[Samba] NT4 SP3 PDC with MS Exchange 5.5 to Samba 3.x ldapbac ked PDC and MS Exchange 5.5 still

[Andrew Bartlett]

On Fri, 2011-10-28 at 13:51 -0400, Derek Werthmuller wrote:
> >>I have a client in a similar situation. NT4 PDC w/Exchange 5.5 and Samba
> member servers. Main problem is that >>they're running an old custom
> Outlook/Exchange workflow app which locks them in until it can be replaced.
> 
> Similar situation - though we've been able to replicate it fairly easily in
> google apps.
> 
> >>As you're aware newer then XP cannot join an NT4 domain but can join a
> Samba domain - and they will eventually >>need some new desktops. So my
> thoughts have been running along the lines of demoting the NT4 PDC and
> having a >>Samba server take over those duties. Problem's are the NT4 PDC is
> not a supported task, and even if a registry >>hack can accomplish it
> (according to an old post by Minasi it should) but the effect on Exchange
> after this is >>apparently unknown. Also a test attempt to vampire the PDC
> did not work due to capitalization problems (if the >>vampire script did a
> lower case conversion this might have been a big start).
> 
> I did consider this, though the issue is what do I do with the existing NT4
> PDC - I can demote this to BDC but from the samba docs samba PDC and Windows
> BDC is not supported.  And I don't think it can demote the PDC to server
> role.
> I'm also trying to be very careful not to make substantial changes to the
> exchange host - I need that working for a short while longer.

I would love to suggest a Samba solution, but why not join an additional
Windows DC in Window 2000 'mixed mode', so your desktops can join that?
The NT4 server should I think remain a BDC to that domain (after
demotion back to a BDC). 

(Samba4 can't support NT4 BDCs)

Andrew Bartlett

-- 
Andrew Bartlett                                http://samba.org/~abartlet/
Authentication Developer, Samba Team           http://samba.org