// Module included in the following assemblies:
//
// * storage/container_storage_interface/persistent-storage-csi-smb-cifs.adoc

:_mod-docs-content-type: CONCEPT
[id="persistent-storage-csi-smb-cifs-overview_{context}"]
= Overview of the CIFS/SMB Driver Operator

[role="_abstract"]
You can provision persistent volumes (PVs) that mount to network file shares by using the CIFS/SMB CSI Driver Operator, which supports dynamic volume provisioning for on-demand storage.

Familiarity with persistent storage and configuring CSI volumes is recommended when working with a CSI Operator and driver. For more information, see "Understanding persistent volumes" and "Configuring CSI volumes".

After installing the CIFS/SMB CSI Driver Operator, {product-title} installs corresponding pods for the Operator and driver in the `openshift-cluster-csi-drivers` namespace by default. This allows the CIFS/SMB CSI Driver to create CSI-provisioned persistent volumes (PVs) that mount to CIFS/SMB shares.

CIFS/SMB CSI Driver Operator::
After the CIFS/SMB CSI Driver Operator is installed, it does not create a storage class by default to use to create persistent volume claims (PVCs). However, you can manually create the CIFS/SMB `StorageClass` for dynamic provisioning (see "Dynamic provisioning"). The CIFS/SMB CSI Driver Operator supports dynamic volume provisioning by allowing storage volumes to be created on-demand. This eliminates the need for cluster administrators to pre-provision storage.

CIFS/SMB CSI driver::
The CIFS/SMB CSI driver enables you to create and mount CIFS/SMB PVs.
