Comment 11 for bug 365242

IIRC, Samba >=3.0 (using CIFS) defaults to using the Unix extensions, so sends user/ground ownership, permission along with the data for readlink() when requested. Samba <3.0 (using SMB) defaults to dereferencing.

So if you're connected from a modern (~2003) Apple Mac, or Linux box, then symlinks should do the right thing. For Samba <3.0, you should be able to browse the symlinks, but not (remotely) create them.

Necromancer: Deferencing symlinks and treating them like they are hard-linked directories is probably going to end up in knots. As you've noted, you can store the actual data that wants syncing, and then symlink /to/ that.