Someone grabbed a screen-shot from slashdot.org today – I wasn’t expecting this!
On one hand, I think it’s hilarious. On the other hand, I feel a bit dirty inside. Oh well, life is full of surprises. I must admit that I really like the integration aspect of Linux with Active Directory. Using Linux as a domain member in Active Directory is a very effective method of controlling user authentication and access. Rather than managing Linux as a stand-alone system (ie: local users and groups only), the Linux domain member can read a full list of users and groups from the Active Directory and transpose them to the Linux operating system.
For example: After you create a user in Active Directory, the user can log-in to the Linux system using their Active Directory username and password – there is no need to create a local user account in the Linux system. In fact, the first time a user logs in to Linux, their home account will automatically be setup.
Of course you may not wish to give all users in Active Directory shell access to the Linux system. In that case, you can create a security group in Active Directory called “Linux Access” and tell Linux that only users that are members of the “Linux Access” group are able to login to the Linux system.
All user management is simply done graphically through the Active Directory Users & Computers tool. The integration between Linux and Active Directory is done so well that once a user account is disabled in Active Directory, the user can no longer log in to Linux either.
There you have it – central management of multiple Windows & Linux systems through Active Directory can be very effective in reducing time and complexity of any sized environment. This makes me and my co-workers happy system admins.
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