topic Re: Has anyone tried to create a symlink with SMB 2.0 enabled in Network and Storage Protocols

Has anyone tried to create a symlink with SMB 2.0 enabled

philippe64 — Thu, 05 Jun 2025 07:13:09 GMT

Hi,

I'm trying to create a symlink from a Win 7 client on a SMB 2.0 enabled filer and get the following error message: "The device does not support symbolic links.".

Does any of you knows if OnTap 7.3.3 / CIFS supports NTFS symlinks as the SMB 2.0 support suggests?

Thanks.

Re: Has anyone tried to create a symlink with SMB 2.0 enabled

adamfox — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 05:57:01 GMT

I don't believe CIFS has the concept of a symbolic link in the protocol whether SMB 2.0 is enabled or not. However, I've written a Perl script (with a windows .exe as well) that uses NTAP APIs to create a symlink.

I'll attach it here. You don't even need a CIFS client to do it as it works over HTTP.

Hope it helps. Feel free to post follow-ups questions.

Re: Has anyone tried to create a symlink with SMB 2.0 enabled

philippe64 — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 07:34:39 GMT

Well, SMB 2.0 does have support for symbolic links. The point is the server is free to implement it or not. I can create symlinks on a share from a Win 2008 server. So it sounds like the NetApp implementation of SMB 2.0 just doesn't include support for symbolic links...

Anyway, I was looking for even more: I was expecting UNIX/NFS symbolic links created on the filer from a Linux workstation to be seen as SMB/NTFS symbolic links on a Win 7 workstation!

Thanks for your answer, but I guess I'll have to find another way.

Re: Has anyone tried to create a symlink with SMB 2.0 enabled

adamfox — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 18:13:39 GMT

If you create a link from the UNIX side, ONTAP can translate it to make it work with CIFS if the symlinks.translation file is used properly. Relative links within the same share just work, but you need to map abosolute paths or those that cross shares.

There is an open RFE (373270) to support the mklink Windows command. You may want to open a case with the GSC and get yourself added to that RFE. The more customers who have cases open against an RFE, the more attention it should receive.