[SATLUG] Active directory vs Linux

[Brinkley Harrell]

Geoff wrote:
> samuel detal wrote:
>> How can I create a network in a active directory alike structure?? is 
>> it possible or in this aspect Windows is better than Linux....
>>   
>
> There may be some things that Windows does 'as well as' Linux.. but 
> it's never going to be better than Windows, I don't care -what- 
> version you're running!
>
> Vista's a Hog!  You seen the requirements for that OS?  at LEAST 40gig 
> of HD space, for the OS, it'll barely poke along with 1gig of RAM, but 
> prefers 4... will 'kinda look ok' with a 256mem video card, but it 
> -really- wants to see a 1gig video card
>
> I'll stay with my 1, 1.5 and 1.8GHz machines, and update RAM and video 
> when I need... Linux will be -more than happy- with it.
>
> Why would you -want- active directory, anyway?  That's a security 
> flaw, looking for a place to be exploited anyway (under the M$ 
> environment, anyway)
>

Samuel,

Geoff makes some good points. However, you can get very close to an 
Active Directory structure using openLDAP and hooks into pam and nss. 
The Samba file management tools add most of the other Windows-like 
structures you'll appreciate.

What are you specifically looking for from Active Directory that you 
think Linux does not provide?

BTW, you really ought to "sit" on a Windows network with something like 
WireShark (Ethereal) and watch how much of your bandwidth is banal 
windows chatter. It's even worse if you are using a Windows AD server 
and Microsoft Exchange -- the two machines are so paranoid about losing 
each other that they never shut up.

I have a Vista-ready Core2Duo machine with ample video, memory, and hard 
disk capacity.Why waste it on such a pig!  ;-)

-- 
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Brinkley Harrell
http://www.fusemeister.com