[Samba] simple recommendations

[Rowland penny]

On 15/02/16 12:56, Andy Smith wrote:
>   
>
> Hi all,
>
>    I've used samba for years, but only really for simple scenarios where
> a few files needed to be shared to PCs. I now need to configure a server
> where, as far as is possible, it should behave like a Windows server. As
> not all the PCs on the network have Windows Pro I won't be joining any
> PCs to a domain. So my main question is, is there any reason to install
> as an AD DC or should I install it as a standalone server?
>
> Where I say it should behave like a Windows server I'm mostly thinking
> about the ability to set/modify file and folder permissions from PC
> clients, is it ever possible to do this without using a PC domain
> member? My experience of this is that it is not, ie if you try and add a
> group that exists on the server from the PC it just gives an error so
> permissions must be modified on the *NIX side. Would be good to know if
> this is the expected behviour or if I've just not got things configured
> correctly (I have this situation currently on a test install with a
> Samba AD DC),
>
> thanks in advance, Andy.
>    

OK, if you have machines that are using a windows 'home' version, then 
they cannot be a member of a windows domain, so you are left with a 
'workgroup'.

You can either let anybody read and write to the samba servers or you 
run a workgroup, this means that *all* your users and groups will have 
to exist on *all*  your samba machines. they will have to exist as Unix 
and Samba users/groups. You will need to keep the passwords in sync 
between the windows users, Samba users and Unix users on all machines. 
This is only really practicable with a small number of machines and 
users, it gets more complex with a lot of users, I used to run a 
workgroup with about 12 users and it was a pain when I had to change 
passwords or add a new user.

If you still want to go down this route, then you need to set Samba up a 
standalone server, this is basically how a windows PC works.

Rowland