Author Topic: LinuxMCE as a Samba Domain Controller  (Read 22005 times)

lloydipp

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LinuxMCE as a Samba Domain Controller
« on: April 07, 2009, 11:46:53 pm »
This is a feature that I feel would be useful to implement in LinuxMCE, whether or not it should be a default option, or available as a how to article does not matter. I think this is a good idea in order to make it (at least in my case) a complete house solution.

My current, albeit contrary to the ideal, setup is using a Windows Server 2003 Domain controller for my home. This way, my family can have a single logon username and password for all the computers. I have two other Windows servers (a VPN server/File Server and a Terminal Server) as well as more than a half-dozen computers (all XP Professional). If I could extend this to cover: (1) the built in shares in LinuxMCE for media, (2) The web panel for voicemail, etc. (3) The mythweb login and other web server shares as well as (4) continuing to serve as a logon server for windows xp (professional only unfortunately) then I would have a perfect setup (I could take advantage of the networking features of LinuxMCE while getting rid of two of my windows servers.

From the research I have done, an ubuntu, perhaps a kubuntu server too, can work as a Samba Domain Controller as a logon/file/print server. I need to know how I can configure this without disrupting the LinuxMCE functionality but at the same time utilize the user database that LinuxMCE uses for the orbiters and the web panel. In order to integrate the LinuxMCE functionality into this setup, this requires editing the mysql database and this is not something I know how to do.

Granted I am not an expert at Linux, I do know my way around windows in both the desktop and server editions of Windows. If my idea is too far fetched or just not practical, I apologize. I simply would like everything to be as integrated as possible.

This could also be useful for those who have XP Professional or Vista Business/Ultimate systems and even Mac OS X and Linux Systems (as most(?) support Kerberos/LikewiseOpen for authentication to domain servers and I would think this would work for a Linux domain server).

If this is in the wrong category, I apologize; I was debating whether this was a question of a "how to do something" or if it was a "feature request" as it is both.

tschak909

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Re: LinuxMCE as a Samba Domain Controller
« Reply #1 on: April 08, 2009, 12:39:24 am »
Good idea. Please log into trac.linuxmce.org and add this as a feature request. :)

-Thom

lemming86_au

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Re: LinuxMCE as a Samba Domain Controller
« Reply #2 on: April 17, 2009, 05:27:18 pm »
I agree, this would be very handy.
It would also be handy for those with NAS devices with AD support, so access to files can be restricted

Enigmus

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Re: LinuxMCE as a Samba Domain Controller
« Reply #3 on: July 11, 2009, 11:59:30 pm »
I agree, LinuxMCE should be the knot that ties everything in the home together.  I believe authentication is a big part of that.  I might even say that incorporating RADIUS into the server would be a good option as well.  I know Freenas has an RADIUS authentication option as does other network appliances and software.  Having these two features would allow for unified access without having to set passwords in multiple places.

Has this made it to Trac yet?

hari

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Re: LinuxMCE as a Samba Domain Controller
« Reply #4 on: July 12, 2009, 09:59:13 am »
so you want the user to have to log on on the orbiter to access files from a MD for example? Or when do you want to grant tickets? If you ask me this is overkill. What other services do you want to integrate?

br, Hari
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lemming86_au

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Re: LinuxMCE as a Samba Domain Controller
« Reply #5 on: July 14, 2009, 07:55:01 am »
It's probably more useful for those that still have windows PCs on the network, so can log into all with same user/password & don't have to authenticate again to access LMCE shares.

Marie.O

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Re: LinuxMCE as a Samba Domain Controller
« Reply #6 on: July 14, 2009, 09:57:01 am »
It's probably more useful for those that still have windows PCs on the network, so can log into all with same user/password & don't have to authenticate again to access LinuxMCE shares.

If you are using the same username password combo on your windows machines, that you are using on your LinuxMCE install, Windows /should/ automatically identify you correct. At least it used to do that, regardless of domains.

Enigmus

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Re: LinuxMCE as a Samba Domain Controller
« Reply #7 on: July 18, 2009, 02:54:37 pm »
It provides unified user management.  Someone with Windows systems wouldn't have generate User(s) on all their systems that mirror the DCE users.  This is also useful for other systems as well.  As mentioned before, Freenas could use it.

los93sol

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Re: LinuxMCE as a Samba Domain Controller
« Reply #8 on: October 11, 2009, 09:11:10 am »
Was a trac ticket ever created for this?

dlewis

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Re: LinuxMCE as a Samba Domain Controller
« Reply #9 on: October 11, 2009, 03:36:22 pm »
I don't think so. This would be great to implement though.
« Last Edit: October 11, 2009, 03:42:05 pm by dlewis »

Silverskull

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Re: LinuxMCE as a Samba Domain Controller
« Reply #10 on: November 23, 2009, 04:38:41 pm »
You know what?  That's exactly what I've been looking for.  I hope to see this as well, as I'm currently trying to set up a new LinuxMCE system and this feature would be great.

los93sol

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Re: LinuxMCE as a Samba Domain Controller
« Reply #11 on: November 23, 2009, 05:06:39 pm »
I think this is a great idea and I would really like to have this functionality, but it raises quite a few questions...

Should it serve purely as a Domain Controller?
How should it interact with LinuxMCE?
Should it use terminal services to install Windows Orbiter to Windows Desktops?
What needs to be considered to implement this without breaking existing functionality?
Who is going to do the work?

Silverskull

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Re: LinuxMCE as a Samba Domain Controller
« Reply #12 on: November 27, 2009, 05:22:54 am »
Well what I had in mind was simply a single sign-on for all machines on the network.  Maybe an Orbiter installed on the desktop there.  Beyond that, things such as access to media folders... it's sort of unnecessary given that you have Media Directors handling things like that already.  It would just defeat the purpose and break things such as the follow me feature.

evilecho

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Re: LinuxMCE as a Samba Domain Controller
« Reply #13 on: August 31, 2010, 08:06:26 pm »
I didn't want to start a new topic, but has any of the dev's looked into this? I too think this would really help to make LinuxMCE more of the complete Home Automation Package.

Murdock

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Re: LinuxMCE as a Samba Domain Controller
« Reply #14 on: October 03, 2010, 05:14:14 am »
I'm running samba4 alpha12 code at home, which allows it to be a PDC with win2008 LDAP schema (i've added 3 PCs to authenticate, 1 x win xp, 1 x win vista and 1 x ubuntu 10.04). I think once samba4 is ready from a GA standpoint (or even beta, because even this alpha works fantastic in a home setting) it would be worthwhile to add centralized authentication to the MCE and home environment.

Looks like the trac ticket was created here: http://svn.linuxmce.org/trac.cgi/ticket/165

Once samba4 is a little more baked, i'd be happy to look at taking the lead (or at the very least helping) on this integration.