Linux as a windows 2008 domain controller

[JoeShearn]

Hi,

Can Linux be used as primary or secondary domain controller on a windows server 2008 domain? I have used Samba to connect to a workgroup before but never to a domain. I know that Linux can function as a DC and also that it can join a 2008 domain. But I have not been able to find any information about if it can actually function as a DC on a 2008 domain. If anyone has any info or even better a link to a tutorial then please post it.

Thanks,

Joe

[HROAdmin26]

No, Samba *cannot* be an AD Domain Controller. AD DC's have AD replication, group policy, OU's, etc. Samba manages/implements none of these. Samba *can* be an NT4-style DC - but not AD. Samba 3 has the ability to *join* an AD domain, but not to be a DC.

Plenty of information via Google.

Through three full versions, Samba has become an authentication and login server, has provided a client library, domain member management utilities and many other things. Today, Bartlett and the team at Samba.org see it extending its file-sharing focus to provide better Linux-to-Linux file sharing.

More Info

With Samba 3, you could also use Samba servers in a Microsoft AD (Active Directory) in both native and mixed mode. What you could not do, however, is run Samba as an AD domain controller or run it in a Windows Server 2003 level Forest or Domain.

Samba 4 has rumblings of more AD support. There is an Alpha release of 4.