Topic: Synchronize user accounts to an NT domain

[RobW]

A client currently has an NT Domain with one PDC, one BDC and about forty client workstations and they want to add an email server and internet gateway. I have built an E-Smith server to do this but have not added it to the domain yet. How do I go about getting the e-smith box to sync the user accounts etc (the SAM) from the domain, ie. to act as a BDC? I read in a query from Graeme Fleming that you can only make the e-smith server into a PDC from the manager but that it is possible to force it to become a "SDC" (is this the same as a Backup Domain Controller?) manually. How do I go about doing this and will this automatically synchronize all SAM info so I won't need to re-create and separately maintain all user accounts and groups etc?

If I don't acknowledge answers immediately it's not because I'm not grateful, I am going to be away from my PC for a week after tomorrow.

[Graeme Fleming]

Hi Rob

Wow, someone actually reads my posts

If you do some research on Samba then you can find out how to modify the file samba.conf (i think, its been a while).

One of the settings in this file defines the role of the server when in an integrated domain; PDC or BDC (the SDC was a typo).

The problem with the default Samba setup is that it will work as a BDC as long as the PDC is up but as soon as it is down it will promote itself to the job without asking (as it assumes it is its role anyway - the original PDC is only preventing this from happening temporarily).

The users account/SAM sync happens automatically once the systems is a domain controller (within the update interval for the DC's sync); yes, the DC sync keeps all the accounts and p/w's in sync across all DC's.

HTH

[Rob Wilson]

Hi Graeme,

thanks for the reply... I have done some digging re Samba and found that the file in question is /etc/samba/smb.conf (I guess this is the same on an e-smith box but can't check at the moment as mine has a failed power supply). In further reading at samba.org, I have found all sorts of ambiguous and conflicting info. Would it be possible to have a look at the relevant section of your smb.conf? If it's not too much bother, it would really save me some heartache.

Rob