Implementing CIFS: The Common Internet File System

Chapter 10. First Contact: Reaching the Server

	Getting there is half the fun.
	--Unknown

We are approaching this thing in layers. A little history, a quick introductory tour... and now this. It may seem like a bit of a diversion, but the goal in this section is to figure out how a client finds the server and initiates a connection. No, we’re not dealing with SMB protocol yet, but we can’t send SMB messages until we can talk to a server.

Think of a telephone call. If you want to call your cousin in New York, the first thing you need to know is the telephone number. You could ask your uncle for the number or look it up in the telephone book, or perhaps you have it written on a scrap of paper somewhere in the kitchen with your favorite tofu recipes. ...