Can Linux be used as a Server instead of buying Windows 2003 Server.

I know it can be a server for a lot of services but, what I am talking about in specific is can it be used as a domain controller. In other words as an authentication server for Windows XP PC’s?

I am setting up a small business and would like to bring Linux into things here.
I have been using Mepis as my workstation for over a year now.

I need it to be the Server for a Windows PC environment currently using 12 XP units and 6 printers, (eventually I will be replacing the Win PCs with Linux) it will need to authenticate, run RAID-1, run as a print server, and act as a data server.

Any advice would be appreciated.
Thanks in advance…

Here's a link on how to configure Samba as a PDC:
http://us2.samba.org/samba/docs/man/...samba-pdc.html

i thought i'd show you some of my experances when it comes to setting up linux servers

http://tlug.dnho.net/?q=node/174

http://tlug.dnho.net/?q=node/146

and some of my setup scripts, this should help you out when setting up Samba, OpenLDAP, Fedora and LAM as a primary domain controller.

http://www.geocities.com/evilperson85/serversetup/