Users and dc in NSb2

Support
,
#1

Hello, I installed NSb2 on a virtual machine in order to evaluate it for further use as production server (SME and replacement for a zentyal server).

I encountered the following issues:

After Installing the “fileserver” package I was able to create a file share, but

  • I could not set access-permissions for users or groups (at least I didn’t find the configuration menu)
  • I could not configure samba as PDC. Obviously in versions 6.x there was a menu “Windows network” where exactly this feature could be activated

useres and groups:
I first installed the LDAP-Package and I was able to set up users and groups, still with the same problem that I was not able to define a shared folder to a group.
Then I removed LDAP and installed “nethserver-dc”. It was not possible to create users or groups anymore! There was an error message saying: “user already exists” (just pressing the button, not giving a name for a user).

At a first glance it was not obvious to me that both packages nethserver-directory (ldap) and nethserver-dc can not be installed in parallel (at least I think so because it was not possible - when I tried it there were some error messages). It would be nice to give this information in the software-center panel.

For me it’s important to

  • use Nethserver as a Primary Domain controller and to activate this right from the user interface
  • define different folders an give or forbid acces for some users and groups.

As Nethserver includes all of the features that we are going to use, this product looks very promising for us. With a well designed but simple interface configuration becomes much easier, still there is enough documentation to understand how the server is built.

Thanks a lot in advance for your answer.

Markus

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#2

Hi @mduerig,

:smile: thanks for asking!

You gave us a good example of how support should be requested, by explaining what is your goal, by telling “why” and “how” you did it in a particular way …I definitely loved it!

Absolutely true! Moreover installing one, then removing does not work…

In ns7 the LDAP configuration does not provide SMB authentication. That means only guest access is allowed on Shared Folders. If you want user auth on Shared Folders, binding to a local or remote Active Directory account provider is the requisite.

In ns7 Samba “PDC” mode (old NT domain style) is no longer supported. A Samba Active Directory account provider is available with the nethserver-dc package.

IIUC:

  • reinstall NethServer 7 beta 2 from scratch (if possible)
  • update the system
  • install Active Directory provider and Shared Folders modules from Software Center

…I know some concepts are difficult to be explained in a UI. Perhaps we should improve our documentation and communication (blog posts?) /cc @alefattorini /@docs_team

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#3

Do some developer documentations are available somewhere on nethserver-directory and nethserver-dc on how they work now, which software are used…Thank

edit, google is my friend
http://docs.nethserver.org/projects/nethserver-devel/en/v7b/nethserver-dc.html
http://wiki.nethserver.org/doku.php?id=samba_dc

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#4

I don’t think that documenting it is a good idea, what are you suggesting here Markus? How can I make this more obvious? Proposals are welcomed.

#5

“Samba machine needs an IP address in a green network, different from the machine one.”
(http://docs.nethserver.org/projects/nethserver-devel/en/v7b/nethserver-dc.html )

Do I understand correctly that I need to have a separate server that will act as DC to use samba-shares for my windows-users?
I think I want the same as TS: share filelocations on my NS to windows-users, preferably authenticated. But that should be possible with just NS, not with a additional DC…?
Or do I misunderstand the documentation?

#6

It runs within NS7, but as a (virtual) container.
why do we need a nspawn container?

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