Been awhile since I've been playing with Linux and I'm just starting to gte back into the swing of things again

I'm setting up a OpenSUSE 11.0 computer at home (small network) and want to configure it as a server for Windows computers to be able to log onto the domain. From what I have read can someone confirm that Samba with LDAP is the best way to do this?

Also I've never setup a Linux as a mail server. Was wondering if I might be able to get some programs which are good mail server that people have setup and used. Prefer easy setup if I can

I know these questions are fairly simple but it's been awhile since I've played with Linux.

Thanks in advance for your help

Don't know if OpenSuSE is the right thing for that, as it's pretty heavy dependent on a graphical environment. I'd rather go with Debian or Ubuntu Server, but that subjective.

If you want complete AD emulation, you'll need (at least) Samba, OpenLDAP, Kerberos, and a lot of time and patience. A simple fileserver, OTOH, can be done in about 15 minutes, using Samba and SWAT.

As for the mail server, what exactly do you mean? Used for sending mails as a full fledged, public exposed MTA, sending mails as a relay to your providers SMTP server, or for fetching mails from your provider and saving them locally?

OpenSUSE, like any other distribution, is not dependent on the graphical environment. You can run it with an initdefault of 3 and the GUI never even launches, yet you can still run the ncurses 'yast' tool if you still wish. zypper will continue to work and the system will be just fine.

OpenSUSE also has yast configurations for AD auth if you choose to use them

Thanks for the reply.

I got no problem with SUSE and the graphics I got a machine given to me and it's got enough specs to run it.

Thought I was going down the right track with Samba, OpenLDAP but didn't know about Kerberos. I installed all the server features on the machine so I can play around and test the settings.

For the mail I want to have it (sorry I didn't say more clearly). To get mail from (for now) my ISP and then when I log into the network from another computer I can get the mail.

It's not about the specs to run a graphical environment, but a server shouldn't IMO be dependent on graphical libraries and full-fledged X11.

As for the mail stuff: I'd recommend installing an IMAP server of your choosing (cyrus, dovecot, ...) and get your mail with fetchmail. That way your email stays on the server, whatever PC you use to connect to it.

pludi

Thanks again. I'll take your advise and try to do it all without a GUI. I'll do a new installation and give it a go.

Thanks again.