NAS file protocol requirment from virtualized Windows??

I'm currently sharing network-attached storage (NAS) between a PC and a MBP. Because of the PC, I'm using both Windows file protocol (CIFS) and Apple Filing Protocol (AFP) . For reasons way too complex to describe here, the CIFS protocol is causing issues with my OS X machine with a critical program.

For other reasons, I'm considering replacing the PC with another OS X machine (either Mac Mini or iMac) and continue running windows via VMware Fusion on the new machine (both the wife [who hates change] and Quicken require I keep Windows around).

Here's my question...Does a virtual instance of Windows require CIFS to access the NAS or does it pass through to the OS X operating system and use AFP, thus allowing me to shut off the CIFS protocol? Or is there a way to access an AFP drive from Windows?

Thanks

Nobody?

Windows running natively through boot camp or in a VM is still Windows. So it will need CIFS to access the NAS. The VM will share the network connection with the host but that's all.

So you don't really have a way around needing CIFS in this case..

Rats...