samba-mirror/WHATSNEW.txt

Release Announcements
=====================

This is the first pre release of Samba 4.19.  This is *not*
intended for production environments and is designed for testing
purposes only.  Please report any defects via the Samba bug reporting
system at https://bugzilla.samba.org/.

Samba 4.19 will be the next version of the Samba suite.


UPGRADING
=========


NEW FEATURES/CHANGES
====================

Migrated smbget to use common command line parser
-------------------------------------------------

The smbget utility implemented its own command line parsing logic. After
discovering an issue we decided to migrate it to use the common command line
parser. This has some advantages as you get all the feature it provides like
Kerberos authentication. The downside is that breaks the options interface.
The support for smbgetrc has been removed. You can use an authentication file
if needed, this is documented in the manpage.

Please check the smbget manpage or --help output.

gpupdate changes
----------------

The libgpo.get_gpo_list function has been deprecated in favor of
an implementation written in python. The new function can be imported via
`import samba.gp`. The python implementation connects to Active Directory
using the SamDB module, instead of ADS (which is what libgpo uses).

Improved winbind logging and a new tool for parsing the winbind logs
--------------------------------------------------------------------

Winbind logs (if smb.conf 'winbind debug traceid = yes' is set) contain new
trace header fields 'traceid' and 'depth'.  Field 'traceid' allows to track the
trace records belonging to the same request.  Field 'depth' allows to track the
request nesting level. A new tool samba-log-parser is added for better log
parsing.

AD database prepared to FL 2016 standards for new domains
---------------------------------------------------------

While Samba still provides only Functional Level 2008R2 by default,
Samba as an AD DC will now, in provision ensure that the blank
database is already prepared for Functional Level 2016, with AD Schema
2019.

This preparation is of the default objects in the database, adding
containers for Authentication Policies, Authentication Silos and AD
claims in particular.  These DB objects must be updated to allow
operation of the new features found in higher functional levels.

Kerberos Claims, Authentication Silos and NTLM authentication policies
----------------------------------------------------------------------

An initial, partial implementation of Active Directory Functional
Level 2012, 2012R2 and 2016 is available in this release.

While we continue to develop these features, existing domains can
test the feature by selecting the functional level in provision or
raising the DC functional level by setting

 ad dc functional level = 2016

in the smb.conf

The smb.conf file on each DC must have 'ad dc functional level = 2016'
set to have the partially complete feature available.  This will also,
at first startup, update the server's own AD entry with the configured
functional level.

For new domains, add these parameters to 'samba-tool provision'

--option="ad dc functional level = 2016" --function-level=2016

The second option, setting the overall domain functional level
indicates that all DCs should be at this functional level.

To raise the domain functional level of an existing domain, after
updating the smb.conf and restarting Samba run
samba-tool domain schemaupgrade --schema=2019
samba-tool domain functionalprep --function-level=2016
samba-tool domain level raise --domain-level=2016 --forest-level=2016

Updated GnuTLS requirement / in-tree cryptography removal
----------------------------------------------------------

Samba requires GnuTLS 3.6.13 and prefers GnuTLS 3.6.14 or later.

This has allowed Samba to remove all of our in-tree cryptography,
except that found in our Heimdal import.  Samba's runtime cryptography
needs are now all provided by GnuTLS.

(The GnuTLS vesion requirement is raised to 3.7.2 on systems without
the Linux getrandom())

We also use Python's cryptography module for our testing.

The use of well known cryptography libraries makes Samba easier for
end-users to validate and deploy, and for distributors to ship.  This
is the end of a very long journey for Samba.


REMOVED FEATURES
================


smb.conf changes
================

  Parameter Name                          Description     Default
  --------------                          -----------     -------
  winbind debug traceid                   Add traceid     No
  directory name cache size               Removed


KNOWN ISSUES
============

https://wiki.samba.org/index.php/Release_Planning_for_Samba_4.19#Release_blocking_bugs


#######################################
Reporting bugs & Development Discussion
#######################################

Please discuss this release on the samba-technical mailing list or by
joining the #samba-technical:matrix.org matrix room, or
#samba-technical IRC channel on irc.libera.chat

If you do report problems then please try to send high quality
feedback. If you don't provide vital information to help us track down
the problem then you will probably be ignored.  All bug reports should
be filed under the Samba 4.1 and newer product in the project's Bugzilla
database (https://bugzilla.samba.org/).


======================================================================
== Our Code, Our Bugs, Our Responsibility.
== The Samba Team
======================================================================