We implemented the PDC exactly as you described (very helpful, thank you).  When we attempt to connect an XP Pro machine to the domain, we receive an error that the domain can not be located.

The details of the error are identical to the problem that this fellow posted:  https://discussions.apple.com/thread/1000368?start=0&tstart=0

No one has responded yet, so I am curious if you can shed some light.  If Samba also launches a WINS service, does it automatically create an entry in WINS for the domain?  If not WINS, then does it add a SVR record to DNS?

Thanks!
-Peter

The MS server is running virtual under Fusion an a domain member.
Remember: The Windows Server 2008 R2 version does NOT work. 
You can do a license downgrade trough Microsoft.

Just have to keep in mind the NTLMv2 settings change. Rest is easy.

Thanks.

Personally I’d recommend taking the route of the magic triangle unless you have an absolute particular use case where it would prove ineffective. Where I work now, RMU, is a good example. We wanted to go magic triangle but require the Mac home directories to be separate from the Windows ones. Without augmenting records (which is nasty), this just isn’t possible.

Moving forward, using AD for authentication and OD for management on Mac client machines is looking to be the recommended practice. It’s what Apple is pushing in heterogeneous environments, and it’s what is being well documented by others both casually on blogs like mine, and professionally by technical authors like Greg Neagle and Ed Marczak.

It’s very important to note as well that in Mac OS X Lion, due to be released this summer, Samba is gone. Apple wrote their own proprietary windows networking stack because of new licensing restrictions with the GNU 3. GNU 3 is what all new versions of Samba are licensed under.

You’re also correct in assuming that Apple’s Samba version in Snow Leopard is outdated. Apple customizes it, so the version numbers are never the same as official samba releases, but it’s lagging pretty far behind now.

My recommendation: Move towards the magic triangle. Get the Mac OS X Directory Services book for 10.6 from Peachpit Press. It’s also available on the iBook store. Also pick up a copy of Enterprise Mac Managed Preferences from Apress. Both are fantastic resources you’ll find yourself referring to often.

Hope that helps — thanks for reaching out!

- Mike

For the Windows logon scripts ( Gpolicy), do you know of any documentation on that icm 10.6 Server->W2K8?

I am a self learning noob ( sorry no education yet) relying on your ( and many others) fantastic documentation.

If you’re going to be using linux anyway, I’m curious as to why you wouldn’t use something like OpenLDAP rather than emulating an old Windows-NT style domain controller through Samba?

This guide is for people who are using Open Directory as their primary directory infrastructure and need to integrate Windows clients into it. Let me know if I can be of any more assistance. I should also say that Apple ships very highly customized versions of samba on OS X Server that behave in nonstandard ways to integrate with OD.

I think Windows 7 support dropped support for NT style domains and that's what Samba emulates.