Topic: Newbie PDC questions

[Darryl Hickson]

Hello all,
 I am currently running a NT 4.0 domain and I am looking to migrate away from it to SME primarily because I want to use Squidguard to keep my kids away from the inappropriate sites.

 I have been reading the threads and most of my questions have ben answered but I have a few that I have not been able to find in the searches and I am hoping that someone can answer them for me.

1. Once I have the server set up as a PDC, will I be able to add additional modules into PAM?

2. Will I be able to enforce login and logoff times? I don't allow them to log in until we are home and I want to force them off before bedtime.

3. Will I be able to add machines to the domain through server manager or will I have to add them by hand?

4. Will I be able to add / modify users through user manager or will I have to use the SME interface?

5. If I set up Windows 2000 group policies, will I be able to have them enforced on the client machines from SME?

6. I see that Samba 3.0 alpha has been released. I had heard that it is supposed to provide full PDC support (this may have changed). If it does, will I be able to update Samba or will I have to wait until Mitel comes out with a new version of SME that supports it is released?

7. Would I be able to install a third party commercial or GPL backup utility and run it on the server to back up to a SCSI tape drive?

Thank you for taking the time to read this.

Darryl

[Rob Wellesley]

Darryl Hickson wrote:

> 2. Will I be able to enforce login and logoff times?

Not as you can from NT server - "simple" way would be to have cron switch squid on and off at pre-determined times

> 3. Will I be able to add machines to the domain through
> server manager or will I have to add them by hand?

If you start with a clean slate you will add a machine to the domain from the client end OK - gets trickier when removing/re-adding

> 4. Will I be able to add / modify users through user manager
> or will I have to use the SME interface?

SME Server-manager only - remember this is not "anything" like windows

> 5. If I set up Windows 2000 group policies, will I be able to
> have them enforced on the client machines from SME?

No - but you can use system policies

> 6. I see that Samba 3.0 alpha has been released. I had heard
> that it is supposed to provide full PDC support (this may
> have changed). If it does, will I be able to update Samba or
> will I have to wait until Mitel comes out with a new version
> of SME that supports it is released?

For a newbie (or even experienced user the latter
 
> 7. Would I be able to install a third party commercial or GPL
> backup utility and run it on the server to back up to a SCSI
> tape drive?

Check that your (existing?) tape drive is supported (RTM). Backup edge is best but it will be a mission unless you are comfortable at the commandline

Better still - install a hotswap RAID 1 setup and use one drive as a backup

> Thank you for taking the time to read this

You're welcome - a word of advise though - you will need to spend (a lot?) of time learning about linux and SME. Stand alone SME -  used as intended requires almost no maintainance. Modifications, add-ons, etc, require Linux knowledge

Have fun