NFSv4+Kerberos+LDAP vs. NFS+NIS for a newbie admin in the year 2013

educateme · 10-11-2013, 10:35 AM

I am planning on making an NFS cluster for just a small group (i.e. max 20 client workstations). Would it be better for me to implement NFSv4+Kerberos+LDAP or a simpler NFS+NIS? I am more of a Linux user than an admin right now, and I heard that NFSv4+Kerberos+LDAP is very difficult to setup and maintain. Is the more "classic" NFS+NIS setup safe enough in the year 2013?

acid_kewpie · 10-12-2013, 03:35 AM

never consider NIS. It really shouldn't be an option these days.

Personally I would suggest NFS and LDAP. LDAP can be BOTH a user database AND an authentication mechanism. You do NOT need KRB5 as part of it.

educateme · 10-13-2013, 03:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by acid_kewpie

never consider NIS. It really shouldn't be an option these days.

Why is NIS so unrecommended? Has nothing improved with NIS over the last 8 years or so? I really need to know.

Thanks for the response, I always thought Kerberos should be bundled with LDAP.

acid_kewpie · 10-13-2013, 03:33 AM

It's just obsolete. Most recommended ways to use NIS / NIS+ use an ldap back end anyway, so the only reason you'd look at NIS would be if that's all the client supports. ldap is SO SO much nicer in any direction.

HellesAngel · 11-25-2013, 11:17 AM

Can you suggest a tutorial for setting up server & clients for LDAP + NFS? A step-by-step to LDAP server installation that allows clients to get their home directories from an NFS server would be a great start.