[plug] Samba query regarding an SQL-ish d/b

[Paul Baumgarten]

Greetings all

A bit of a linux server interacting with windows clients question here
(read samba).

The College here recently "upgraded" it's Library Cataloging software
from the old DOS based database to one with a Win32 client that accesses
a MsSql-ish database via a file server.  The software does not actually
require (nor do they recommend) MS SQL to be running on the server, so I
have the database running from one of my Linux servers using Samba to
create a file share.

Now for some strange reason the relevant database has blown out to
800Mb!  When the librarian contacted the support desk he was told it
shouldn't be larger than 80/90Mb.  That is a bit of a difference.
Anyway... the support desk then attempted to blame our "non-standard"
server and network setup.  Now it seems a bit weird to me to blame our
server or the network for a file being 10 times bigger than it should...
my personal inclination is that it is because he is using a MS
bloat-ware style of database.

My question is... is there anything about samba that could possibly be
responsible for something weird like this happening?  Is there some
tweaking of the samba configs that I should try?  What I'm wanting is
some feedback before I sent this guy a letter telling him that the fault
is his software and to avoid the cop out of blaming a system just
because he's never heard of it before (obviously not worded quite like
that).

The other thing he mentioned was regarding networking gear...  We run a
fairly standard 10/100 ethernet using fibre backbones and cat5 cables.
He said something about using "Pass Through Switches" rather than "Store
and Forward Switches".  Now I had to look up the manufacter web site to
find out what my Switches used and it turns out that it is store and
forward.  Any networking guru care to explain the difference and if it
is something that could be relevant to this situation?

My smb.conf entry for the relevant share is fairly simple and is
included below:
[libdb]
   comment = Library Software
   path = /home/staff/library
#   public = yes
   valid users = @root @library
   force user = root
   force create mode = 777
   writable = yes

TIA

Paul Baumgarten (paul at kcc.wa.edu.au)
Information Systems Manager
Kingsway Christian College