While I am not a Linux expert, I believe, Linux includes -just like
any other Unix- tools like FTP or API's like Berkeley Sockets. Unlike
other Unixes it also has an smbfs file system and can thus mount SMB
server shares into its HFS tree (eg directories from MPE/iX systems
running Samba/iX ;-) While Linux probably does not have ODBC to act
as client in database access (but who knows), I guess it does speak
Java and JDBC at no charge.

Lars (curious to hear if anyone has related experience)