OK, here it come
We have Win2003 DC and RedHat enterprise 3 as a file server.
I've just inherited this system and now have to deal with settings.
RedHat is talking with Win network through Samba, and users get access with no problems. What i would like to do is, to use it also as their data server, linking My Documents, Favourits and etc. to a directory on RedHat under their name. Pretty much when i create a user in AD, there is a part where you make a default mapping to a user folder, and i would like to be able to do that.
Now, RedHat is not joined to domain, it's just sitting there, and i will be adding it properly this weekend.
My question is, after i join it to domain, will i have to create local accounts on RedHat for every single user, or can i simply use DC authentication?

Any suggestions or recomendation will be appriciated.

Is AD running in Mixed Mode or Native (compatible with NT-style workgroup domains/AD or AD domains only)?
What version of SAMBA?

My point is that you may not be able to join the AD domain with the RedHat unless SAMBA is v3 or higher, and you have Kerberos. If AD is in Mixed Mode, then you may be able to because it will accept NetBIOS resolution from SAMBA.

Still, you could be able to map shares to it even if you can't join the domain.

Let me know how it goes, because Linux/Windows cross-platform directory services is becoming my latest interest.

stuff:
http://www.netadmintools.com/art172.html
http://www-124.ibm.com/linux/present...amba-chat3.htm
http://www.wlug.org.nz/ActiveDirectorySamba

I don't know if it's running in mixed mode, how would i check for it?
I know that i have no WINs, since all stations are XP, and we not planning to downgrade
Samba is 3.02
OpenLDAP is 2.0.27
KRB5 is 1.2.7
PAM is 1.1.7
I am planning to get them all on latest and greatest version this weekend

Also, if i update them, will old setting be saved, or i should back them up and reedit config files?

thanks

I believe you can check in the Domains and Trusts snap-in. If you don't have a workgroup or NT Server going Native Mode works (but it's a non-reversible change from Mixed). Samba 3 supports AD, so you're looking good.

If all those apps are happy together, you've got yourself a Linux/AD integration. You would need to configure SAMBA to authenticate users through AD, then use Group Policy and Roaming Profiles to set their shares. From the research I've done in the last few days on this, it looks like SAMBA 3 doesn't need the local users, that is the point of the AD integration.

As for the rest, you're farther along than I am so I can't tell you about upgrading, but backups are always good!