Re: Linux + LDAP.. Can it do this ? Is this what it is used for ?

[Stig Venaas <venaas@itea.ntnu.no>]

On Sat, Feb 06, 1999 at 12:00:12AM -0800, Edmund wrote:
> I have a client whom I trying to convince to use Linux instead of NT on
> their Network Servers.  They already have NT but the network goes down
> and the Compaq Servers crash constantly.  They want to set up 5 regional
> offices each with it's own LAN, and they want to tie them all together
> on a WAN.  Each LAN will
> have it's own Domain.  They are wondering if Linux has the equivalent or
> something like NT's Trust Relationships.  I told them I don't think so,
> but I believe LDAP will allow a user at one regional offices domain to
> access another regional offices domain and resources and vice versa for
> their Windows Clients.

Linux does not have Trust Relationships like NT. LDAP works like NIS,
it's just a common database. Kerberos could be a solution, but I think
what you may want is Samba. With Samba your Linux box can act as an NT
file and print server, and also Domain Controller. It's also got LDAP
support. I'll send you some info on Samba in private.

> Does LDAP allow central administration of all resources and users to do
> they are looking for ?  Is this the type of requirement that needs LDAP
> ?
> 
> Can NIS do that ?  Someone else told me that the hosts.equiv file can do
> that.

With LDAP and NIS you get central administration, but the user will still
have to very herself every time she wants to use some restricted service.
You can use hosts.equiv or rather ssh, but that's only for log in to
systems. If you want the NT users to only authorize themselves once, you
need something like Kerberos or NT Trust. Samba gives you the latter.

Stig

-- 
Stig Venås                      Tel:    +47 73 59 53 29
NTNU				Fax:    +47 73 59 80 98
ITEA/Nett, Prof. Brochs g. 6
N-7034 Trondheim, Norway	E-mail: venaas@itea.ntnu.no