Directory Service for Ubuntu

Manuel Zach loogaroo at gmail.com
Wed Dec 1 10:01:24 CST 2004


Hello,

in the last time I was thinking a lot about directory services and
this takes me on an idea.
I know it seems, it is not a big deal, but I think it is very handy
for the success of Ubuntu.

Novell has eDirectory,
IBM has Tivoli Sirectroy Server,
Mircrosoft has Active Directory,
Redhat now has the directory service from Netscape,
....
Ubuntu has ....?

I think we should start a project with the target to get an 100% free,
open, stable, secure, ...
directory service which is comparable with eDirectory or AD.

Correct me if I am wrong, I think that a "good" and secure Directory
Service with OpenLDAP and Kerberos is quite hard to install, configure
and maintain compared to NDS or AD (I have to say that I have never
seen NDS in action).

I think it would be great, if we have a good administration tool to
set up and maintain the server and to have  a good client support.

Address the whole system:
Further advantages would be, that the support for such a system is
much easier and it is easier to optimize security,
simply to make it easier to set up and to administer it.

Perhaps this best way to explain is, if I show how a roadmap could look like:

e.g. Roadmap:

_ Decide which software should be used.
  (e.g. the kerberos implementation from the MIT or Heimdal)

_Document which software you have to install and how to configure it,
on server and client.

_ Create a (or more) packages with the right depentencies
  e.g # apt-get install <coolsoundingname>-server
  which will install the OpenLDAP server, Kerberos server, OpenSSL, ....

  e.g. # apt-get install <coolsoundingname>-client
  which will install the PAM plugins, libnss-ldap, ....

_ Develop Config Tools for Server and Client (web-, cursed-, or gnome-based)

.
.
.
_ Have a cool Single Sign-On system :)

I hope everyone could understand me.

cheers,

Manuel

-- 
jabber: loogaroo at amessage.at



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