IT departments charged with integrating Linux clients among the Windows desktops they’re running can make life easier by administering Linux user accounts with Microsoft Corp.’s Active Directory. Samba, the open-source project for providing Windows-compatible file and print services, makes this possible, but it doesn’t make it easy.
Integrating Windows and Linux Desktops
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what were they trying to achieve ?
why were they running a windows server for linux clients ?
and did it work ?
why would they want it to work ?
What they were supposedly trying to achieve is a central, windows friendly way to manage accounts, which really isn’t all that uncommon of a desire. Why the author says it’s easier to maintain Linux accounts with AD, then explains how difficult it is to set up is beyond me. That said…
This article is FUD, plain and simple. Anyone who has gone through setting up MS-SFU knows that it involves more windows switches and button clicks than thought possible. It sounds like the author is trying to steer people in the direction SFU when clearly the samba method to achieve the goal is much simpler. It also keeps things native to a particular platform. If they wanted to go a step further, they could have set up a <insert *NIX here> Samba server to be part of the domain and exported the home directories from it, instead of using pam_mkhomedir which is just another way to over complicate the maintence of home directories. What happens when someone moves to a different workstation? As far as I know pam_mkhomedir does not sync your files to a server as windows “tries” to do.
Why would I want to use active directory to do something that I can do better with Novell e-directory? Not only can I manage UNIX and Linux machines but you can also manage Windows machines (Servers and clients) and you can mix Novell servers in there too if you feel bold!
E-directory is MUCH more robust (handling over 1 billion objects in the directory tree) much more scalable and unlike MS, Novell has been at it since the mid 90’s! They KNOW about directory services.
And now they have Nterprise linux services where they have tweaked Samba intergrated it with e-directory and written schemas for the e-directory LDAP. Instead of installing Samba, then edirectory, upload the right schemas etc. You just install Nterprise and go through the wizard to create your directory structure, add Windows machine and Linux/Unix machines to the created Samba domain and you are up and running. Works great.
The next big thing will be for them to sell this with all future versions of SUSE pro and server. They do that and SUSE will be nippin at Red Hats and maybe even Microsofts heels!
what were they trying to achieve ?
To use linux desktop as MS Active Directory (AD) member.
why were they running a windows server for linux clients ?
They aren’t running just “win server for lin clients”. They are running MS AD server (formerly known domain controller) and they wanted to show that linux desktops can be “normal” members of AD.
and did it work ?
Yes.
why would they want it to work ?
Imagine that you’re working in company with 100 or (1000) windows desktops, all these are members of company’s well-configured AD. How to switch (or add) some desktops to linux platform, preserving company’s IT structure (and not waste big money)? Think about this – you can see that possibility of joining linux computers to MS AD is very positive just for linux, allowing it enter even into most windows-centric organizations.
OT: we could also use an article on integrating linux boxen into SOHO windows environments (usually with no domain controller).
For example, it’s pulling teeth to get a Fedora box to print to a win98 box in a typical home network. You have to deal with cups, samba, iptables, and maybe dns configuration. So so painful to something so simple.
Usability mantra: “simple things should be easy, complex things should be possible.” Make it so.
Imagine that you’re working in company with 100 or (1000) windows desktops, all these are members of company’s well-configured AD. How to switch (or add) some desktops to linux platform, preserving company’s IT structure (and not waste big money)? Think about this – you can see that possibility of joining linux computers to MS AD is very positive just for linux, allowing it enter even into most windows-centric organizations.
DonQ’s right. For some smaller companies, staying the AD route works for them and is perfectly fine.
The absolute best linux effort to date for this kind of integration that I have worked with is Xandros Desktop OS Version 2 Business. Man, this thing authenticates in a jiff, with no file editing, no manual configuration of anything, no nothing. All with a sweet gui to boot. It’s not free though, but still worth the money.