The Samba project, an open-source software crucial for interoperability between Windows, Linux, and Unix systems, has received significant funding from the German Sovereign Tech Fund (STF). SerNet, a company involved in the Samba community, secured the funding of €688,800, to support Samba's continued development. The funding will primarily focus on enhancing Samba's security, scalability, and functionality over the next 18 months.
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Key Areas of Improvement
The project will address 17 key milestones grouped into six target areas, including:
- Transparent Failover: Ensuring seamless transition and minimal disruption in case of server failures.
- SMB3 UNIX Extensions: Improving compatibility and feature support for Unix-based systems using SMB3.
- Modern Security Protocols: Implementing modern security measures such as SMB over QUIC for enhanced data protection.
These improvements are designed to maintain Samba's robustness and security, and make it a reliable solution for organizations seeking a sovereign IT infrastructure independent of proprietary software.
Key Players
- Sovereign Tech Fund: A fund dedicated to supporting open digital infrastructure, focusing on security, resilience, technological diversity, and the individuals behind the code.
- SerNet: A company providing commercial Samba products and services, including software subscriptions, support, consulting, and development.
- Samba Team: A group of dedicated developers responsible for the development and maintenance of the Samba software.
Importance of the Funding
The funding will help Samba remain competitive and secure, ensuring its continued use in creating data storage and authentication services for diverse users.
For those wondering, Samba is an essential implementation of the SMB protocol that allows seamless communication and data sharing between Microsft Windows, Linux and Unix-like operating systems.
Samba plays a critical role in:
- Identity and Access Management (IAM): Particularly within Active Directory environments, where it facilitates authentication and file sharing across diverse networks.
- Cross-Platform Compatibility: Essential for sectors requiring seamless interaction between Windows, Linux, and Unix systems.
Project Timeline and Transparency
After the contract was signed, the development work began on September 1st and is expected to finish by February 2026. All work results will be publicly available in the Samba software repositories upon completion of each milestone and testing phase. And also, a detailed project report will be published after the first milestone in November 2024, with continuous updates throughout the project's duration.
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