Windows Domain or Linux
 

I have been using windows servers for a while and been using some linux servers and experimenting with the different things it can do. I really am starting to like linux servers more and more. I have a couple W2k3 DC's and we know how MicroSofts licensing is a pain. I would like to consider using a Linux Server as a master server for user account etc. I'm have never used linux for this. I understand that I would use samba on linux machine for windows pc's to log into the DC. If I wanted to experiment using a linux server as a replace of a DC and have all of my windows, clients, servers, and etc go through a linux type DC, what the server be called and what are the advantages, disadvantages of doing going this route?

Edited: I forgot to mention I would like to continue using an Exchange server. Would samba be okay for sync the linux users that i add and give them an exchange/windows account?

hhuumm, thats a big question. I've never really used exchange so I can't answer that part, maybe someone else can, but as for the rest I can help you out with.

You could setup Samba & OpenLDAP as a Primary Domain controller, there is heaps of documentation out there for that, I'll post a few links to my website below that should help you out. One of the major disadvantages at the moment is there is no Windows 2k/2k3 Group Polices when using a samba PDC, but there are other ways of going out about, that I will also post below. advantages are the obvious ones.

* Easily integrate Linux hosts into your LAN.
* Save you from expensive, Byzantine Microsoft licensing and fear of the License Police.
* Greater stability, reliability, and performance.
* Multiple choices of database backends: tdbsam, ldapsam, or mysqlsam.
* Community and commercial support.
* Secure remote administration via SSH.
* Distributed authentication: running multiple secondary Samba servers is much simpler to manage than NT4 primary and backup domain controllers. You don't have to hassle with silliness like promotions and re-installations – just tweak a configuration file.
* Reliable, efficient synchronization of Samba servers via rsync.
* If you start out with Samba as your domain controller, then decide you want to upgrade to Active Directory, no problem — Samba 3 snugs right into Active Directory with a few configuration tweaks. Unlike NT4, which requires a complete re-installation to change its role from a domain controller to a domain member.

I got that list from

http://www.enterprisenetworkingplane...le.php/3454421

I hope i've helped, i'll leave some links to some information on my website below, hope that will help in the setup

OpenLDAP LAM Samba as PDC
http://www.opensourcehowto.org/how-t...ba-as-pdc.html

and if you feeling a little bit more adventurous later on you could try getting into the policies with samba

Samba Primary Domain Controller with Group Policies
http://www.opensourcehowto.org/how-t...-policies.html

if your still not sure about using exchange, you could try out other alternatives in Linux & there is heaps of information on my website about setting up Linux mail servers

This one you might find the most useful

http://www.opensourcehowto.org/how-t...--postfix.html

but there is more information here.

http://www.opensourcehowto.org/how-to/dovecot/
http://www.opensourcehowto.org/how-to/procmail/
http://www.opensourcehowto.org/how-to/postfix/

I appreciate the great reply! This should be plenty to get me going. I'm also glad to know about your website. I bet I will be spending alot of time there in the very near future. Is this also what other linux clients/servers would login to? Say for instances I had only linux servers and clients. What is used as a main host for all clients to login to? Samba as well?

if you setup Samba as a PDC with an OpenLDAP Backend then you woould get your windows clients to authenticate against samba and your linux clients to authenticate against OpenLDAP (both would have the same home directory/password/username/etc) because openldap is where the samba PDC stores all the user data. check out the following links for more information on openldap + ldap linux clients.

If your looking into the more secure way of doing things try the link below

OpenSSL & OpenLDAP
http://www.opensourcehowto.org/how-t...-openldap.html

If your looking at getting your Linux client to authenticate against your openldap server try the link below this;

LDAP linux client with OpenLDAP server
http://www.opensourcehowto.org/how-t...ap-server.html

For more information on LDAP linux clients
http://www.opensourcehowto.org/how-to/ldap/

Fore more information on OpenLDAP servers
http://www.opensourcehowto.org/how-to/openldap/