I'm curious if I can set up a Linux desktop to work within a Windows Server environment that has Active Directory and a file server. Specifically, I'd like to know how to create a login script equivalent on Linux to automatically mount shared folders based on user or group. This is particularly important since the desktop will be used by multiple people. I've already connected an Ubuntu server to my Active Directory to manage SSH access, but I'm struggling with mounting shared folders. I'm exploring the possibility of moving entirely to Linux for desktop users since Windows 10 support will be ending, I won't upgrade to Windows 11, and our Windows Server 2019 is still running fine. However, as the only Linux power user in my team, I'm concerned about getting everything set up in a way that's manageable for everyone else if I'm not around.
5 Answers
In my previous job, we set up something similar. We joined the Linux machine to Active Directory, giving each user a Kerberos ticket upon log in. Then, we configured autofs to dynamically mount shared folders based on user groups during login, which worked like a charm. It’d create mount points automatically, so users wouldn't have to worry about it.
I recommend checking out specific documentation for integrating your Linux system with Windows Active Directory. There are great resources available online that provide step-by-step guidance, and these principles often apply across various Linux distributions too.
It’s definitely possible! I did something like this years back and it worked well. After enrolling the machine with Samba, you could see that it listed as a Linux machine in AD, which surprised many of my colleagues. Just make sure you have the proper permissions to get it all set up correctly.
Absolutely! You can join Linux machines to an Active Directory using tools like Samba Winbind or SSSD. Samba is great if you're sharing files from the Linux machine, while SSSD works fine for most cases. Both can implement certain group policies on the Linux side; configuring that might take some effort, especially with SSSD requiring additional components. For logon and scheduled tasks, Samba is the way to go, but SSSD has its own methods too. Check out some guides online—it can get complex but it’s doable!
I've seen many mixed environments where Linux users worked well alongside Windows servers. Using `.profile` as a login script could work, but it might be more efficient to use GUI tools for file sharing instead of scripting everything. For financial practicality, moving away from Windows servers often saves a lot of money compared to sticking with the current setup.
Are you suggesting it’s more cost-effective to have Linux servers with Windows clients than to maintain a mixed setup? That could be a game-changer for budgeting!
Yeah, I've found that using `realm` simplifies the process quite a lot! If you're really looking for an easy solution, you might consider FreeIPA too, which can connect to AD and help manage Linux hosts.