samba - Dec 2005 - SAMBA PDC for Windows and Mac clients questions

Greetings,

 

In the interest of better compatibility for file stores and
authentication, we are trying to implement a Linux machine as a primary
domain controller using SAMBA and LDAP. The goal is to have both Windows
XP computers and Mac OS X computers able to authenticate against the
PDC, thereby allowing access to appropriate file stores on the network.

While it is easy to have the Windows machines authenticate against the
server without LDAP, I seem to be unable to use the server as an
authentication source for the Mac OS X machines unless I try to use
LDAP.

The problem I seem to have is that I can only get Windows to work with
the server or OS X to work with the server, but not both. Unfortunately,
I am rather new to this area and I cannot seem to find any good
documentation or examples thus far. Has anyone tried this or have some
experience in this area and could provide some suggestions or references
to implementation?

 

Justin

On Dec 26, 2005, at 5:43 PM, Justin Pearce wrote:
>
> In the interest of better compatibility for file stores and
> authentication, we are trying to implement a Linux machine as a  
> primary
> domain controller using SAMBA and LDAP. The goal is to have both  
> Windows
> XP computers and Mac OS X computers able to authenticate against the
> PDC, thereby allowing access to appropriate file stores on the  
> network.
>
On the Mac clients, take a look at "Directory Access" in the  
"Utilities" subdirectory of the "Applications" directory --
if you
haven't already.  There seems to be an option to configure Samba/CIFS  
authentication. Check it, select it, and choose "configure" to set  
the workgroup and wins server.
> While it is easy to have the Windows machines authenticate against the
> server without LDAP, I seem to be unable to use the server as an
> authentication source for the Mac OS X machines unless I try to use
> LDAP.
>
Apple's Xserve uses OpenLDAP for authentication, so if you get it  
right, the Macs will behave pretty much like they would in a native  
Mac environment.  Note that a Mac user can authenticate against an  
LDAP server to mount his home directory through NFS, and then mount  
file shares using SAMBA or NFS or Appletalk, and that could be a  
second authentication to the same or to a different server.
> The problem I seem to have is that I can only get Windows to work with
> the server or OS X to work with the server, but not both.  
> Unfortunately,
> I am rather new to this area and I cannot seem to find any good
> documentation or examples thus far. Has anyone tried this or have some
> experience in this area and could provide some suggestions or  
> references
> to implementation?
But here are some folks who have apparently done just what you are  
trying.
http://www.cs.dixie.edu/ldap/server/

Hey Matthew,

Thanks for the link. Reading their implementation gave me better insight
into how it should all fit together and work. I was able to get out test
boxes to talk happily to one another.

Justin

-----Original Message-----
From: Matthew Easton [mailto:v-vi@trugschluss.org] 
Sent: Tuesday, December 27, 2005 2:45 AM
To: Justin Pearce
Cc: samba@lists.samba.org
Subject: Re: [Samba] SAMBA PDC for Windows and Mac clients questions


On Dec 26, 2005, at 5:43 PM, Justin Pearce wrote:
>
> In the interest of better compatibility for file stores and
> authentication, we are trying to implement a Linux machine as a  
> primary
> domain controller using SAMBA and LDAP. The goal is to have both  
> Windows
> XP computers and Mac OS X computers able to authenticate against the
> PDC, thereby allowing access to appropriate file stores on the  
> network.
>
On the Mac clients, take a look at "Directory Access" in the  
"Utilities" subdirectory of the "Applications" directory --
if you
haven't already.  There seems to be an option to configure Samba/CIFS  
authentication. Check it, select it, and choose "configure" to set  
the workgroup and wins server.
> While it is easy to have the Windows machines authenticate against the
> server without LDAP, I seem to be unable to use the server as an
> authentication source for the Mac OS X machines unless I try to use
> LDAP.
>
Apple's Xserve uses OpenLDAP for authentication, so if you get it  
right, the Macs will behave pretty much like they would in a native  
Mac environment.  Note that a Mac user can authenticate against an  
LDAP server to mount his home directory through NFS, and then mount  
file shares using SAMBA or NFS or Appletalk, and that could be a  
second authentication to the same or to a different server.
> The problem I seem to have is that I can only get Windows to work with
> the server or OS X to work with the server, but not both.  
> Unfortunately,
> I am rather new to this area and I cannot seem to find any good
> documentation or examples thus far. Has anyone tried this or have some
> experience in this area and could provide some suggestions or  
> references
> to implementation?
But here are some folks who have apparently done just what you are  
trying.
http://www.cs.dixie.edu/ldap/server/