Linux + smb.conf

[microphylum]

Hi all,

I'm setting up an Open Dental server using Linux (CentOS 5.2). I've set up the samba server properly (I think), but for some reason I can't access it from my Windows workstations (the network path was not found). My network works fine (I checked using ping), so other than a misconfigured smb.conf, I don't know what's wrong.

How do I set up a smb.conf for Open Dental?

Edit: I should note that I tried the smb.conf at http://wiki.gacq.com/index.php/Open_Dental that but it doesn't work.

Thanks!

[microphylum]

I've found out the problem: there was a firewall blocking the port used by smb. Now I have my samba and mysql running, what do I do next? I can't seem to find a good resource for this.

Thanks!

[murmsk]

make a share for the a-z files and setup the folder structure

shut down mysql

read/copy the database over ... restart mysql

point the workstations to the server and your done.

good luck

steve

[microphylum]

Thanks for your help, Steve!

point the workstations to the server and your done.

I'm having some difficulty here. Open Dental seems to throw some access denied errors when I try to point it at the mysql database.

Also, when I try to point the A-Z folders to the network share, it tells me cryptically that it needs to be a valid network share. I am certain it is, however (that is, I can browse to it using Windows Explorer).

At this point, it looks like a misconfiguration.

Any ideas?

Thanks!

[jordansparks]

Are you sure you set up the MySQL permissions correctly? It can be tricky:
http://www.open-dent.com/manual/passwordsmysql.html

As for the AtoZ share, can you show us what your "valid network share" path looks like when you access it from another computer?

[microphylum]

I have no faith that I've set up my MySQL permissions correctly. I'll drop the user I set up and work from there (just to keep things simple).

I followed the directions to set up samba using http://wiki.gacq.com/index.php/Open_Dental. I shared it as OpenDentalData instead of OpenDentImages, as per the directions, but I don't think it should make that big a difference. I'll change it to OpenDentImages once I'm back at the office.

My "valid network share" is \\192.168.0.2\OpenDentImages (on a tangential but potentially related question, should this share be password-protected?)

Thanks so much for your help!

[murmsk]

can you see and access the the a-z share from my network on the workstations?

Jordan is right linux permissions and users can be a pain. It has been 4 years since I set my server up so let me check my notes on monday.

steve

[microphylum]

Sorry for the delay--I was busy all week; I'll probably take a look at the computers tomorrow.

I indeed can see and access the A-Z share from the workstations using Windows Explorer.

Should this share be password-protected?

Thanks!

[jordansparks]

No, it should not be password protected.

[murmsk]

Can you see the share via mycomputer/my network places?

If memory serves just copying the files from a windows computer caused permission problems. I was easier for me to backup the files via a dump with mysqladmin from the old server and the restore them from the dump as root on the new server. This got the permissions right without having to use the command line.

[microphylum]

I can indeed see the shares via My Computer.

I used mysqldump to back up the database and then put it on my samba share (which is the same system as the database server). I then did a restore using the mysql command line client.

How should the permissions be set for the A-Z share?

Thank you!

[jordansparks]

Why not use a Windows computer for MySQL? You would avoid all this headache. There is no limit to the number of computers you can connect.

[drtech]

if you can get it set up, it is worth it to use linux, just for stability in that you never have to worry about that computer restarting for updates or crashing every month or more. No doubt though it is so much simpler to just use windows! :p I will look at my setup and see I can help you out here soon...

[jordansparks]

I've left my Windows server running for many many months. It never crashes or requires a restart. The only reason I initially explored Linux was to avoid licensing hassles and connection limits. But I now know, years later, that there is no connection limit to a port. So a simple Windows workstation can be a mysql server for many many computers. As for the connection limit of 10 to the AtoZ folder, that is solved by a simple network attached external hard drive. No connection limit. I had a big 3 day long fight with a Linux computer last month that soured me on Linux.

[microphylum]

Hey everyone,

I finally got the whole setup working splendidly! Thank you so much for your help!

My procedure:

1. I granted mysql permission to 'user'@'localhost' as well as 'user'@'%' (because the % is required for access from any computer besides the server, as noted in the linked page).
2. I reconfigured my smb.conf to share without passwords.
3. chmod -R 777 /srv/OpenDental/

Thanks again! Now to start using Open Dental

[fdscadmin]

I've left my Windows server running for many many months. It never crashes or requires a restart. The only reason I initially explored Linux was to avoid licensing hassles and connection limits. But I now know, years later, that there is no connection limit to a port. So a simple Windows workstation can be a mysql server for many many computers. As for the connection limit of 10 to the AtoZ folder, that is solved by a simple network attached external hard drive. No connection limit. I had a big 3 day long fight with a Linux computer last month that soured me on Linux.

lol. I just have to respond to this. For the sake of hosting OpenDental's DB windows or linux will work fine, but to be soured to linux because of some (unexplained) 3 day fight is a bit silly. I could easily say that I've been soured to windows more than once because of viruses, malware, trojan horses, adware, ....the list goes on. This is a real concern because all the anti-(everything) software that is supposed to protect windows machines from this kind of attack will always be one step behind; spare for the few heuristic saves that are few and far between. I have installed and administer MySQL on both platforms with success, but the linux servers are always less headache because I never have to "rush to update" every time a new iteration of a virus (or whatever) pops up.

There are plenty of things to consider when you you are trying to choose a server, but please be aware that both platforms require a professional to install it if you want it done right. Just because a wizard can set something up for you is a BAD way to make a decision.

[jordansparks]

You don't have problems on Linux getting all the dependencies installed correctly when you upgrade a program? It's a messy messy chain of dependencies. If you don't get just the right version of such-and-such package installed correctly, none of the other dependent programs will work. And every time you install a package that's supposed to help one program, it breaks another program.

I have heard from a number of people who manage computers as a full-time job, and it seems to be a very common complaint that Linux is a bear to work with. The only reason they are forced to deal with it is because their company is trying to save a few hundred dollars on the Windows license. You won't have virus problems if the computer is not used as a workstation. You get viruses from users surfing the internet and reading e-mail, neither of which would be done on a dedicated server.

[fdscadmin]

You don't have problems on Linux getting all the dependencies installed correctly when you upgrade a program? It's a messy messy chain of dependencies. If you don't get just the right version of such-and-such package installed correctly, none of the other dependent programs will work. And every time you install a package that's supposed to help one program, it breaks another program.

I have heard from a number of people who manage computers as a full-time job, and it seems to be a very common complaint that Linux is a bear to work with. The only reason they are forced to deal with it is because their company is trying to save a few hundred dollars on the Windows license. You won't have virus problems if the computer is not used as a workstation. You get viruses from users surfing the internet and reading e-mail, neither of which would be done on a dedicated server.

Ugh. Seeing that all windows machines (including servers) share their c drive by default (browse to //$MACHINE/C$) it would be trivial for an infected machine on the network to replicate itself by writing there. So browsing the web on any machine on the same network exposes all machines with default settings. Which is one of the reasons that even windows needs a professional to set it up correctly. Yes it might be easier to make it work "out of the box", but I think that is a false sense of security and ability.

Yes, I have found myself in dependency hell before and it isn't fun. However, this has been the exception and not the rule for the thousands (no exaggeration) of linux boxes that I have setup, and it has always been the result of trying to install a package that is not officially maintained by that distribution. Windows has this problem too...have you ever heard of dll hell?

Save a few hundred dollars on licenses? Someone sold these people snake oil. The real reason to commit to linux is one of the same reason I prefer OpenDental. You have better control over your platform, data, and services. In fact whenever I run into a vendor who uses linux as it's platform I find that I usually have unrestricted access to the data (my data) that it manages and/or stores. In fact just recently I have been introduced to an appliance that uses embedded linux and runs MySQL as it's data store. Without too much difficulty I was able to connect that DB to the OD DB for complete and accurate reporting. The point I am trying to make is that the linux community cares more about interoperability and standards than the windows community. That is the real return on investment. Another example is the integration of Asterisk and OD. This was only possible because I had unfettered access to script asterisk and access the OD DB. Any other "proprietary" solution would have charged me for this ability and only given me "their" solution. Integrating technologies to provide unique solutions and efficiencies to a company is a very powerful tool that is made easier by linux and it's supporters. Saving a few hundred dollars is just a "side effect" of using linux. (BTW another non-license side effect is that I don't worry about being locked out of my machine when I upgrade the hardware because Redmond thinks I am pirating their software.)

Microsoft and Linux both provide a solution to a problem. Just like Dentrix and OpenDental. However I think most of the people in these forums would agree that they prefer OD over Dentrix. Is it the cost? No, it is the access, control, community, responsiveness, service....the list goes on.