👉 Overview
👀 What ?
Active Directory (AD) is a directory service developed by Microsoft for Windows domain networks. However, it can also function on a Linux system. It is used in IT environments to manage and store information about digital identities and resources, and to facilitate networking.
🧐 Why ?
Linux Active Directory is important because it allows Linux systems to join a Domain Controller (DC) and authenticate users against it. This centralizes the management of user credentials and permissions, which reduces the overhead of managing separate user accounts for each resource. It is useful for businesses that use Linux systems but want to take advantage of the benefits of AD, such as Group Policy, single sign-on (SSO), and ease of administration.
⛏️ How ?
To use Linux Active Directory, you first need to install the necessary software, such as Samba, Winbind, and Kerberos. Then, you can join the Linux machine to the domain using the 'net ads join' command. You also need to configure the system to authenticate against the DC by editing the PAM and NSS configuration files.
⏳ When ?
The use of Linux Active Directory became prevalent as businesses started to incorporate Linux systems into their existing Windows-based networks. This integration has been facilitated by the development of software like Samba, which provides a way for Linux systems to interact with Windows services like AD.
⚙️ Technical Explanations
Linux Active Directory integration works by using Samba and Winbind to communicate with the Domain Controller. Samba is a software suite that provides file and print services to SMB/CIFS clients, allowing Linux to share files with Windows machines. Winbind uses a UNIX implementation of Microsoft RPC calls, Pluggable Authentication Modules (PAM), and the Name Service Switch (NSS) to allow Windows domains to appear as UNIX identity sources. It can enumerate users and groups, authenticate users, and create a local mapping between Windows SID and UNIX uid/gid.