I am currently managing a small business network with 4 desktop computers and a few notebooks all running windows XP. I am trying to convince the owner to invest in a dedicated server which would act as a domain controller whereas now we are using one of the workstations running XP as a server.
I have assessed the cost of installing a standalone server and it amazes me that I can get all the hardware at a cost less that Windows 2003 SB server.... I think the total cost of the box was AUD598 for a basic server whilst the software costs an extortionate AUD640. What's goin on Bill?!?! I've experimented with linux for a while now on a few of my own machines and decided to check out the possibility of setting up a linux domain controller for this scenario.... Is this possible? Is it possible to set up a linux DC and have windows XP client computers connect to it, have roaming profiles, group policies, share printers and files and is it going to be easy to set up? Has anyone done this?

Regards

yeah it´s possible. you can configure a samba server to act as a pdc.

It is possible to use Samba as a NT4-style microsoft domain controller, but not as an Active Directory PDC. see here for more info : http://samba.mirror.aarnet.edu.au/sa...html#id2538831

For a small network like yours, it should really be enough; you will find much info in the HOWTO collection : setup should be fairly strightforward if you go step by step and test thoroughly before taking the netx one.

Besides, you will learn more about the way microsoft networking works than by taking any number of (expensive) M$ network management classes.

OK - Thanks very much for the quick replies

:-)

Regards,