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Can Linux Desktops Live in an Active Directory World?

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

Can Linux Desktops Live in an Active Directory World?

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.

Topic

Indeed!

In reply to Can Linux Desktops Live in an Active Directory World?

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

I thought that I accomplished the same with Debian

In reply to Can Linux Desktops Live in an Active Directory World?

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 couldn’t make it work with RH9 or FC5.

In reply to I thought that I accomplished the same with Debian

I’m glad somebody could.

Thats

In reply to I couldn’t make it work with RH9 or FC5.

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.

I did down load samba from their web site.

In reply to Thats

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.

it could be

In reply to I did down load samba from their web site.

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.

well

In reply to Thats

MS has a 180 day trial version of server 2003r2

so I’ll use that and see if I can follow the information in the article to get AD login to work, without using Suse, and which distros it has to be built from sources to get Samba to supply the connectivity.

I’ll document it all and post it when I’ve checked on 6 distros or so.

Remember….!

In reply to Can Linux Desktops Live in an Active Directory World?

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.

yup

In reply to Remember….!

and if we don’t know about the capabilities because we don’t need them ourselves, then how can we help people who do need them? 😀

The article is over 6 months old, so there is a good chance hat the one weakness mentioned in a comment has been addressed by the Samba dev team.

well that explians it

In reply to Can Linux Desktops Live in an Active Directory World?

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

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