Win2k8 primary DC, Samba backup DC?

English Network/Internet
#1

Can I setup an openSUSE box with Samba as a backup DC to an existing Windows Server 2008 primary DC?

I replaced an older Windows 2003 SBS server with a new server and setup a new domain. SBS editions of Windows don’t allow for multiple DCs at all. I’d like to retask the old hardware to make a backup DC. I’d also rather now buy another Windows 2008 server license to do so.

Can I use Linux and Samba to create a backup DC? And can I use VSS or Rsync to sync the file shares from the primary server as well?

Thanks for your help!

#2

It is not possible for samba 3.x, but it will be available in samba 4 that is in alpha state

this is from page 89 of the official samba 3.x how to

Samba-3 cannot function as a BDC to an MS Windows NT4 PDC, and Samba-3 cannot function correctly as a PDC to an MS Windows NT4 BDC.
Both Samba-3 and MS Windows NT4 can function as a BDC to its own type of PDC.

#3

Thanks. I found a Samba4 package on build.opensuse.org so I will give it a try.

#4

Just remember that Samba 4 is in the alpha state and should not be used in production eviroments.

#5

An alpha-state backup DC has to beat not having one at all, right?

Do you have a recommendation for syncing the file shares? Should I use VSS or Rsync?

#6

On Thu, 2009-11-19 at 16:26 +0000, enderandrew wrote:
> Thanks. I found a Samba4 package on build.opensuse.org so I will give it
> a try.
>
>

It’s REALLY NOT ready.

At best there is another project (hack) that blends elements
of Samba 4 and Samba 3 to produce the first ever Samba AD… it
might be workable. But I wouldn’t deploy it… only for
experimetation.

#7

Will it eat my dog?

I thought I read on Slashdot several months ago that Samba4 was claiming 100% feature parity with AD.

So I was a little shocked to today see that Samba4 isn’t even released.

I’m curious to look at this other project, if for no other reason to follow it and see when it is ready.

I’m also considered retasking the old hardware and making it an Untangle box to replace the aging IPCop box they’re using now.

I’m a little disappointed that I don’t see Untangle packages I can deploy on my distro of choice. Untangle only seems to exist as a prebuilt Debian distro. I have no qualms with Debian. I just really like openSUSE.

#8

On Thu November 19 2009 12:56 pm, enderandrew wrote:

>
> Will it eat my dog?
>
> I thought I read on Slashdot several months ago that Samba4 was
> claiming 100% feature parity with AD.
>
> So I was a little shocked to today see that Samba4 isn’t even
> released.
>
> I’m curious to look at this other project, if for no other reason to
> follow it and see when it is ready.
>
> I’m also considered retasking the old hardware and making it an
> Untangle box to replace the aging IPCop box they’re using now.
>
> I’m a little disappointed that I don’t see Untangle packages I can
> deploy on my distro of choice. Untangle only seems to exist as a
> prebuilt Debian distro. I have no qualms with Debian. I just really like
> openSUSE.
>
>
enderandrew;
Samba4 may never be released as such. As the features mature, they are being
added to Samba3. It is likely that Samba3 will gain the ability to work as
an AD PDC or BDC.

P. V.
“We’re all in this together, I’m pulling for you.” Red Green

#9

The samba documentation suggests to the me the exact opposite:

Acting as a Windows 2000 active directory domain controller (i.e., Kerberos and Active Directory). In point of fact, Samba-3 does have some Active Directory domain control ability that is at this time purely experimental. Active directory domain control is one of the features that is being developed in Samba-4, the next generation Samba release. At this time there are no plans to enable active directory domain control support during the Samba-3 series life-cycle.