What is the purpose of SMB?

• A. To allow computers to share files and printers across a network
• B. To monitor network devices
• C. To assign IP addresses
• D. To route packets

Answer: (A)

SMB enables computers on a network to access shared resources such as files and printers. It defines how a client requests access to a remote resource, how servers grant that access, and how data is read, written, and managed with support for authentication and file locking. This is why its main purpose is to allow file and printer sharing across a network, enabling actions like mapping a network drive or printing to a shared printer.

Other functions you might hear about belong to different protocols: monitoring devices is typically done with things like SNMP, assigning IP addresses is the job of DHCP, and routing packets is handled by routing protocols such as OSPF or BGP. SMB doesn’t perform those roles.