Blog

SAMBA+ 4.23.5 has been released by SerNet and is now available for SUSE and Red Hat platforms, as well as for Debian GNU/Linux, Ubuntu, and AIX.

Version 4.23.5 is a fixup release that addresses a set of issues to ensure a stable and reliable operation. A complete overview of the changes can be found in the official release notes:
https://www.samba.org/samba/history/samba-4.23.5.html

Instructions for accessing the packages and performing upgrades are available in the SAMBA+ How-to collection. Please note: when upgrading from a SAMBA+ version older than 4.21 on Debian or Ubuntu systems, and if you use custom or third-party scripts relying on Samba’s Python modules, the additional package sernet-samba-python3 must be installed after upgrading to SAMBA+ 4.23. RHEL- and SUSE-based systems are not affected by this requirement.

SAMBA+ packages are offered as software subscriptions and can be purchased via the SAMBA+ shop. Pricing and further details are available at:

• USD Pricing: https://usdshop.samba.plus
• EUR Pricing: https://shop.samba.plus

The new SAMBA+ packages are included in existing subscriptions. If you have any questions or would like to request a quote, please feel free to contact us.

SAMBA+ 4.23.4  and 4.22.7 are now available. Updated packages have been published for SUSE and Red Hat platforms, Debian GNU/Linux, Ubuntu, and AIX.

These releases addresses several issues. All fixes are documented in the official release notes:

• Samba 4.23.4: https://www.samba.org/samba/history/samba-4.23.4.html
• Samba 4.22.7: https://www.samba.org/samba/history/samba-4.22.7.html

The fix for Samba bug 15897 is already included in SAMBA+ 4.23.3-7.

As usual, the new packages are included in existing SAMBA+ subscriptions and can be obtained via the SAMBA+ shops:

• USD: https://usdshop.samba.plus
• EUR: https://shop.samba.plus

If you have questions, need guidance on upgrades, or would like a quote, feel free to get in touch with the SAMBA+ team at SerNet.

Samba’s release management is transitioning from Jule Anger to Björn Jacke. Both work at SerNet GmbH, which continues to sponsor the release manager role as part of its long-standing commitment to the Samba project.

A Role Central to the Project

Release management has always been a cornerstone of the Samba project. Stable maintenance branches, predictable release cycles, and timely security updates are essential to users and distributors alike. These responsibilities have traditionally been coordinated and communicated through the samba mailing lists, providing transparency and reliability for the wider community. In recent years, Jule Anger played a key role in carrying this work forward. She coordinated releases across multiple branches, supported security updates, and helped keep the release process structured and dependable. Jule remains connected to Samba as she transitions into a new role within SerNet’s verinice team.

With Björn Jacke stepping into the role, Samba’s release management remains in experienced hands. Björn is a long-time Samba maintainer and integrator who has been working with Samba for nearly its entire lifetime, integrating it into networks ranging from small setups to large-scale enterprise environments.

He has been closely involved in release-related workflows for many years and is a central contributor to SAMBA+ packaging. The transition therefore represents continuity rather than a change in direction.

Continued Support from SerNet

The change in personnel does not affect the underlying support structure. SerNet continues to sponsor the release manager role, ensuring that the time and focus required for this responsibility remain available. This support helps maintain regular releases, coordinated maintenance, and fast responses to security issues—benefiting the entire Samba community.

The 25th edition of sambaXP will take place on April 20–21, 2026 in Göttingen, Germany. For a quarter of a century, the conference has brought together the global Samba community to shape the future of secure, cross-platform file and directory services as well as identity and access management. Tickets are already available at sambaXP.org.

25 Years of Open Infrastructure

Since 2002, sambaXP has been the central meeting point for those building and maintaining Samba – from core developers to enterprise users and IT strategists. In its 25th year, the conference looks both back and ahead: celebrating the progress made, and focusing on what lies ahead in a rapidly evolving infrastructure landscape.

Recent milestones – including work funded by the Sovereign Tech Fund – have significantly advanced Samba’s capabilities in authentication, Active Directory integration, and cloud-ready protocols such as SMB over QUIC. As digital sovereignty becomes a strategic priority across Europe and beyond, Samba continues to evolve as a key open-source component for transparent, secure and self-determined IT infrastructure.

SMB3 IO Lab

sambaXP 2026 will offer two days of technical talks, project updates, and community exchange. Directly following the conference, the SMB3 IO Lab will take place on April 22–23,hosted by the Storage Networking Industry Association (SNIA) and sponsored by Microsoft. The lab provides a dedicated environment for interoperability testing and in-depth collaboration around SMB3. Stay tuned for more info on the IO Lab.

Call for Contributions

The agenda for sambaXP 2026 is currently in preparation. We invite proposals for talks that provide technical insights, share implementation experience, or reflect on broader infrastructure challenges.

Suggested topics include:

• advances in Samba and the SMB3 protocol
• Active Directory, Identity & Access Management (IAM)
• performance, scalability, automation
• enterprise and public sector use cases
• Open Source strategy, sustainability and governance

The Call for Presentations is already open – and we're excited for your contribution.