Could I change from NT4 PDC configuration to ad-service?

[Susanne Jaeckel]

Hello all,

We currently use FreeNAS as our Storage-Backend for our VM-Configuration. Now it's time to serve some additional shares to the user, which are authenticated to the network via a samba-server (PDC mode).

Because we currently use a Samba NT4 configuration, I would like to know if it would be possible in the future to switch to a AD-Server configuration without problems with the following configuration:

- currently we have a separate samba nt4 domain controller and I would like to serve some FreeNAS shares to the user with the reference to this server.

- one day in the future, I would like to switch to an AD-configuration with a separate samba-server and would like to serve the former shares then over the connection with the AD-samba server.

(Hoping, you understand my intention... and description...)

Could FreeNAS reconfigured this way without problems, to connect currently with the NT4-samba-PDC and in the future to change the connection to an AD-samba-server for user authentication?

Thanks in advance,
susanne.

 

[dlavigne]

If I were in your shoes, I'd set up a temporary testing system in a virtual machine, import the existing config, test (and document) the switchover for any gotchas, then implement for real on the actual system.

 

[Susanne Jaeckel]

Thanks dlavigne for your answer.

I already tried the NT4 Directory Service Integration in the meantime, but got several questions...

What would be the preferred way to set the ownership of the share if only a limited group of user from the domain should have access to it? Through the Wizard in FreeNAS (adding one Domain-Member as the owner and let the group on "nogroup") and setting the ownership of the share afterwards via a Windows-Client?
(That's the way I currently trying...)

Another thing, it seems, that the FreeNAS box didn't connect to the (debian-linux) samba-box after a reboot... A thing that I'll will have a closer look into, tomorrow.

Thanks in advance,
susanne.