I've tested the whole process and am about to roll this out to several users. I created a how-to which captures everything needed to TM backup to an SMB/CIFS share hosted by Windows2K3. This works on 10.6.4 for me. Results may vary. Credit to previous responders in this list and elsewhere.
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How to set up Time Machine Backups to a network share:
*Set up the network share:*
Create a new share named for the user's login, giving only Domain Admins and the user access.
Log into the share from the workstation, saving password (Command+K, cifs://SHARE NAME/username)(if the Apple is bound to AD, credentials may be taken care of).
*Allow Time Machine over the network:*
sudo defaults write com.apple.systempreferences TMShowUnsupportedNetworkVolumes 1
*Set up Destination:*
Create a disk image on an administrator's machine (steps below require Developer Tools be installed):
sudo hdiutil create -size SIZE
InGIG(xG) -fs HFS+J -volname 'Time Machine Backups' -type SPARSEBUNDLE COMPUTERNAME.sparsebundle
Use a right-click and "show package contents" to browse within the sparsebundle package.
Get the UUID for the user's machine from Apple Menu > About this Mac > More Info > Hardware
Create a text file called "com.apple.TimeMachine.MachineID.plist" within the new sparsebundle package, with the following content:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC "-//Apple//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN" "http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd">
<plist version="1.0">
<dict>
<key>com.apple.backupd.HostUUID</key>
<string>YOURUUIDHERE</string>
</dict>
</plist>
Move the sparsebundle from where it is created (usually top level of creating user's home) to the mounted share. Do NOT create the sparsebundle on the share - this may cause permission issues.
Set the maximum size of the Time Machine sparse bundle. Give thought to the size. This will be the user's time machine quota. Make sure there is enough to get necessary info, but not so much to be an inefficient use of space. No more than 50GB is recommended (as in the example below)
hdiutil resize -size 50g COMPUTERNAME.sparsebundle
Prevent the OSX from resizing the sparsebundle to the maximum size of the target disk. MacOSX attempts to resize the disk image to the maximum available for some reason (at least in 10.6.4 and previous). To prevent this, you have to 'lock" the Info.plist and Info.bckup files. Make sure Developer Tools are installed (or at least the SetFile utility) :
SetFile -a L PATH
TOSPARSEBUNDLE/Info.*
*Set up Time Machine:*
On the workstation, go to System Preference > Time Machine
Click "Select Disk"
Choose the share from the list (didn't appear? - redo "Allow Time Machine over the network" above)
Save password if asked
Click "Options"
It's suggested exclude everything except what absolutely needs to be backed up to the Exclude list. Select "Show invisible items" when selecting. See
http://ryanblock.com/2008/05/good-folders-to-exclude-from-time-machine-backups/ for good rules.
Check "Show Time Machine status in the menu bar"
*Test and use:*
In the menubar, go to Time Machine > Back up now
If set up correctly, the disk image is automatically mounted and shows on the desktop when Time Machine needs it. The enclosing volume is NOT visibly mounted. In action the time machine volume mounts for the duration of the bakup and then dismounts.
Entering Time Machine does almost the same - the Time Machine volume mounts and the Time Machine UI works. However the volume does not dismount automatically. However, you (or the user) can then browse it just like any other Time Machine volume.
