Integrating
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6
with Microsoft Active
Directory
Agenda
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Overview
●
Components
●
Considerations
●Configurations
●Futures
What is needed?
● Thorough understanding components, interactions
● Awareness of technical, non-technical considerations ● Comparison of configurations, options
● Best practices, guidelines
Windows – Consumer Perception
Windows – Systems Reality
●
Overview
●
Components
●
Considerations
●Configurations
●Futures
Components - Overview
* Let's examine several core components closer *
Red Hat
Enterprise Linux Active Windows Server 2008 R2 Directory Winbind Kerberos LDAP SSSD NTP DNS NSS Samba SMB/CIFS
Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS)
● Suite of directory services ● Customized versions:
● Kerberos
● Domain Name System (DNS)
● Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP)
● Object hierarchy – nodes, trees, forests, domains ● Renamed in Windows Server 2008 R2
Samba
● Open source suite of programs ● Provides file and print services ● Includes two daemons:
● smbd (file and print services) ● nmbd (NetBIOS name server)
● Samba v3.5 is current version (RHEL 6)
SMB/CIFS
● Client-server communications protocols
● Server Message Block (SMB) - IBM developed
● Common Internet File System (CIFS) – MS extended ● Both protocols used interchangeably
● SMB older, legacy servers (Windows 2000)
Winbind (1)
● Daemon included with Samba suite
● Unified logon to Active Directory accounts ● Minimizes need for separate accounts
● Primary functions:
● Authentication of user credentials (“Who”)
● ID Tracking/Name Resolution via nsswitch (“Where”) ● ID Mapping of UID/GID <-> SID (“What”)
Winbind (3)
● ID Mapping implemented through “backends” ● ~8 backends available
● ID Mappings classified as:
● Allocating (r/w, local)
● Algorithmic (r/o, calculated, consistent)
● Assigned (r/o, assigned in AD, consistent)
● Each has advantages, disadvantages
SSSD (System Security Services Daemon)
● RHEL systems members of centralized IdM solution
(Active Directory, IPA, LDAP, Kerberos)
● Access to different identity, authentication providers
(e.g. - LDAP native, LDAP w/Kerberos)
● Extensible (new identity, authentication sources) ● Supports off-line caching (clients)
● Reduces load on identity servers
Kerberos
● Current version = V5
● Clients request ticket from trusted third party (KDC)
● Key distribution center (KDC) = AD server
● Behavior configured by /etc/krb5.conf ● Managed by PAM libraries:
● pam_winbind (Samba), pam_sss (SSSD), pam_krb5
Integration best practice:
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Overview
●
Components
●
Considerations
●Configurations
●Futures
Non-technical Considerations
● Organizational Alignment ● Expertise Levels
● Scope/Complexity ● Prototype
Technical Considerations – File Sharing
● File sharing required?
● Yes = Samba based configuration ● No = Samba or non-Samba ok
● Where are file shares located?
● Client side? ● Server side?
Technical Considerations –
Login Access● Red Hat Enterprise Linux login access required?
● Command Line Interface (CLI)
● Graphical Display Manager (GDM)
● Local vs. Active Directory accounts
● Local accounts = more administration
● Active Directory = centralized administration
Technical Considerations –
AD ID Attributes● RFC2307/bis
● Extends UNIX ID attributes via LDAP
● Provides more flexibility, control (home dir, shell)
● Enabling in Windows Server
● 2008 R2 => Identity Management for UNIX (IMU) role
● 2008, 2003 R2 => Identity Management for UNIX (IMU) service ● 2003 and earlier => Windows Services for UNIX (SFU) service
Technical Considerations –
Enumeration● Winbind listing of users, groups in AD domain
● Default behavior during user login, authentication ● More users = longer login time
Integration best practice:
* Disable in environments 20,000+ users *
/etc/samba/smb.conf
[global]
winbind enum users = no winbind enum groups = no
Technical Considerations – LDAP Referrals
● LDAP in Active Directory scales out over time
● Objects relocate across multiple domain controllers
● LDAP referral
● Responding domain controller can't find object
● Clients contact multiple controllers to complete lookup
Integration best practice:
* Disable for performance (if no partial replication) *
/etc/sssd/sssd.conf
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Overview
●
Components
●
Considerations
●Configurations
●Futures
Recommended Configurations - Overview
Configuration Services
Provided Features Use Case
1. Samba/Winbind (idmap_rid)
● File sharing ● Login access
● Templated shell, home dirs ● Least intrusive to AD
(No user/group ID attribute changes) ● Algorithmic ID mappings
“Template-driven”
2. Samba/Winbind (idmap_ad)
● File sharing ● Login access
● Customizable shell, home dirs ● Centralized user mgmt
● Assigned ID mappings
● User/group ID attributes set in AD (requires IMU)
“Customizable”
3. SSSD/Kerberos/ LDAP
● Login access ● Advanced authentication, caching ● Reduces client loading on server ● User/group ID attributes set in AD
(requires IMU)
“Enhanced”
4. Kerberos/LDAP ● Login access ● No off-line caching user credentials ● User/group ID attributes set in AD
(requires IMU)
“Legacy”
Configuration 1
(winbind – idmap_rid)Configuration 2
(winbind - idmap_ad)Configuration 3
(SSSD/Kerberos/LDAP)Configuration 4
(Kerberos/LDAP)●
Overview
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Components
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Considerations
●Configurations
●Futures
Futures
● Winbind idmap_autorid
● New backend for Samba 3.6/RHEL 6.4
● Automatically allocates domain ranges
● SSSD
● Active Directory domain trust support (RHEL 6.4)
● New AD integration capabilites - ID Mapping, etc. (RHEL 6.4+)
● Fully featured, enhanced alternative to Winbind
● Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7
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Overview
●
Components
●
Considerations
●Configurations
●Futures
Summary (1)
● First glance deceptively simple
● Second glance appears overwhelming
● Many variables, components, interactions ● Reference Architecture simplifies selection,
deployment and integration:
https://www.redhat.com/resourcelibrary/reference-architectures/ integrating-red-hat-enterprise-linux-6-with-active-directory
● See Customer Portal for additional materials:
Summary (2)
● Select best configuration for your environment, organizational goals
● Hybrid configurations ok to consider ● Third-party products viable alternatives ● Prototype, test in advance
● Most issues have simple causes
“Red Hat Enterprise Linux integrates well with Windows Active Directory”