samba - May 2019 - Windows 2012 server as a member?

You can add windows server 2012 to samba 4 domain as a domain member 
(without AD DC role) without any issues. I myself have added multiple 
windows 2012, 2012r2 and 2016 member servers without any issues. And, 
what's important, You actually DON'T want to make them DC, because of 
what Rowland just wrote.

Regards,

Kacper.

W dniu 04.05.2019 o 20:19, Rowland Penny via samba
pisze:
> On Sat, 4 May 2019 13:06:43 -0500
> Robert Wooden via samba <samba at lists.samba.org> wrote:
>
>> It has become necessary to have a W2012 server on my local lan.
>>
>> I have an existing Samba 4 (Ubuntu) domain with two controllers, a
>> (Ubuntu) member server and a few W10 workstations.
>>
>> If I am reading the wiki correctly "Joining a Windows Client or
>> Server to a Domain" page indicates Windows clients or
"servers" and
>> the "server" portion of the lists include W2012. Now, I see
no reason
>> why this "server" cannot act in a similar manner as my Ubuntu
member
>> server, as a client joined to the domain to share the file access
>> needed? (The need comes because the preparatory program needed runs
>> on Windows Access Database. Access being the database program part of
>> "Office" and as current versions of "Office" may
not run well on WINE
>> then, I need a Windows 2012 Server machine.)
>>
>> So, am I incorrect and this machine will need to be a domain
>> controller? Or, can, like I am wanting to do, simply it be joined to
>> the domain as a member server only? (I'll repeat here that I do not
>> want to use W2012 as a domain controller only as member server. )
>>
>> Am I wrong or is it a necessity that 2012 HAS to be joined as a domain
>> controller?
>>
>> Thoughts or questions?
> The problem with 2012 is as a DC, the schema  is not yet fully
> supported, but if you you joined it as a domain member, this will
> probably work, but why use a Server ?
> Will the software you require install and run on Win10 ?
>
> Rowland
>   
>
---
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Roland,

It has been suggested that the program can run on W10 dedicated
workstation. Acting as a Access database server. That statement gave me the
idea that why could it not just be W2012 server and IT be the workstation
OS. (But, they also said it is more efficient on W2012.) I am still
weighing my options.

Kacper,

Your statement backs up the information that I am "gleaning" from
various
sources that W2012/W2016 Server (Essentials) CAN be  joined as a
workstation OS machine. AND I do NOT want it to be my domain controller. It
being an expense experiment (OS $$), I like to dig up information, read
about others experiences and ask question before I spend my hard earned
$$'s. Thanks for confirming I am understanding correctly what I am reading.

On Sat, May 4, 2019 at 3:01 PM Kacper Wirski via samba <
samba at lists.samba.org> wrote:
> You can add windows server 2012 to samba 4 domain as a domain member
> (without AD DC role) without any issues. I myself have added multiple
> windows 2012, 2012r2 and 2016 member servers without any issues. And,
> what's important, You actually DON'T want to make them DC, because
of
> what Rowland just wrote.
>
> Regards,
>
> Kacper.
>
> W dniu 04.05.2019 o 20:19, Rowland Penny via samba pisze:
> > On Sat, 4 May 2019 13:06:43 -0500
> > Robert Wooden via samba <samba at lists.samba.org> wrote:
> >
> >> It has become necessary to have a W2012 server on my local lan.
> >>
> >> I have an existing Samba 4 (Ubuntu) domain with two controllers, a
> >> (Ubuntu) member server and a few W10 workstations.
> >>
> >> If I am reading the wiki correctly "Joining a Windows Client
or
> >> Server to a Domain" page indicates Windows clients or
"servers" and
> >> the "server" portion of the lists include W2012. Now, I
see no reason
> >> why this "server" cannot act in a similar manner as my
Ubuntu member
> >> server, as a client joined to the domain to share the file access
> >> needed? (The need comes because the preparatory program needed
runs
> >> on Windows Access Database. Access being the database program part
of
> >> "Office" and as current versions of "Office"
may not run well on WINE
> >> then, I need a Windows 2012 Server machine.)
> >>
> >> So, am I incorrect and this machine will need to be a domain
> >> controller? Or, can, like I am wanting to do, simply it be joined
to
> >> the domain as a member server only? (I'll repeat here that I
do not
> >> want to use W2012 as a domain controller only as member server. )
> >>
> >> Am I wrong or is it a necessity that 2012 HAS to be joined as a
domain
> >> controller?
> >>
> >> Thoughts or questions?
> > The problem with 2012 is as a DC, the schema  is not yet fully
> > supported, but if you you joined it as a domain member, this will
> > probably work, but why use a Server ?
> > Will the software you require install and run on Win10 ?
> >
> > Rowland
> >
> >
>
> ---
> Ta wiadomość została sprawdzona na obecność wirusów przez oprogramowanie
> antywirusowe Avast.
> https://www.avast.com/antivirus
>
>
> --
> To unsubscribe from this list go to the following URL and read the
> instructions:  https://lists.samba.org/mailman/options/samba
>

-- 
Thank you.

Bob Wooden

On 5/4/19 11:15 PM, Robert Wooden via samba wrote:
> Your statement backs up the information that I am "gleaning" from
various
> sources that W2012/W2016 Server (Essentials) CAN be  joined as a
> workstation OS machine.
Foreword: I'm no expert on M$ licensing (and hope I'll never need to
be).



On your first question you just talked about W2012; now you add the word 
"Essentials" to the picture.
AFAIK, this really makes the difference!
See, e.g., https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_Server_Essentials.

A couple of sentences from there:
_ Windows Small Business Server must be the root of the Active Directory 
forest.
_ Small Business Server always runs on the domain controller...

So, if I understand it correctly: W2012 *Essentials* cannot be a member; 
other editions can.



I'd be glad if proved wrong.
HTH.

  bye

A conclusion to this episode. In the end W2016 Essentials became
problematic, in that when installed, it "demands" to become the ADDC
controller. Yes, it is possible to remove all the ADDC controller
"stuff"
and make it a W2016 Essentials domain member server but, that removal
process was complicated, to say the least.

W2019 Essentials is a stripped down, use as a domain member server, file
sharing, simple server. Installation was straight forward. Easily joined to
my existing Samba 4 domain as a member server. It now running that
preparatory industry software that I required for my work.

Hopefully, this information will help others in some way.

Thanks everybody and above all thanks Samba Team!!


On Sun, May 5, 2019 at 7:16 AM Robert Wooden <bob at donelsontrophy.com>
wrote:
> Within Windows documentation their is reference to W2012 Essentials being
> joined to an existing ADDC as a member server (file server.)
>
> It only made sense to me that like Samba 4 you can "turn off" or
"not turn
> on" various features within programing. Their (MS) use the same
software
> base for domain controllers and file servers just certain features
> activated and others not activated.
>
> I will move forward with a VM and install an "evaluation" version
of W2016
> Essentials and join my existing Samba 4 domain. I fall goes well I'll
be
> sure to reply here and document
>
> Thanks everybody..
>
> On Sun, May 5, 2019 at 2:49 AM Andrea Venturoli <ml at netfence.it>
wrote:
>
>> On 5/4/19 11:15 PM, Robert Wooden via samba wrote:
>>
>> > Your statement backs up the information that I am
"gleaning" from
>> various
>> > sources that W2012/W2016 Server (Essentials) CAN be  joined as a
>> > workstation OS machine.
>>
>> Foreword: I'm no expert on M$ licensing (and hope I'll never
need to be).
>>
>>
>>
>> On your first question you just talked about W2012; now you add the
word
>> "Essentials" to the picture.
>> AFAIK, this really makes the difference!
>> See, e.g., https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_Server_Essentials.
>>
>> A couple of sentences from there:
>> _ Windows Small Business Server must be the root of the Active
Directory
>> forest.
>> _ Small Business Server always runs on the domain controller...
>>
>> So, if I understand it correctly: W2012 *Essentials* cannot be a
member;
>> other editions can.
>>
>>
>>
>> I'd be glad if proved wrong.
>> HTH.
>>
>>   bye
>>
>
>
> --
> Thank you.
>
> Bob Wooden
>
>
-- 
Thank you.

Bob Wooden