Is Workgroup Mode Supported for CIFS/SMB in ONTAP?
Applies to
ONTAP 9
Answer
- Workgroup mode is a standard feature in Windows that allows a workstation to operate without an Active Directory Domain, it allows the ability to authenticate and serve data without DC interaction
- Support for Workgroup mode was missing for older versions of Data ONTAP, but it has been added as of ONTAP 9.0 and later
- This feature is crucial in situations like:
- When customers do not want a Microsoft domain infrastructure
- When customers are prevented from using a Microsoft domain by regulation policies
- How to create a new CIFS server configured for Workgroup mode?
Cluster::>vserver cifs create -vserver [vserver_name] -cifs-server [cifs_server_name] -workgroup [workgroup_name]
- How to move a CIFS server from a domain to a workgroup?
Cluster::>vserver cifs modify -vserver [vserver_name] -cifs-server [cifs_server_name] -status-admin down -workgroup [workgroup_name]
- How to move a CIFS server from a workgroup to a domain?
Cluster::>vserver cifs modify -vserver [vserver_name] -cifs-server [cifs_server_name] -status-admin down -domain [domain_name]
- How to create a new CIFS server configured for Workgroup mode?
Additional Information
Local Users and Groups (LUG) is a prerequisite for Workgroup mode