Wednesday 13 July 2011

Samba server is easy... Samba domain login is, err, tedious...

Server = easy
To get a samba server up and running (as a PDC or just a file share), is easy peasy...

Four steps - two really, since you are really just:
  • editing /etc/smb.conf
  • restarting the daemons
Client = hard
Ahh, but getting another Ubuntu desktop to authenticate to the Samba PDC like a regular dumb Windows box -- now that's a pain in the ass. If you are using Active Directory, you can cheat and use Likewise Open. But I'm not, so I have to wade through http://www.clearfoundation.com/docs/howtos/add_linux_workstation_to_the_samba_domain

I mean it works and all, and I'm grateful for the help -- but really:
  • editing /etc/smb.conf
  • manually creating /home folders
  • editing /etc/nsswitch.conf
  • blowing away (yikes!) /etc/pam.d/common-account
  • blowing away /etc/pam.d/common-auth
  • editing /etc/pam.d/common-password
  • editing /etc/pam.d/common-session
  • reboots
  • editing /etc/sudoers
Come on, really, couldn't that be a little easier?

Even the pretty "Ubuntu Software Center" was less than helpful...

Which to the novice end users pretty much means:
Well we installed it like you asked -- but you're on your own from here. Go wade through man pages why don't you...

Oh well, on the plus side -- the (lengthy) steps outlined above do result in domain+single-sign-on goodness for my Ubuntu desktops. So I'll probably forget the installation experience sucked.

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