Is there an "itty bitty" directory server?

[svigneaux]

Hi all,

I have a home network with five hard wired computers, one wireless, and another wireless coming soon. I'd love to be able to let users log on to whatever machine they want and have access to centrally stored files - just like at work. Also, I'd like centrally managed passwords so I can change things once and have it affect all PCs.

I think this means I need a directory server - but the only ones I can find are: expensive, complex to install and maintain, and intended to support thousands of users.

Does anyone know of something more suited to a small home or business network?

Or maybe there's another way to do this than a directory server?

Thanks

[Rapmaster]

You can get an evaluation version of NT Server for free if you don't mind re-installing it every couple of months. NT domains are very simple compared to 2000/2003 Active Directory. It's not really a directory service either.

You can get an eval version of Netware too, which is probably my favourite.




But you could use Linux -- you could either set up Samba to emulate an NT domain controller, or install NIS. There are some NIS clients for Windows out there. But the server would pretty much need to be Linux or Unix. Nice and free, plus a fun learning experience.

[svigneaux]

Thanks for the suggestion but, I really need a "set it and forget it" implementation that can run on my one spare Windows box.

Even though part of me would love to play with Linux I really need to go with a Win2000 solution because I just don't have the time and energy for another learning experience. I'd love to but just can't take that on. And re-installing something every couple of months wouldn't be wise for me either.

So, does anyone know of a solution that'd run on a Win2k system and be suited for 5-10 users?

[svigneaux]

Any ideas out there?

[kv]

I'm not a Windows-networking expert (meaning I'm not familiar with setting up domains or directories), but you might want to look at Linux. There's an app called SAMBA that emulates NetBIOS, and I've used it myself to set up a machine that appears to be an NT Server, you can map to it and if you want, you can set it up as a domain controller and log in. It lets you file and print share. When I browse my home network, it looks like just another Windows system.

Linux has come far enough that the recent releases make it fairly easy to set up this type of config, with simplified GUIs and everything else you'd expect.

Plus, although I'm still predominantly a Windows user, Linux is the most bulletproof OS I've seen. I've literally had it running for months at a time, completely un-attended. Even when I mess things up (which I tend to do since I'm still working my way around it) and programs crash, I've yet to bring the system down. it just keeps going, and going, and going ... (picture Energizer Bunny crawling by)

Taking it further, you can even use MARS to simulate a Netware server on your network, if you want to mix things up a bit.

Anyways, just a thought...

KV

[svigneaux]

It's a good thought, I checked out SAMBA and it seems to do what I'd need. My problem with Linux is that it's still an engineer's OS - not a user's. I am an engineer and an experienced Windows user who set up his own FTP server, web site, and multi-point network. But, I'm hoping I don't need to get into a project as complex as SAMBA seems to be. I'd need to re-format (or at least partition) the PC I use as an FTP server (it's also our household server used for backups and whatever else). Then I'd need to load Linux, load SAMBA, get it all set up, yuck. I think I'm being a bit greedy - I'm hoping for a simpler solution than that.

[kv]

In fairness, I used to agree with your assessment of Linux being an engineer's OS. I first started using RedHat back in version 5.x to experiment with and tend to install a new version every couple of revs or so.

I have to say that they have come a long way with the installation process, the installation process for the latest version of Linux is easily as simplified as Windows, maybe even more so. It's all GUI based, and is able to co-exist with Windows in a dual-boot mode. It even did a better job of recognizing my hardware than Win2K does. Apparently some of the competitors like SuSE and Lindows have even cleaner installation processes...

Once installed, you'll get a very clean GUI that MS should take a look at and you'll have a simplified interface for setting up SAMBA.

You're right, you might have to roll up your sleeves a bit, but if you're adventurous then consider it to be "expanding your horizons". I don't think you'll find a similar solution to SAMBA in the Windows world, at least not at the same price (free).

I don't think Linux will ever knock Windows off as a desktop platform, but it is certainly a serious contender, probably more so than Apple. And for the server market, it kicks serious butt.

Still, I use Windows as my main OS so take this commentary with a grain of salt...! ;)

KV