Apple G0442 manual Single sign-on using Kerberos, Directory support for Windows clients

Server Admin makes it easy to set up replication services for Open Directory. Replica directories automatically synchronize with the master directory, so user accounts and authentication information remain consistent across distributed networks.

Single sign-on using Kerberos

Open Directory integrates an authentication authority based on MIT’s Kerberos technology to provide users with single sign-on access to secure network resources. Using strong Kerberos authentication, single sign-on maximizes the security of network resources while providing users with easier access to a broad range of Kerberos-enabled network services. For services that have not yet been “Kerberized,” the integrated SASL service automatically negotiates the strongest possible authentication protocol.

Directory support for Windows clients

In Mac OS X Server, Apple has integrated the NT Domain services of the popular open source Samba 3 project with Open Directory, making it possible to host NT Domain services. You can set up Mac OS X Server as a Primary Domain Controller (PDC) or Backup Domain Controller (BDC) for your network, allowing Windows users to authenticate against Mac OS X Server directly from their PC login windows.

NT Domain services also enable Mac OS X Server to host roaming proles and network home directories for Windows clients. Now any user in your directory can securely log in and access the same user account, authentication, home directory, and network resources from either a Mac or a Windows system. These capabilities make Mac OS X Server ideal for replacing aging Windows NT or Windows 2000 servers, with- out requiring businesses to transition to an expensive Active Directory infrastructure.