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Oracle Linux User Authentication using Active Directory


Where strict corporate access, authorization and authentication mechanisms are in place, user access rights must be managed carefully. Linux is no exception. In full Unix/Linux houses, this is not really an issue. But in mixed Microsoft/Linux environments, I still find it daunting to get Linux servers properly added to Active Directory realms, domains and so on. SAMBA and winbind do a wonderful job, but sadly only Novell's SUSE Enterprise 10 server and desktop do it out-of-the-box. (Something to be said for collaborations!)
The main problem I find is that while winbind can be used fine, it's never the version that comes with the platform. The reliable, stable Enterprise release alway uses some old version and you find yourself looking for sources, newer versions, packages and so on. Then there is the ignorance of Microsoft techies, who stubbornly won't help because "it just works in Windows" and often don't know how either. Well, with Linux you have to know the "how" before you can do the "what", if you know what I mean.
Centrify seems to have tools to do it all relatively painlessly. At least, from a marketing perspective. I've just looked at their site...
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