Managing 12 developers across 10 machines with completely separate local accounts creates significant administrative overhead. Each new hire requires manual account creation across multiple workstations - a process that doesn't scale. With a mixed environment (Ubuntu 9.04 and Windows XP), we need a solution that bridges both platforms.

The ideal solution should:

• Provide single sign-on capabilities
• Support both Linux PAM and Windows authentication
• Allow centralized policy management
• Integrate with existing Ubuntu servers
• Scale to 20-30 users within 2 years

For Windows Small Business Server (SBS) approach:

# PowerShell to create bulk users
Import-Csv .\new_users.csv | ForEach-Object {
    New-ADUser -Name $_.Name -GivenName $_.FirstName 
    -Surname $_.LastName -SamAccountName $_.Username 
    -AccountPassword (ConvertTo-SecureString $_.Password -AsPlainText -Force) 
    -Enabled $true
}

Linux integration requires Samba and winbind:

# /etc/samba/smb.conf excerpt
[global]
   workgroup = DEVTEAM
   security = ads
   realm = DEVTEAM.LOCAL
   idmap config * : backend = rid
   idmap config * : range = 10000-20000
   winbind use default domain = yes
   winbind offline logon = yes

For a Linux-centric approach, here's basic LDAP user creation:

# LDIF file for user creation
dn: uid=jdoe,ou=People,dc=devteam,dc=local
objectClass: inetOrgPerson
objectClass: posixAccount
objectClass: shadowAccount
uid: jdoe
cn: John Doe
givenName: John
sn: Doe
uidNumber: 10000
gidNumber: 10000
homeDirectory: /home/jdoe
userPassword: {CRYPT}xxxxxxxx

Windows integration via Likewise Open:

# Command line join
domainjoin-cli join devteam.local Administrator

Factor	Active Directory	OpenLDAP
Windows Integration	Native	Requires additional software
Linux Integration	Requires configuration	Native
Management Tools	GUI-rich	CLI-focused
Learning Curve	Steeper for Linux admins	Gentler for Linux admins

For environments where both solutions are needed, FreeIPA can bridge the gap:

# FreeIPA server setup
ipa-server-install --domain=devteam.local --realm=DEVTEAM.LOCAL \
--ds-password=Secret123 --admin-password=Secret123 \
--hostname=ipa.devteam.local --setup-dns --forwarder=8.8.8.8

The cross-platform trust establishment:

# Establish trust with AD
ipa trust-add --type=ad devteam.local --admin Administrator \
--password

For immediate needs with minimal disruption:

1. Start with OpenLDAP for Linux machines
2. Use pGina for Windows machines to authenticate against LDAP
3. Phase in AD later if Windows dominance increases

For Windows-centric future growth:

1. Deploy Windows Server with AD DS role
2. Configure Samba on Linux clients
3. Use PowerShell automation for user management

---

When dealing with a mixed environment of 12 developers across Windows XP and Ubuntu 9.04 machines, the manual account management approach creates significant overhead. Consider this typical scenario:

# Current workflow when onboarding new dev
for machine in dev1 dev2 dev3 ... dev10:
    ssh admin@$machine
    sudo useradd -m -G developers new_dev
    sudo passwd new_dev
    # Repeat password entry 10x
    # Now do the same on Windows machines manually

The solution must address:

• Unified authentication across all workstations
• Automated user provisioning/deprovisioning
• Permission management for shared resources
• Future scalability as team grows

For your Ubuntu-based infrastructure, here's how each solution would integrate:

OpenLDAP Approach

# Ubuntu server setup
sudo apt-get install slapd ldap-utils
sudo dpkg-reconfigure slapd
# Configure base DN like dc=devteam,dc=local

# Client configuration (Ubuntu)
sudo apt-get install libnss-ldap libpam-ldap
# Edit /etc/nsswitch.conf to include ldap for passwd/group

# Windows client via pGina:
# Configure LDAP plugin in pGina with proper bind DN

Active Directory Alternative

# Using Samba4 as AD DC alternative
sudo apt-get install samba krb5-config winbind
sudo mv /etc/samba/smb.conf /etc/samba/smb.conf.bak
sudo samba-tool domain provision --use-rfc2307

# Linux client join:
sudo apt-get install samba winbind
sudo net ads join -U administrator
# Configure /etc/nsswitch.conf for winbind

Factor	OpenLDAP	Active Directory
Initial Setup Complexity	High (manual config)	Medium (wizards available)
Windows Integration	Requires 3rd party tools	Native support
Linux Integration	Native via PAM/NSS	Requires Samba/Winbind
Ongoing Maintenance	CLI-based	GUI tools available
User Management	Manual LDIF or scripts	ADUC MMC snap-in

For your specific mixed environment with limited Windows XP machines (note: EOL concerns), the Samba4 AD DC approach provides the best balance:

# Sample PowerShell for managing users
Import-Module ActiveDirectory
New-ADUser -Name "Dev User" -GivenName "Dev" -Surname "User" 
           -SamAccountName "devuser" -UserPrincipalName "devuser@devteam.local" 
           -Path "OU=Developers,DC=devteam,DC=local" -AccountPassword (ConvertTo-SecureString "P@ssw0rd" -AsPlainText -Force) 
           -Enabled $true

# Linux equivalent via samba-tool
sudo samba-tool user create devuser P@ssw0rd --given-name=Dev --surname=User

The hybrid approach allows using RSAT tools for Windows management while maintaining Linux compatibility through RFC2307 attributes in the AD schema.

When transitioning existing accounts:

# Export current Linux users
getent passwd | awk -F: '{print $1}' > users.list
# Script to migrate to AD
while read user; do
    sudo samba-tool user create $user temporaryPassword123
    sudo samba-tool user setpassword $user --newpassword=$(getent shadow $user | cut -d: -f2)
done < users.list

Consider these enhancements post-implementation:

• Implement SSSD for better Linux performance with AD
• Configure Group Policy Objects for Windows settings management
• Set up replication for high availability
• Integrate with off-site email via LDAP attributes