External storage (SMB) and connection(s)

When using external storage, the SMB connector, is the session permanent and file manipulations are done within that session or are there always an authentication, file manipulation and session close?

Example: when syncing files on a SMB external storage, for instance, is there one authentication followed by file copy and a final session close or is there a authentication part, file copy and session close for each and every file?

Question is about both using php5-libsmbclient or smbclient.

Regards
Davor Vusir