I am already running old windows 2008 server used for DNS Server and Domain Server. My users can use the office computer only if they have username registered in the domain server. Also, domain server makes it easy for clients to share files and devices and assign specific domain user who can use it.

Does linux (especially Ubuntu) has similar technology? I searched about NIS for some times, can I use that for the purpose? We are thinking to go to All Linux environment using ubuntu server and ubuntu desktops. But I also heard that NIS is old and dying technology. Is there better tech for windows Domain like support.

Back when I studied in Santa Clara Univ, the computer lab for the CS department has three labs with Windows, Linux, and Sun Unix that all of them share the same user login. I created a user in the windows computer lab and immediately I can access the sun and the linux lab using the same username and password, and I can share my files saved in the central server throughout the three labs.

What technology should I use that can last a long time? NIS or NIS+ or LDAP or Kerberos? I am a newbie in Linux networking or linux as a whole.

Please help and thank you in advance

Rendra

Well,.. ldap and kerberos has been around FOREVER, and in fact, Active directory is a re-imagining of LDAP. So,.. go for LDAP.

If you want windows machines to connect to it,.. you can utilize samba.

389-server/openldap is the more popular version out there, comes with Fedora.

Which tech, between 389 Server Vs OpenLDAP, is better in general in term of:
1. Stability
2. Support
3. Community
4. Ease of use

I am running Ubuntu for the sake of simplicity and it's lighter compared to fedora.

I glanced at some review concerning both. But will 389 Server run smoothly with Ubuntu Server? I am interested in its web management part, while OpenLDAP does not include easy user interface management and has to use the web min.

Please fill me in and thank you

Two more questions for @szboardstretcher:
1. which one are you using?
2. Can I just use Samba to act as domain server and force all other ubuntu desktop to get the authentication from the samba server? Better and easier than samba?