[seul-edu] Linux & Mac OS X Server integration

[Jack Johnson <jack@dcsd.k12.ak.us>]

Hi everyone!

I'm interested in using Linux for administration of Mac OS X Server.  We use
Linux for so much already (DNS/DHCP/LDAP/etc.) and MOSXS administration just
seems clumsy in comparison.

I came across an Apple TechInfo article --
http://til.info.apple.com/techinfo.nsf/artnum/n24895 -- regarding NIS and
MOSXS and thought this might be a good starting point.  I'm envisioning:

 - NIS server on Linux handling authentication for both Linux and MOSXS Apple
File Service users.
 - using the existing Macintosh Manager infrastructure on MOSXS (it's a
separate user database anyway) 
 - an assortment of X apps under Linux to facilitate management of the user
data, print spools, etc.

We currently run a variety of applications on MOSXS to allow our users to keep
a unified username/password for mail and file service, and as wonderful as
netatalk is, MOSXS and it's features are great in an all-Mac school, aside
from the administrative grief.  I prefer the stability, performance and ease
of Linux, and would like to return to IMAP/POP3/SMTP under Linux and just the
Apple File Service under MOSXS, but retaining the administrative ease of a
unified username/password.

If you've already tried this and succeeded or failed, or if you have any
suggestions, please let me know.  I'm worried that the continuously-random
passwords generated for Macintosh Manager User will break under NIS.

Thanks,
-Jack Johnson