samba - Nov 2003 - Samba as a backup authentication server for Windows 2000 Server

Dear all,

I searched through the Net but couldn't find a definitive answer to my
question: is it possible to use Samba 3.x as a backup authentication
server for Windows 2000 Server?

What I'm looking for is a way to make sure that couple of workers placed
in a remote office could always log into their workstations, even when
VPN connection to the main office (where W2K server is located) is
broken. I know Windows workstations cache logon credentials, but that
does not solve my problem as the users also have to be able to use
network shares of each other's workstations.

What I need is a small local server which could act as a logon server
when VPN is down. Our Windows 2000 domain is running in the native mode,
so a classic PDC/BDC setup is not possible without rebuilding the whole
domain.

All comments and ideas are warmly welcome. =)

- Jyri

On Tue, 25 Nov 2003, Jyri wrote:
> Dear all,
>
> I searched through the Net but couldn't find a definitive answer to my
> question: is it possible to use Samba 3.x as a backup authentication
> server for Windows 2000 Server?
No! Authentication server == Domain Controller. Samba can not be a domain
controller (backup or primary) to a Windows DC (Backup or primary).
>
> What I'm looking for is a way to make sure that couple of workers
placed
> in a remote office could always log into their workstations, even when
> VPN connection to the main office (where W2K server is located) is
> broken. I know Windows workstations cache logon credentials, but that
> does not solve my problem as the users also have to be able to use
> network shares of each other's workstations.
>
> What I need is a small local server which could act as a logon server
> when VPN is down. Our Windows 2000 domain is running in the native mode,
> so a classic PDC/BDC setup is not possible without rebuilding the whole
> domain.
You can configure your samba server to provide the netlogon service (ie:
be a DC) but your Win2K systems will not like it. You should either
install a local Win2K DC or switch the central Win2K DC to a Samba server.

- John T.
-- 
John H Terpstra
Email: jht@samba.org