In our Consulting department at Small Dog Electronics, we deal with numerous business clients who have mixed Mac and PC networks. This often means that we have to integrate Mac users with a Windows file server, or Windows users with a Mac file server.
Sometimes this is easy and seamless, and sometimes we run into problems because of differences in the default file sharing protocols used for each system — AFP (Apple Filing Protocol) on Mac vs SMB (Server Message Block) on Windows. While the Mac can host SMB and connect to SMB, it is not on equal footing with Windows, and on the other side, Windows requires special software to connect using the AFP protocol. If only it could all be simpler…
Now with OS X Mavericks, it will be. Apple is switching to SMB2 as the new default file sharing protocol for connecting to both Macs and Windows machines. This is a better and more powerful version of SMB than has previously been included in OS X, and should improve file sharing for mixed environments, with OS X servers and clients and Windows servers and clients. AFP will still be supported, but Apple is making a good move for interoperability, which I think is a good thing.
While there are all sorts of cool developments in Mavericks, this one will really simplify my working life and make supporting mixed environments much easier. I look forward to not having to worry about file sharing headaches that I have had to deal with in the past.