: Set the new default file and directory permissions in a numeric (octal) format created through the share.
    • ACLs Enabled: Determines whether to enable the Windows Access-Control Lists (ACLs) on the share. Weka translates the ACLs to POSIX.
  3. 3.
    Select Save.
Add SMB Share dialog

Edit an SMB share

You can update some of the SMB share settings. These include encryption, hiding the share, allowing guest access, and setting the share as read only or not.
Procedure
  1. 1.
    In the Shares tab, select the three dots of the share and select Edit.
Edit an SMB share
  1. 2.
    In the Update Share Settings dialog, update the relevant properties and select Save.
Update the SMB share settings

Remove an SMB share

Procedure
  1. 1.
    In the Shares tab, select the three dots of the share and select Remove.
Remove an SMB . share
  1. 2.
    In the confirmation message that appears, select Confirm. The removed share no longer appears in the SMB Shares list.