Member Avatar for Ceaser

I have been reading on making a recycle bin for SMB shares. Anyone utilize this? It would save me the scramble for a tape if the users delete somthing they decide they need. :cheesy: :cheesy:

  • 3 Contributors
  • 7 Replies
  • 136 Views
  • 3 Days Discussion Span
  • Latest Post Latest Post by Ceaser

Dani AI

Generated

A quick, practical addendum to the thread: already demonstrated a working server-side recycle approach for Samba shares, and and raised sensible concerns about policy and long-term management. The items below focus on operational safety, an easy purge workflow, alternatives that scale better than a simple recycle folder, and where to read the authoritative module details.

Keep the repository per-share and tightly restricted

  • Configure the recycle repository on a per-share basis and use UNIX permissions so only admins (not regular users) can list or remove files there. Test on a non-production share first.
  • Watch ownership, ACLs and SELinux contexts: if smbd can’t write or move files into the repo, deletes will still remove data. Confirm behavior against your Samba version; the official module docs explain what is intercepted and what metadata is stored (Samba vfs_recycle man page).

Safe automatic purge (test before you run)

  • Use a conservative dry-run and then a deletion job. Example:
    
# dry-run: show files older than 7 days
find /path/to/recycle_repo -type f -mtime +7 -print

actual delete after testing

find /path/to/recycle_repo -type f -mtime +7 -exec rm -f -- {} +

remove empty directories

find /path/to/recycle_repo -type d -empty -delete


- Put the approved command into root’s crontab and log the run. Always run the dry-run first.

Alternatives and scale considerations
- For regular user-driven recoveries consider versioning or shadow copies (Samba’s shadow copy support) or filesystem snapshots (btrfs, ZFS, LVM) instead of a single recycle repository; these solutions scale better and reduce manual intervention ([Samba VFS Shadow Copy2](https://wiki.samba.org/index.php/VFS_Shadow_Copy2), [Btrfs snapshots](https://btrfs.wiki.kernel.org/index.php/Snapshots)).
- Recycle helps with accidental deletes, but it’s complementary to a tested backup-and-restore policy. Check Samba logs when things don’t behave and confirm the VFS module is enabled for the intended share.

Recommended Answers

All 7 Replies

Member Avatar for kc0arf

Hello,

I am assuming your Samba server is on the Linux box, and you are connecting from Windows over the network.

Storing the files in the Recycle Bin is very dangerous. I would rather train your users to delete only what needs to be deleted. There will always be the need for tapes in society, but you might be able to minimize that though training and education.

You are trying to develop a technical solution to a social problem. That will not work.

Christian

Member Avatar for alc6379

You are trying to develop a technical solution to a social problem. That will not work.

Hear Hear!

The next time a user deletes something they needed, just look at them blankly and say, "Why'd you delete it if you needed it?", and then go out for a smoke, or for a coke, whichever suits you best. If you were facilities management, and someone put an important document through a cross-cut paper shredder, you wouldn't be held responsible for trying to recreate their document.

Education and communication is the way to do it. They need to know that deleting it makes the file "be gone". Your backup tapes are for disasters, not user stupidity. ;)

Member Avatar for Ceaser

OK since that won't fit my situation I set it up and if anyone else wants the info I will write out the script.

vfs objects = recycle
recycle:repository = .deleted
recycle:keeptree = yes
recycle:versions = yes
recycle:maxsize = 0
recycle:exclude = *.bak/*.tmp

I also only gave myself access to the Deleted folder. It is going to save me time.

If you don't agree thats cool, but thought it may help out others.

Member Avatar for alc6379

OK since that won't fit my situation I set it up and if anyone else wants the info I will write out the script.

vfs objects = recycle
recycle:repository = .deleted
recycle:keeptree = yes
recycle:versions = yes
recycle:maxsize = 0
recycle:exclude = *.bak/*.tmp

I also only gave myself access to the Deleted folder. It is going to save me time.

If you don't agree thats cool, but thought it may help out others.

Good that you post this for reference.

Don't get me wrong, I think that what you're trying to do is very valid, but I just feel like doing this is giving users leeway to do dumb things, and just give you more headaches in the future. I mean, what happens when they go to delete the file, it goes to the Recycle Bin, and then they empty the bin. Whoops! There you go, scurrying for a tape again!

It just reminds me of the old saying: If you make something idiot-proof, they'll build a better idiot.

Member Avatar for Ceaser

Good that you post this for reference.

Don't get me wrong, I think that what you're trying to do is very valid, but I just feel like doing this is giving users leeway to do dumb things, and just give you more headaches in the future. I mean, what happens when they go to delete the file, it goes to the Recycle Bin, and then they empty the bin. Whoops! There you go, scurrying for a tape again!

It just reminds me of the old saying: If you make something idiot-proof, they'll build a better idiot.

They cant get to the .deleted folder they do not have rights to it, so I will be emptying it myself. Actually I will probably make a script that will delete anything that has been in the deleted folder longer then a week. If it happens that I need to use the protection for a particular person more then others even after being taught procedure it will be up to their project manager on the dissaplin they receive.

Member Avatar for kc0arf

Hello,

Thank you for the code on how to work. Did you place this in the smb.conf file? How well is it working for you so far?

Christian

Member Avatar for Ceaser

Hello,

Thank you for the code on how to work. Did you place this in the smb.conf file? How well is it working for you so far?

Christian

Yes it goes in the smb.conf locally for each share that you want to have the bin for. So far it has worked. I have not had any issued but I have it so they can't see it unless they have there boxes to see hidden folders, but even if they have it set they can't get into it no rights :cheesy:

oh well back to the saphire and tonic

Be a part of the DaniWeb community

We're a friendly, industry-focused community of developers, IT pros, digital marketers, and technology enthusiasts meeting, networking, learning, and sharing knowledge.