SerNet has secured significant funding from the German Sovereign Tech Fund (STF) to advance the Samba project, a vital open-source software that enables identity and access management (IAM) and seamless interoperability between Windows, Linux, and Unix systems via the SMB protocol. Over the next 18 months, Samba core developers will tackle 17 key milestones in six target groups aimed at enhancing Samba’s security, scalability, and functionality. The project's focus is on areas like transparent failover, SMB3 UNIX extensions, and modern security protocols such as SMB over QUIC. These improvements are designed to ensure that Samba remains a robust and secure solution for organizations that rely on a sovereign IT infrastructure that is as independent as possible of proprietary software regimes, but including optimal interoperability.
This project aligns perfectly with the mission of the Sovereign Tech Fund. By funding work on Samba the fund is bolstering one of the most critical technologies that underpin global IT infrastructures, particularly in sectors where cross-platform compatibility is vital.
Jeremy Allison, long standing member of the Samba core team said: "I'm very pleased that the Sovereign Tech Fund has recognised the importance of Samba in providing critical open source infrastructure to enterprises worldwide. The commissioned work will ensure that Samba remains a competitive and secure choice to create data storage and authentication services for all users."
Johannes Loxen, founder of SerNet and long-time fundraiser for the Samba project, was very impressed by the constructive and targeted work at the STF: "We are very grateful for the support of everyone at the Sovereign Tech Fund and their efforts in making this funding possible."
After the contract was signed, development work began as early as September 1 and is expected to be completed by the end of February 2026 for all milestones. Work results will be uploaded to the public Samba software repositories for public use immediately after the milestones and tests have been completed. A detailed project report will be published after the first milestone is reached in November 2024 and will be continuously updated.
About Samba:
Samba is an essential free and open-source implementation of the SMB protocol, enabling seamless interoperability between systems running Windows, Linux, and Unix. It is a cornerstone in Identity and Access Management (IAM), playing a crucial role in Active Directory environments by facilitating file sharing and authentication across mixed-OS networks. As part of all major Linux distributions, Samba’s wide adoption spans public institutions, enterprises, and educational facilities worldwide. For more input refer to https://samba.org.
About Sovereign Tech Fund:
The Sovereign Tech Fund supports the development, improvement, and maintenance of open digital infrastructure. The funds' goal is to sustainably strengthen the open source ecosystem with focus on security, resilience, technological diversity, and the people behind the code. Read more on https://www.sovereigntechfund.de.
About SerNet:
SerNet is part of the Open Source community and offers products and services for commercial users of Samba like software subscriptions, support, consulting and development services. SerNet GmbH has been founded in Germany in 1997 together with members of Samba Team. SerNet, Inc. in California is a 100% subsidiary of SerNet GmbH. Get more information about Samba by SerNet here: https://samba.plus.
