SMBv3

SMBv3, or Server Message Block version 3, is a network file sharing protocol developed by Microsoft. It is the latest major version of the SMB protocol and was introduced with Windows 8 and Windows Server 2012. SMBv3 is designed to improve performance, security, and reliability compared to its predecessors.

Key features of SMBv3 include enhanced encryption capabilities, offering end-to-end encryption for data in transit, which significantly improves security. It also introduces features like multichannel, which allows clients to use multiple network connections to a server simultaneously, thereby increasing throughput and resilience. Another important enhancement is the transparent failover mechanism, which enables uninterrupted access to file shares even if a server node in a cluster fails.

SMBv3 also includes optimizations for solid-state drives (SSDs) and remote direct memory access (RDMA) networks, leading to substantial performance gains in high-speed environments. Its performance improvements and advanced features make it the preferred protocol for modern network file sharing, particularly in enterprise settings. Backward compatibility is maintained, allowing older SMB clients and servers to communicate with SMBv3-enabled systems, though they will not benefit from all the new features.