Easiest way to join Ubuntu 16 to an active directory domain

BlizzardX · 21 Nov 2016 at 20:25

Hello

I've got a server essentials 2012 r2 domain running at home and I'd like to join a Linux installation to it. I understand active directory relatively and can do windows ones without an trouble but joining a Linux machine has proven to not be so easy for me, I can use the command line and do 'things' with Linux but I'm not a whizz with it.

Does anybody have any easy tutorials or go to websites that can show me how to do it? I've tried following the Ubuntu help page for sssd but the service wouldn't start after following the editing and I'm just not sure if it is working right.

Any help is appreciated.

Chris

Caged · 21 Nov 2016 at 20:50

Either this:

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/ActiveDirectoryWinbindHowto

Or hitting yourself in the face with something blunt until you give up.

BlizzardX · 21 Nov 2016 at 21:42

I've done the hitting myself in the face bit for the past few days, hence why I'm posting here!

I'll have a look at that link though.

nrh1703 · 22 Nov 2016 at 20:16

or this:
https://help.ubuntu.com/lts/serverguide/sssd-ad.html

not done it with Ubuntu myself but have on Arch which is a little more involved but gives a good end solution;
- AD login
- use kerberos to mount Windows shares
- AD groups for access control, sudo etc

progress in this space in the last few years has been noticeable so it shouldn't be too hard (especially with a distro like Ubuntu).

Uhtred · 27 Nov 2016 at 21:30

Caged said:
Either this:

Or hitting yourself in the face with something blunt until you give up.

This

memyselfandi · 28 Nov 2016 at 12:51

Caged said:
Or hitting yourself in the face with something blunt until you give up.

In my experience this every time

ChrisD. · 29 Nov 2016 at 15:21

No offence but if you're not a *NIX admin or have extensive experience then you're really going to struggle. What are you trying to achieve by joining it to AD?

BlizzardX · 29 Nov 2016 at 20:09

Dooksy said:
No offence but if you're not a *NIX admin or have extensive experience then you're really going to struggle. What are you trying to achieve by joining it to AD?

None taken, I'm just interested as I try to connect most things to my domain if possible if they're permanent. At the moment, the ubuntu system is the controller for my unifi setup, so would be running 24/7 on one of the vm hosts.

There isn't really a compelling reason to do so, especially as there is no 'connector' software like there is for Windows machines, just playing really as I haven't tried before.

ChrisD. · 30 Nov 2016 at 08:26

I don't see what it will give you apart from Kerberos authentication, you could just create a user with the same username/password on the Ubunti box to run your apps which would work similarly.

If it's not a desperate need I would just leave it, as Caged posted above.

BlizzardX · 30 Nov 2016 at 08:42

It would give me absolutely nothing bar a challenge

I've stopped now as it wasn't worth it really as you've all described!

scratch · 15 Dec 2016 at 14:16

We've used both Centrify and PowerBroker Identity Services (PBIS) for our Linux machines at work. They both offer free packages which allow you to domain-join your boxes with very little hassle.