[Detailed] What’s the Differences Between CIFS and SMB

The Common Internet File System (CIFS) and Server Message Block (SMB) are often discussed as basic components when discussing network file-sharing protocols. Although the two terms are frequently used interchangeably, they still have distinct differences. This article will describe CIFS and SMB, how they differ, and how NFS differs from them.

What is CIFS

Common Internet File System (CIFS) is a specific implementation of SMB created by Microsoft in the mid-1990s. CIFS is often associated with SMB 1.0, the protocol allows client systems to communicate with server systems over a network to use file and print services.

🔶Key Features of CIFS:

Internet-centric: Designed for use in both Internet and intranet environments.

Widely Implemented: Used in early versions of Windows and some Unix and Linux systems.

Lengthy Protocol: CIFS is known for being chatty and involves multiple operational messages, which can cause delays in high-latency networks.

What is SMB

Server Message Block (SMB) is a network file-sharing protocol that allows applications and users to access files, printers, and other resources on a network and is now widely used in Microsoft Windows environments.

👉Key features of SMB:

File and Resource Sharing: SMB facilitates user access to files, directories, and printers over the network.

Authentication and Authorization: It supports secure access through user credentials and permissions.

Widespread Adoption: SMB is supported by a variety of operating systems, including Windows, macOS, and various Linux distributions.

👉Different SMB Dialects:

SMB has evolved through several releases, the dialects include:

▶SMB 1.0: The original version, which lacked strong security measures.

▶SMB 2.0: Introduced in Windows Vista, this version greatly improved performance and reduced the complexity of the protocol.

▶SMB 3.0: Added advanced security features such as encryption, enhancing high availability.

▶SMB 3.1.1: Included in Windows 10 and Windows Server 2016, which introduces pre-verification integrity checks and enhances encryption.

Difference: NFS vs SMB vs CIFS

You can navigate the following table to learn about the differences between NFS, SMB, and CIFS.

Features	NFS (Network File System)	SMB (Server Message Block)	CIFS (Common Internet File System)
Developed By	Sun Microsystems	IBM (evolved by Microsoft)	Microsoft
First Released	1984	1983	Mid-1990s
Primary Use Case	Unix/Linux file sharing	Windows-based file and printer sharing	Early Windows internet file sharing
Protocol Versioning	NFSv2, NFSv3, NFSv4 (latest)	SMB 1.0, SMB 2.x, SMB 3.x (latest)	Derived from SMB 1.0
Operating Systems	Primarily Unix/Linux, but supported on others	Windows, macOS, Linux	Windows, some Linux distributions
Performance	Lightweight and efficient	Improved in SMB 2.x and SMB 3.x versions	Less efficient, high overhead
Security	NFSv4 supports Kerberos and encryption	Strong encryption and signing in SMB 3.x	Limited security in early versions
Compatibility	Cross-platform	Cross-platform (Windows-centric)	Windows-centric with limited cross-platform
Chattiness	Fewer network messages	Reduced chattiness in SMB 2.x and newer	Very chatty, high latency in CIFS
File Locking	Advisory and mandatory locking-in NFSv4	Supports file locking	File locking is supported but less advanced
Compression	Not natively supported	Added in SMB 3.x	Not supported
Encryption	Optional in NFSv4	Available in SMB 3.x	Not available
Internet Support	Limited in early versions; improved in NFSv4	Optimized for local and WAN environments	Designed with internet sharing in mind
Legacy Status	Actively updated	Actively supported	Deprecated (legacy implementation of SMB 1.0)

Regular Backup VMware VMs to Prevent Data Loss

SMB/CIFS plays an important role in virtual machine (VM) backup software, especially when storing and accessing backup data across network systems. Backup software can help you secure your data, here is an introduction to AOMEI Cyber Backup, an efficient backup software. It is a powerful and flexible VMware backup solution designed for VMware ESXi virtual machines. It provides an agentless, centralized backup method that allows you to manage backups of multiple virtual machines and hosts directly from a single interface.

Centralized Management: You can manage backups of multiple virtual machines and hosts from a centralized console, this simplifies backup management and improves scalability. Backup Scheduling: It offers flexible scheduling options that allow you to set up automatic backups at specific times or intervals. Fast Backup and Restore: Agentless design and efficient data processing enable fast backup and restore operations, minimizing downtime during the restore process. Email Notification: If turn on the notification, it will notify you of the backup status, this can help keep you informed about the health of your backup environment.

Simple steps to backup VMs

Step 1. Open the AOMEI Cyber Backup Console, navigate to Source Device > VMware > + VMware Device to Add vCenter or Standalone ESXi, enter the required information, and click Confirm.

🎈Note: AOMEI Cyber Backup also supports backup Hyper-V VMs, you can choose Hyper-V and Hyper-V virtual machines.

Step 2. Navigate to Backup Task > + Create New Task, and select VMware ESXi Backup as the Backup Type. Then set the Task Name, Device Name, Target, and Schedule.

Step 3. Click Start Backup and choose Add the schedule and start backup now or Add the schedule only.

Conclusion

While CIFS and SMB are often interchanged, there are many differences between them. SMB represents the broader, more advanced protocol, while CIFS was an early implementation associated with SMB 1.0. As network requirements have evolved, SMB has become the standard, while CIFS has become the legacy solution.