hi there,

As i am new to linux and trying different things, Im wondering how in linux that we can create a domain server and how just like in windows you can join computers to that domain. Im currently using rocky, centos 7 and ubuntu. And im just curious and want to test to create a domain server and join computers to that domain.

Also is it possible for example my domain server is rocky linux and i would like to join my centos 7 and ubuntu to that rocky linux domain? Also is windows machine can be join to that domain as well?

If you want to inter-operate with Windows machines, then you have to use Samba.

This program is widely used and available for most Linux distributions. It's quite stable and flexible, having been around for a few decades now. There are a few different ways you can use it.

Their website contains a lot of documentation. The page you're looking for is:

https://wiki.samba.org/index.php/Set...ain_Controller

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Hi!Well, that is really not quite a thing. You see Domain Controllers are Windows servers. The closest you can get in the Linux world is a SAMBA server that provides SOME of the Windows Domain Controller functionality. I have run both, and neither is trivial so plan on taking some time for training yourself. Well as I said, a Windows Domain Server cannot really be a Linux machine. You might want to set up a SAMBA server, but that is not a 10 step list to get everything right: you need a book or two. There are entire web sites dedicated to some SHORT instructions to get it working. If you are sure that is what you want to do, you absolutely CAN do that, but make sure that fits your need and intent.
There is no Linux Domain, as Linux and Unix do not depend upon anything like Domain membership. You ABSOLUTELY can add Linux servers and desktops to a Windows domain based on either a Windows Domain Server or a Samba server if you want. The normal reasons you might want to do this involve a business that must run a Windows domain, that also has Linux systems and you want to share authentication/account information and network resources. (Although if you ONLY want shared authentication, there are better ways.)

Why are you looking into Windows Domains in relation to Linux servers?

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Simpler.
Start a ssh server on the linux machine. Any linux machine can ssh, scp, sftp to another linux machine. Windows 10 has scp, ssh server and client available for it. I haven't bothered with samba for years.

Edit:
And that is for you using it. You should know where all of the machines are. If someone else needs to access something from the winodws machine on a linux box, then start a little web server on it. Windows can access the linux machine from a web browser.

It depends upon your requirements. OP seems to need more than just the ability to share files.

Hi, thanks for the info, i will check on it and try.

Actually im just curios on how's the "domain" like thing in linux. I am just new and trying different things and was wondering if there is also like domain in linux and you can join other computes to it. Now i have hint that it is SAMBA will try it and hopefully it will work. Thanks a lot

NIS and NFS.

Usually domain lookups are done by domain name servers like Unbound, BIND, DNSMasq, or PowerDNS. :P

(It seems that "domain" has a radically different meaning in m$ world. Like cults, they use unique vocabulary to isolate their victims from the main community.)

There are a lot of file sharing options. OpenAFS, Ceph, NFS, and maybe GlusterFS are some of the complicated large scale solutions.

However, if you are looking for Kerberos bundled with a bunch of other tools, then as mentioned the recent versions of Samba are likely what you need.

There are also more ready-made distros like Zentyal which wrap up Samba for you.

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It's most likely easier for the Linux SAMBA/CIFS and what ever other Unix/Linux cervices ssh/ftp etc you can also join your Linux Servers/Workstations to an existing Windows Nt domain. If you are daring enough you can even attempt configuring either a primary or secondary domain controller via the use of SMBA/CIF and further more you could even configure a sub forest in your existing NT domain.

Hi

It seems to me that you don't want to use a Windows Active Directory domain in linux but the functionality of central authentication for the user accounts just like in windows in the various linux systems in you network. Traditionally there is not such a thing.

Every linux system is like a server on itself with its own accounts. You can set up a same account name between the linux systems but at the end of the day is a separate account that happens to have the same name.

You can use a central authentication server using a LDAP database and telling your linux systems to go and check against the LDAP server if the password given is correct and allow or not the login.

Look for LDAP authentication to see if this is what you need.

Good luck

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"Domain servers" in a Windows network are always "Windows machines," and there are very few of them and they are tightly controlled (by corporate IT).

Linux can participate as a peer in a Windows network, but will probably not have an administrative role in it.

You CAN make a Linux server act as a domain controller with full Samba 4 and later, but it does not support all of the functions and features of a Windows Domian Controller and administrating it is like administrating Linux not Windows.
I have seen business networks with Windows desktops but Linux servers set up that way, but corporate centralized management is the ONLY good excuse. Also, it is somewhat complex and prone to additional complications and occasional breakage. Instead of working on the strengths or Linux/GNU and Microsoft Windows it tends to combine the vulnerabilities of each.

I advise keeping things simple. Use the Linux/GNU tools for managing your Linux network, Windows tools for managing your Microsoft network, and only mix up the toolset when you are forced to integrate those worlds. (For that case, SAMBA is pure GOLD!)

There are a few people who administer Linux/Samba-based DCs in production environments who post here and may disagree with you.

IDK M$Win "Domain Controller" vs "Domain Server"
(but I might be interested in learning!)
One webpage says they are the same!

This web-search finds a lot: How to configure Samba 4 as Primary Domain Controller
I also tried: linux AD domain server
https://serverfault.com/questions/72...tory-to-samba4

@#13: Links to LQ posts by "people who administer Linux/Samba-based DCs in production environments"?
(LQ search found toooo much for me to dig thru)

p.s. Learning tip @OP: put 'wiki' in your web-searches, to get good Wikipedia stuff!