Discussion on:

Can Linux Desktops Live in an Active Directory World?

Since Palmetto has been fighting with this exact issue, I did a search and found the following article:

http://reverendted.wordpress.com/2006/09/12/linux-goes-mad/

To summarize, Novell has included their own code into the version of SAMBA that they ship with their Suse Enterprise Desktop that enables a linux desktop to integrate with an Active directory domain.

unless they release the code to the SAMBA development team, only Novell's Suse Linux Enterprise Desktop has this functionality.

editing to add:

I just read the full article and the comments, seems that the Suse developers only tested and used code that was already in Samba, so it's up to each distro to add the functionality. Currently only Suse has done so.

You are potentially correct Jaqui but what we need is a direct comparison to prove the real winner between linux and windows.

A few months ago, I played with Debian Linux. Now I cannot provide directions because I am not entirely sure what I did. (I am not a linux guru but I read alot.) But, I had the Linux desktop accepting my AD credentials and the desktop appeared in Users and Computers MMC.

Now, having said that. I tried SUSE as well so I could just be speaking out of my Arse. However, I am about 80% certain that I accomplished AD login with both.

I'm glad somebody could.

why I posted it for all to see, the connectivity is there, through Samba.
[ which is the way I originally suggested it would work ]
BUT, you may have to build samba fro sources on most distros to get it.

I don't have an AD system to try connecting to so I can't find out which distros do work with AD and which don't.

At least this lets you know that it is possible, and the article actually shows the login screens when it's working right.
In the comments on it the two novell developers and another developer from samba state it is in samba for every distro, if the distro enables it.

This means that the samba users email list may be a good resource for getting it working.

It was before I learned that Debian has that package installer whatever it was called.

So If I am correct and had the functionality in Debian then it was probably gained there. I know this sounds wishy washy but I had no idea what I was doing and did not document my steps like I would have if I had intended place the computer into production. I just wanted to see if I could install Linux and get it working in some useful way.

but like I said, I don't have an AD system to test against to even try to find which distros do work or not.

MS got the idea of AD from Novell (NDS anyone) they should be able to "crack it" so to speak. Hopefully it will keep getting better..remove the barriers for having a mixed environment if a company so chooses.

Thanks for that info. I've trying to find out why others were having so much trouble with that issue. Now I know why, I use SuSE, and it was just there. (too bad M$ don't get it. or maybe they do now. hence to the 'Deal' with Novel) again thanks. -d