winter4w

Q: Can I connect a windows client to a OD?

Hello,

 

I got a few questions I hope some of you can answer about OSX server.

 

Is it possible to make a windows client join on OD?

I am looking into getting OSX server. I would like to know if it is possible so people who login there mac and view all there files and login windows and have all those files show up? I have herd of something called the Magic Triangle but I don't understand it. For a example I can just connect a OSX to a Windows AD domain so what will the point of OSX server be then? I don't want to use windows server due to the cost.

 

 

If I do need to do the magic triangle can I use Samba 4 on Ubuntu?

If I have to run a AD to make windows clients join can I set that up on a virtual machine on my Mac Mini and run the AD from there? Also with the Magic Triangle can I make OSX Server manage all the account for the Windows & OSX clients along with saving there profile data on the mac mini?

 

 

 

Thanks

Mac mini, OS X Yosemite (10.10.5)

Posted on Dec 26, 2015 6:39 PM

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Q: Can I connect a windows client to a OD?

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  • by FromOZ,

    FromOZ FromOZ Dec 28, 2015 7:35 AM in response to winter4w
    Level 3 (545 points)
    Dec 28, 2015 7:35 AM in response to winter4w

    Hello

     

    I think it is better that you frame your post, as you are requesting support, in terms of what you want to achieve, rather than asking questions about specific technology capabilities. What I mean is that if you ask this...

    Is it possible to make a windows client join on OD?

     

    the answer is "No", but you could have found that out pretty quickly from the Internet.

     

    http://arstechnica.com/apple/2014/11/a-power-users-guide-to-os-x-server-yosemite -edition/3/#h2

     

    But if you are asking can Mac and Windows users share files

    I would like to know if it is possible so people who login there mac and view all there files and login windows and have all those files show up?

     

    then the answer is yes.

     

    OS X Yosemite: Set up a Mac to share files with Windows users

     

    If you want to do 'peer-to-peer' file sharing that is possible via the above. If you want to 'centrally' manage this, have a central file share, you can setup an OS X server and use the SMB protocol to share folders with varied permissions. It's straightforward.

    SS4.png

     

    You don't need Active Directory to achieve the functionality you want.

     

    As for the 'magic triangle', you should think of it like the 'Bermuda Triangle' and not go there.

  • by winter4w,

    winter4w winter4w Dec 28, 2015 5:10 PM in response to FromOZ
    Level 1 (8 points)
    iPhone
    Dec 28, 2015 5:10 PM in response to FromOZ

    Ok so for the file sharing is that making it be a roaming profile? Such as lets say I save a file on the Mac desktop will it appear on the windows desktop when they login it? Here is a example for what i'm looking for. User1 logged in a Mac. He saves a document on the Desktop, then he logs off. He then later goes on another mac and logged in. The file he was working on earlier is there. He then logs off that mac. Now he goes on a windows PC. He logs onto that pc and there is that file on the desktop still.

     

    So is this something possible I can do with file share. I am looking into getting OSX server so I am a noob at this. I have setup windows servers in the past that do this but I do prefer OSX server because of its price and is not limited in some areas.

     

     

    Thanks

  • by FromOZ,

    FromOZ FromOZ Dec 29, 2015 1:42 AM in response to winter4w
    Level 3 (545 points)
    Dec 29, 2015 1:42 AM in response to winter4w

    Ok so for the file sharing is that making it be a roaming profile? Such as lets say I save a file on the Mac desktop will it appear on the windows desktop when they login it?

     

    Nope.

     

    All that nice stuff, having a mobile profile that essentially syncs a user's home folder to different machines is available in a Mac only (Open Directory) environment but not cross platform. Again, basically, because OD does not authenticate Windows computers and/or users as Active Directory does. Therefore these sort of (high-end) features you are looking for just aren't there - in an OD only environment.

     

    Again though, that does not mean you cannot share files between Macs and Windows machines in an OD only environment.

  • by Leopardus,

    Leopardus Leopardus Dec 29, 2015 3:37 AM in response to winter4w
    Level 4 (1,122 points)
    Desktops
    Dec 29, 2015 3:37 AM in response to winter4w

    winter4w wrote:

     

    Ok so for the file sharing is that making it be a roaming profile? Such as lets say I save a file on the Mac desktop will it appear on the windows desktop when they login it? Here is a example for what i'm looking for. User1 logged in a Mac. He saves a document on the Desktop, then he logs off. He then later goes on another mac and logged in. The file he was working on earlier is there. He then logs off that mac. Now he goes on a windows PC. He logs onto that pc and there is that file on the desktop still.

     

    So is this something possible I can do with file share. I am looking into getting OSX server so I am a noob at this. I have setup windows servers in the past that do this but I do prefer OSX server because of its price and is not limited in some areas.

     

     

    Thanks

    As for your earlier questions as well with respect to authentication, have a look at                  how do i bind windows 7 to os x server 10.8             threat which refer to the use of pGina which can be used to bind the MS systems.

    As for file sharing, you can use various solutions for this purpose including, file sharing on a Client Mac (not Server), Server on a Mac and a plethora of Cloud services to achieve said purpose. Both Client and Server has good sharing capabilities for genuine sharing including with MS Systems.

    If the share is on the Windows Computer, with a drive formatted for NTFS you can follow these steps to enable OS X to write to it. Keep in mind that you will also have to create a share for it.

     

    Leo

  • by winter4w,

    winter4w winter4w Dec 29, 2015 4:07 PM in response to Leopardus
    Level 1 (8 points)
    iPhone
    Dec 29, 2015 4:07 PM in response to Leopardus

    Yea I have seen that post. From my understanding of it is it makes a Local User profile and to pull up the the OSX Open Directory home folder you go to Start then Computer and it will show up as the Z: drive. So if people want to save stuff to the network profile they will need to save it to the Z: drive. Correct me if I am wrong with this understanding.

     

    That is something i'm looking for but I want them to be able just upload the files to the profile instead of making them save to the Z: drive.

     

    I have heard of the magic triangle and most say to avoid it but what if I install Ubuntu Server on Virtual Box and install and setup Samba 4 on the Ubuntu virtual box. Is it possible I can make Open Directory manage the Samba 4 Server? This will all be done on the same mac mini.

     

    Thanks

  • by Leopardus,

    Leopardus Leopardus Jan 1, 2016 6:01 AM in response to winter4w
    Level 4 (1,122 points)
    Desktops
    Jan 1, 2016 6:01 AM in response to winter4w

    Have you had a look at setting up the 'feared' golden triangle for Windows Server? A good article with how-to's is Pro tip: How to configure a Golden Triangle which is very informative.

     

    Leo