[Samba] Re: General Samba question

Matthew McCarty
Mon, 18 Aug 2003 17:56:29 -0000

In my opinion a good answer to your problems is K12LTSP.

However if you go with your current strategy then you should stick with
Redhat or Suse.  Use Samba as a PDC.  It isn't difficult at all to
adminsiter such a domain with a network no bigger than what you are
describing.  THe advantage of doing it this way is that you are able to
also run K12LTSP  and migrate to a full Linux shop in due time.

jzemanek@sas.upenn.edu wrote:
> Greetings to all.
>
> I am currently a bit of a newbie in regards using Linux and Samba. I have
> worked for several years in the IT/digital divide sector of the nonprofit
world
> (particularly in regards to utilizing used and refurbished hardware). I am
have
> a couple of CompTIA certs. (A+ and N+) and some experience administering
> Windows 2000 Advanced Server.
>
> Anyway to my question....
>
> I am currently working with a teacher at an inner city public high school.
> Recently the school allocated a significant portion of its budget to
building a
> state-of-the-art computer lab. The room contains 30 machines (Gateway
Pentium 4)
> loaded with Windows XP.
>
> However, the school did not a purchase a server for the classroom. The
teacher
> desperately wants a server in the classroom to centrally hold all student
> classwork. He also wants to implement user level security on this server as
> well as centralized domain security for all the work stations. I have
procured
> a Pentium III computer (500 mhz, 256 MB RAM) to be used as a server. Right
now,
> I have the choice of purchasing a copy of Windows 2000 Advanced Server or
> loading it with Linux. My choice will be based price, ease of set up, and
ease
> of administration.
>
> So the question...can a Linux machine loaded with SAMBA be used as a domain
> controller for a group of Windows-based workstations? If so, how difficult
is
> the set up and maintenance of the domain?
>
> Any thought and comments would be greatly appreciated.
>
> Regrards,
>
> Jon
>