Administering a Windows NT Domain Using a Non-Windows NT Primary Domain Controller

The chronicles kept by an explorer as he or she journeys into new territories can be invaluable for those who come later. The writing describe successes and failures, warning and hints to other possible solutions yet unfound. The evolution of a network is not different than the Lewis and Clark expedition of the early 1800's. Each day we learn something new. Either our proposed solution worked or it did not. It was either a dead-end or perhaps simply a detour.

In the Fall of 1997 with the release of Samba version 1.9.18alpha1, the College of Engineering at Auburn University began to experiment with the possibility of using a non-Windows NT machine (i.e. Samba running on a Solaris server) as a Primary Domain Controller for Windows NT desktop clients. This journey has continued through the present and is till progressing.

This paper will be a post-narrative of that journey. It is our belief that the administrative models and tools developed to support this environment will also be beneficial in other integrated environments, either in parts or as a whole.

This journey will be divided into in five topics: (1) relevant details regarding the configuration of the Samba PDC, (2) user account management, (3) remote file and printer access, (4) remote administration of clients and servers, and (5) the remote updates of systems, applications and associated settings. Each section will remain distinct enough so as to allow the reader to implement the varying portions of this paper independently.