Chapter 9. Migrating NT4 Domain to Samba-3
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## Chapter 9. Migrating NT4 Domain to Samba-3

Ever since Microsoft announced that it was discontinuing support for Windows NT4, Samba users started to ask for detailed instructions on how to migrate from NT4 to Samba-3. This chapter provides background information that should meet these needs.

One wonders how many NT4 systems will be left in service by the time you read this book though.

## Introduction

Network administrators who want to migrate off a Windows NT4 environment know one thing with certainty. They feel that NT4 has been abandoned, and they want to update. The desire to get off NT4 and to not adopt Windows 200x and Active Directory is driven by a mixture of concerns over complexity, cost, fear of failure, and much more.

The migration from NT4 to Samba-3 can involve a number of factors, including migration of data to another server, migration of network environment controls such as group policies, and migration of the users, groups, and machine accounts.

It should be pointed out now that it is possible to migrate some systems from a Windows NT4 domain environment to a Samba-3 domain environment. This is certainly not possible in every case. It is possible to just migrate the domain accounts to Samba-3 and then to switch machines, but as a hands-off transition, this is more the exception than the rule. Most systems require some tweaking after migration before an environment that is acceptable for immediate use is obtained.

### Assignment Tasks

You are about to migrate an MS Windows NT4 domain accounts database to a Samba-3 server. The Samba-3 server is using a `passdb backend` based on LDAP. The `ldapsam` is ideal because an LDAP backend can be distributed for use with BDCs generally essential for larger networks.

Your objective is to document the process of migrating user and group accounts from several NT4 domains into a single Samba-3 LDAP backend database.

## Dissection and Discussion

The migration process takes a snapshot of information that is stored in the Windows NT4 registry-based accounts database. That information resides in the Security Account Manager (SAM) portion of the NT4 registry under keys called `SAM` and `SECURITY`.

### Warning

The Windows NT4 registry keys called `SAM` and `SECURITY` are protected so that you cannot view the contents. If you change the security setting to reveal the contents under these hive keys, your Windows NT4 domain is crippled. Do not do this unless you are willing to render your domain controller inoperative.

Before commencing an NT4 to Samba-3 migration, you should consider what your objectives are. While in some cases it is possible simply to migrate an NT4 domain to a single Samba-3 server, that may not be a good idea from an administration perspective. Since the process involves going through a certain amount of disruptive activity anyhow, why not take this opportunity to review the structure of the network, how Windows clients are controlled and how they interact with the network environment.

MS Windows NT4 was introduced some time around 1996. Many environments in which NT4 was deployed have done little to keep the NT4 server environment up to date with more recent Windows releases, particularly Windows XP Professional. The migration provides opportunity to revise and update roaming profile deployment as well as folder redirection. Given that you must port the greater network configuration of this from the old NT4 server to the new Samba-3 server. Do not forget to validate the security descriptors in the profiles share as well as network logon scripts. Feedback from sites that are migrating to Samba-3 suggests that many are using this as a good time to update desktop systems also. In all, the extra effort should constitute no real disruption to users, but rather, with due diligence and care, should make their network experience a much happier one.

### Technical Issues

Migration of an NT4 domain user and group database to Samba-3 involves a certain strategic element. Many sites have asked for instructions regarding merging of multiple NT4 domains into one Samba-3 LDAP database. It seems that this is viewed as a significant added value compared with the alternative of migration to Windows Server 200x and Active Directory. The diagram in ??? illustrates the effect of migration from a Windows NT4 domain to a Samba domain.

Figure 9.1. Schematic Explaining the net rpc vampire Process

If you want to merge multiple NT4 domain account databases into one Samba domain, you must now dump the contents of the first migration and edit it as appropriate. Now clean out (remove) the tdbsam backend file (`passdb.tdb`) or the LDAP database files. You must start each migration with a new database into which you merge your NT4 domains.

At this point, you are ready to perform the second migration, following the same steps as for the first. In other words, dump the database, edit it, and then you may merge the dump for the first and second migrations.

You must be careful. If you choose to migrate to an LDAP backend, your dump file now contains the full account information, including the domain SID. The domain SID for each of the two NT4 domains will be different. You must choose one and change the domain portion of the account SIDs so that all are the same.

If you choose to use a tdbsam (`passdb.tdb`) backend file, your best choice is to use pdbedit to export the contents of the tdbsam file into an smbpasswd data file. This automatically strips out all domain-specific information, such as logon hours, logon machines, logon script, profile path, as well as the domain SID. The resulting file can be easily merged with other migration attempts (each of which must start with a clean file). It should also be noted that all users who end up in the merged smbpasswd file must have an account in `/etc/passwd`. The resulting smbpasswd file may be exported or imported into either a tdbsam (`passdb.tdb`) or an LDAP backend.

Figure 9.2. View of Accounts in NT4 Domain User Manager

### Political Issues

The merging of multiple Windows NT4-style domains into a single LDAP-backend-based Samba-3 domain may be seen by those who had power over them as a loss of prestige or a loss of power. The imposition of a single domain may even be seen as a threat. So in migrating and merging account databases, be consciously aware of the political fall-out in which you may find yourself entangled when key staff feel a loss of prestige.

The best advice that can be given to those who set out to merge NT4 domains into a single Samba-3 domain is to promote (sell) the action as one that reduces costs and delivers greater network interoperability and manageability.

## Implementation

From feedback on the Samba mailing lists, it seems that most Windows NT4 migrations to Samba-3 are being performed using a new server or a new installation of a Linux or UNIX server. If you contemplate doing this, please note that the steps that follow in this chapter assume familiarity with the information that has been previously covered in this book. You are particularly encouraged to be familiar with ???, ??? and ???.

We present here the steps and example output for two NT4 to Samba-3 domain migrations. The first uses an LDAP-based backend, and the second uses a tdbsam backend. In each case the scripts you specify in the `smb.conf` file for the `add user script` collection of parameters are used to effect the addition of accounts into the passdb backend.

Before proceeding to NT4 migration using either a tdbsam or ldapsam, it is most strongly recommended to review ??? for DNS and DHCP configuration. The importance of correctly functioning name resolution must be recognized. This applies equally for both hostname and NetBIOS names (machine names, computer names, domain names, workgroup names ALL names!).

The migration process involves the following steps:

- Prepare the target Samba-3 server. This involves configuring Samba-3 for migration to either a tdbsam or an ldapsam backend.

- Clean up the source NT4 PDC. Delete all accounts that need not be migrated. Delete all files that should not be migrated. Where possible, change NT group names so there are no spaces or uppercase characters. This is important if the target UNIX host insists on POSIX-compliant all lowercase user and group names.

- Step through the migration process.

- Remove the NT4 PDC from the network.

- Upgrade the Samba-3 server from a BDC to a PDC, and validate all account information.

It may help to use the above outline as a pre-migration checklist.

### NT4 Migration Using LDAP Backend

In this example, the migration is of an NT4 PDC to a Samba-3 PDC with an LDAP backend. The accounts about to be migrated are shown in ???. In this example use is made of the smbldap-tools scripts to add the accounts that are migrated into the ldapsam passdb backend. Four scripts are essential to the migration process. Other scripts will be required for daily management, but these are not critical to migration. The critical scripts are dependant on which passdb backend is being used. Refer to ??? to see which scripts must be provided so that the migration process can complete.

Verify that you have correctly specified in the `smb.conf` file the scripts and arguments that should be passed to them before attempting to perform the account migration. Note also that the deletion scripts must be commented out during migration. These should be uncommented following successful migration of the NT4 Domain accounts.

### Warning

Under absolutely no circumstances should the Samba daemons be started until instructed to do so. Delete the `/etc/samba/secrets.tdb` file and all Samba control tdb files before commencing the following configuration steps.

Table 9.1. Samba `smb.conf` Scripts Essential to Samba Operation

Entity | ldapsam Script | tdbsam Script
--- | --- | ---
Add User Accounts | smbldap-useradd | useradd
Delete User Accounts | smbldap-userdel | userdel
Add Group Accounts | smbldap-groupadd | groupadd
Delete Group Accounts | smbldap-groupdel | groupdel
Add User to Group | smbldap-groupmod | usermod (See Note)
Add Machine Accounts | smbldap-useradd | useradd

### Note

The UNIX/Linux usermod utility does not permit simple user addition to (or deletion of users from) groups. This is a feature provided by the smbldap-tools scripts. If you want this capability, you must create your own tool to do this. Alternately, you can search the Web to locate a utility called groupmem (by George Kraft) that provides this functionality. The groupmem utility was contributed to the shadow package but has not surfaced in the formal commands provided by Linux distributions (March 2004).

### Note

The tdbdump utility is a utility that you can build from the Samba source-code tree. Not all Linux binary distributions include this tool. If it is missing from your Linux distribution, you will need to build this yourself or else forgo its use.

Before starting the migration, all dead accounts were removed from the NT4 domain using the User Manager for Domains.

Procedure 9.1. User Migration Steps

Example 9.1. NT4 Migration Samba-3 Server `smb.conf` Part: A

`[global]`
`workgroup = DAMNATION`
`netbios name = MERLIN`
`passdb backend = ldapsam:ldap://localhost`
`log level = 1`
`syslog = 0`
`log file = /var/log/samba/%m`
`max log size = 0`
`smb ports = 139 445`
`name resolve order = wins bcast hosts`
`add user script = /opt/IDEALX/sbin/smbldap-useradd -m '%u'`
`#delete user script = /opt/IDEALX/sbin/smbldap-userdel '%u'`
`add group script = /opt/IDEALX/sbin/smbldap-groupadd '%g'`
`#delete group script = /opt/IDEALX/sbin/smbldap-groupdel '%g'`
`add user to group script = /opt/IDEALX/sbin/ smbldap-groupmod -m '%u' '%g'`
`#delete user from group script = /opt/IDEALX/sbin/smbldap-groupmod -x '%u' '%g'`
`set primary group script = /opt/IDEALX/sbin/smbldap-usermod -g '%g' '%u'`
`add machine script = /opt/IDEALX/sbin/smbldap-useradd -w '%u'`
`logon script = scripts\logon.cmd`
`logon path = \\%L\profiles\%U`
`logon home = \\%L\%U`
`logon drive = X:`
`domain logons = Yes`
`domain master = No`
`#wins support = Yes`
`wins server = 192.168.123.124`
`ldap admin dn = cn=Manager,dc=terpstra-world,dc=org`
`ldap group suffix = ou=Groups`
`ldap idmap suffix = ou=Idmap`
`ldap machine suffix = ou=People`
`ldap passwd sync = Yes`
`ldap suffix = dc=terpstra-world,dc=org`
`ldap ssl = no`
`ldap timeout = 20`
`ldap user suffix = ou=People`
`idmap backend = ldap:ldap://localhost`
`idmap uid = 15000-20000`
`idmap gid = 15000-20000`
`winbind nested groups = Yes`
`ea support = Yes`
`map acl inherit = Yes`

Example 9.2. NT4 Migration Samba-3 Server `smb.conf` Part: B

`[apps]`
`comment = Application Data`
`path = /data/home/apps`
`read only = No`
`[homes]`
`comment = Home Directories`
`path = /home/users/%U/Documents`
`valid users = %S`
`read only = No`
`browseable = No`
`[printers]`
`comment = SMB Print Spool`
`path = /var/spool/samba`
`guest ok = Yes`
`printable = Yes`
`use client driver = No`
`browseable = No`
`[netlogon]`
`comment = Network Logon Service`
`path = /var/lib/samba/netlogon`
`guest ok = Yes`
`locking = No`
`[profiles]`
`comment = Profile Share`
`path = /var/lib/samba/profiles`
`read only = No`
`profile acls = Yes`
`[profdata]`
`comment = Profile Data Share`
`path = /var/lib/samba/profdata`
`read only = No`
`profile acls = Yes`
`[print$]`
`comment = Printer Drivers`
`path = /var/lib/samba/drivers`

Example 9.3. NT4 Migration LDAP Server Configuration File: `/etc/openldap/slapd.conf` Part A

    include         /etc/openldap/schema/core.schema
    include         /etc/openldap/schema/cosine.schema
    include         /etc/openldap/schema/inetorgperson.schema
    include         /etc/openldap/schema/nis.schema
    include         /etc/openldap/schema/samba3.schema

    pidfile         /var/run/slapd/slapd.pid
    argsfile        /var/run/slapd/slapd.args

    access to dn.base=""
                    by self write
                    by * auth

    access to attr=userPassword
                    by self write
                    by * auth

    access to attr=shadowLastChange
                    by self write
                    by * read

    access to *
                    by * read
                    by anonymous auth

Example 9.4. NT4 Migration LDAP Server Configuration File: `/etc/openldap/slapd.conf` Part B

    #loglevel       256

    #schemacheck     on
    idletimeout     30
    #backend         bdb
    database        bdb
    checkpoint      1024 5
    cachesize       10000

    suffix          "dc=terpstra-world,dc=org"
    rootdn          "cn=Manager,dc=terpstra-world,dc=org"

    # rootpw = not24get
    rootpw          {SSHA}86kTavd9Dw3FAz6qzWTrCOKX/c0Qe+UV

    directory       /var/lib/ldap

    # Indices to maintain
    index objectClass           eq
    index cn                    pres,sub,eq
    index sn                    pres,sub,eq
    index uid                   pres,sub,eq
    index displayName           pres,sub,eq
    index uidNumber             eq
    index gidNumber             eq
    index memberUID             eq
    index sambaSID              eq
    index sambaPrimaryGroupSID  eq
    index sambaDomainName       eq
    index default               sub

Example 9.5. NT4 Migration NSS LDAP File: `/etc/ldap.conf`

    host    127.0.0.1

    base    dc=terpstra-world,dc=org

    ldap_version    3

    binddn cn=Manager,dc=terpstra-world,dc=org
    bindpw not24get

    pam_password exop

    nss_base_passwd         ou=People,dc=terpstra-world,dc=org?one
    nss_base_shadow         ou=People,dc=terpstra-world,dc=org?one
    nss_base_group          ou=Groups,dc=terpstra-world,dc=org?one

    ssl off

Example 9.6. NT4 Migration NSS Control File: `/etc/nsswitch.conf` (Stage:1)

    passwd:         files #ldap
    shadow:         files #ldap
    group:          files #ldap

    hosts:          files dns wins
    networks:       files dns

    services:       files
    protocols:      files
    rpc:            files
    ethers:         files
    netmasks:       files
    netgroup:       files
    publickey:      files

    bootparams:     files
    automount:      files nis
    aliases:        files
    #passwd_compat: ldap       #Not needed.
    #group_compat:  ldap      #Not needed.

Example 9.7. NT4 Migration NSS Control File: `/etc/nsswitch.conf` (Stage:2)

    passwd:         files ldap
    shadow:         files ldap
    group:          files ldap

    hosts:          files dns wins
    networks:       files dns

    services:       files
    protocols:      files
    rpc:            files
    ethers:         files
    netmasks:       files
    netgroup:       files
    publickey:      files

    bootparams:     files
    automount:      files nis
    aliases:        files
    #passwd_compat: ldap       #Not needed.
    #group_compat:  ldap      #Not needed.

1. Configure the Samba `smb.conf` file to create a BDC. An example configuration is given in ???. The delete scripts are commented out so that during the process of migration no account information can be deleted.

2. Configure OpenLDAP in preparation for the migration. An example `sladp.conf` file is shown in ???. The `rootpw` value is an encrypted password string that can be obtained by executing the slappasswd command.

3. Install the PADL nss_ldap tool set, then configure the `/etc/ldap.conf` as shown in ???.

4. Edit the `/etc/nsswitch.conf` file so it has the entries shown in ???. Note that the LDAP entries have been commented out. This is deliberate. If these entries are active (not commented out), and the `/etc/ldap.conf` file has been configured, when the LDAP server is started, the process of starting the LDAP server will cause LDAP lookups. This causes the LDAP server slapd to hang because it finds port 389 open and therefore cannot gain exclusive control of it. By commenting these entries out, it is possible to avoid this gridlock situation and thus the overall installation and configuration will progress more smoothly.

5. Validate the the target NT4 PDC name is being correctly resolved to its IP address by executing the following:

       root#  ping transgression
       PING transgression.terpstra-world.org (192.168.1.5) 56(84) bytes of data.
       64 bytes from (192.168.1.5): icmp_seq=1 ttl=128 time=0.159 ms
       64 bytes from (192.168.1.5): icmp_seq=2 ttl=128 time=0.192 ms
       64 bytes from (192.168.1.5): icmp_seq=3 ttl=128 time=0.141 ms

       --- transgression.terpstra-world.org ping statistics ---
       3 packets transmitted, 3 received, 0% packet loss, time 2000ms
       rtt min/avg/max/mdev = 0.141/0.164/0.192/0.021 ms

   Do not proceed to the next step if this step fails. It is imperative that the name of the PDC can be resolved to its IP address. If this is broken, fix it.

6. Pull the domain SID from the NT4 domain that is being migrated as follows:

       root#  net rpc getsid -S TRANGRESSION -U Administrator%not24get
       Storing SID S-1-5-21-1385457007-882775198-1210191635 \
                            for Domain DAMNATION in secrets.tdb

   Another way to obtain the domain SID from the target NT4 domain that is being migrated to Samba-3 is by executing the following:

       root#  net rpc info -S TRANSGRESSION

   If this method is used, do not forget to store the SID obtained into the `secrets.tdb` file. This can be done by executing:

       root#  net setlocalsid S-1-5-21-1385457007-882775198-1210191635

7. Install the Idealx smbldap-tools software package, following the instructions given in ???. The resulting perl scripts should be located in the `/opt/IDEALX/sbin` directory. Change into that location, or wherever the scripts have been installed. Execute the `configure.pl` script to configure the Idealx package for use. Note: Use the domain SID obtained from the step above. The following is an example configuration session:

       root#  ./configure.pl
       -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
              smbldap-tools script configuration
              -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
       Before starting, check
        . if your samba controller is up and running.
        . if the domain SID is defined
                                  (you can get it with the 'net getlocalsid')

        . you can leave the configuration using the Crtl-c key combination
        . empty value can be set with the "." character
       -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
       Looking for configuration files...

       Samba Config File Location [/etc/samba/smb.conf] >
       smbldap Config file Location (global parameters)
                  [/etc/smbldap-tools/smbldap.conf] >
       smbldap Config file Location (bind parameters)
             [/etc/smbldap-tools/smbldap_bind.conf] >
       -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
       Let's start configuring the smbldap-tools scripts ...

       . workgroup name: name of the domain Samba act as a PDC
         workgroup name [DAMNATION] >
       . netbios name: netbios name of the samba controller
         netbios name [MERLIN] >
       . logon drive: local path to which the home directory
                will be connected (for NT Workstations). Ex: 'H:'
         logon drive [X:] > H:
       . logon home: home directory location (for Win95/98 or NT Workstation)
         (use %U as username) Ex:'\\MERLIN\home\%U'
         logon home (leave blank if you don't want homeDirectory)
                                              [\\MERLIN\home\%U] > \\%L\%U
       . logon path: directory where roaming profiles are stored.
                                            Ex:'\\MERLIN\profiles\%U'
         logon path (leave blank if you don't want roaming profile)
                                 [\\MERLIN\profiles\%U] > \\%L\profiles\%U
       . home directory prefix (use %U as username) [/home/%U] >
                                                               /home/users/%U
       . default user netlogon script (use %U as username)
                                      [%U.cmd] > scripts\logon.cmd
         default password validation time (time in days) [45] > 180
       . ldap suffix [dc=terpstra-world,dc=org] >
       . ldap group suffix [ou=Groups] >
       . ldap user suffix [ou=People] >
       . ldap machine suffix [ou=People] >
       . Idmap suffix [ou=Idmap] >
       . sambaUnixIdPooldn: object where you want to store the next uidNumber
         and gidNumber available for new users and groups
         sambaUnixIdPooldn object (relative to ${suffix})
                                                [sambaDomainName=DAMNATION] >
       . ldap master server:
                  IP address or DNS name of the master (writable) ldap server
         ldap master server [] > 127.0.0.1
       . ldap master port [389] >
       . ldap master bind dn [cn=Manager,dc=terpstra-world,dc=org] >
       . ldap master bind password [] >
       . ldap slave server: IP address or DNS name of the slave ldap server:
                                                can also be the master one
         ldap slave server [] > 127.0.0.1
       . ldap slave port [389] >
       . ldap slave bind dn [cn=Manager,dc=terpstra-world,dc=org] >
       . ldap slave bind password [] >
       . ldap tls support (1/0) [0] >
       . SID for domain DAMNATION: SID of the domain
                              (can be obtained with 'net getlocalsid MERLIN')
         SID for domain DAMNATION []
               > S-1-5-21-1385457007-882775198-1210191635
       . unix password encryption: encryption used for unix passwords
       unix password encryption (CRYPT, MD5, SMD5, SSHA, SHA) [SSHA] > MD5
       . default user gidNumber [513] >
       . default computer gidNumber [515] >
       . default login shell [/bin/bash] >
       . default domain name to append to mail address [] >
                                                           terpstra-world.org
       -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
       backup old configuration files:
         /etc/smbldap-tools/smbldap.conf->
                                     /etc/smbldap-tools/smbldap.conf.old
         /etc/smbldap-tools/smbldap_bind.conf->
                                     /etc/smbldap-tools/smbldap_bind.conf.old
       writing new configuration file:
         /etc/smbldap-tools/smbldap.conf done.
         /etc/smbldap-tools/smbldap_bind.conf done.

   Note that the NT4 domain SID that was previously obtained was entered above. Also, the sambaUnixIdPooldn object was specified as sambaDomainName=DAMNATION. This is the location into which the Idealx smbldap-tools store the next available UID/GID information. It is also where Samba stores domain specific information such as the next RID, the SID, and so on. In older version of the smbldap-tools this information was stored in the sambaUnixIdPooldn DIT location cn=NextFreeUnixId. Where smbldap-tools are being upgraded to version 0.9.1 it is appropriate to update this to the new location only if the directory information is also relocated.

8. Start the LDAP server using the system interface script. On Novell SLES9 this is done as shown here:

       root#  rcldap start

9. Edit the `/etc/nsswitch.conf` file so it has the entries shown in ???. Note that the LDAP entries have now been uncommented.

10. The LDAP management password must be installed into the `secrets.tdb` file as follows:

        root#  smbpasswd -w not24get
        Setting stored password for
                    "cn=Manager,dc=terpstra-world,dc=org" in secrets.tdb

11. Populate the LDAP directory as shown here:

        root#  /opt/IDEALX/sbin/smbldap-populate -a root -k 0 -m 0
        Using workgroup name from sambaUnixIdPooldn (smbldap.conf):
                                  sambaDomainName=DAMNATION
        Using builtin directory structure
        adding new entry: dc=terpstra-world,dc=org
        adding new entry: ou=People,dc=terpstra-world,dc=org
        adding new entry: ou=Groups,dc=terpstra-world,dc=org
        entry ou=People,dc=terpstra-world,dc=org already exist.
        adding new entry: ou=Idmap,dc=terpstra-world,dc=org
        adding new entry: sambaDomainName=DAMNATION,dc=terpstra-world,dc=org
        adding new entry: uid=root,ou=People,dc=terpstra-world,dc=org
        adding new entry: uid=nobody,ou=People,dc=terpstra-world,dc=org
        adding new entry: cn=Domain Admins,ou=Groups,dc=terpstra-world,dc=org
        adding new entry: cn=Domain Users,ou=Groups,dc=terpstra-world,dc=org
        adding new entry: cn=Domain Guests,ou=Groups,dc=terpstra-world,dc=org
        adding new entry: cn=Domain Computers,ou=Groups,dc=terpstra-world,dc=org
        adding new entry: cn=Administrators,ou=Groups,dc=terpstra-world,dc=org
        adding new entry: cn=Print Operators,ou=Groups,dc=terpstra-world,dc=org
        adding new entry: cn=Backup Operators,ou=Groups,dc=terpstra-world,dc=org
        adding new entry: cn=Replicators,ou=Groups,dc=terpstra-world,dc=org

    The script tries to add the ou=People container twice, hence the error message. This is expected behavior.

12. Restart the LDAP server following initialization of the LDAP directory. Execute the system control script provided on your system. The following steps can be used on Novell SUSE SLES 9:

        root#  rcldap restart
        root#  chkconfig ldap on

13. Verify that the new user accounts that have been added to the LDAP directory can be resolved as follows:

        root#  getent passwd
        ...
        nobody:x:65534:65533:nobody:/var/lib/nobody:/bin/bash
        man:x:13:62:Manual pages viewer:/var/cache/man:/bin/bash
        news:x:9:13:News system:/etc/news:/bin/bash
        uucp:x:10:14:Unix-to-Unix CoPy system:/etc/uucp:/bin/bash
        +::0:0:::
        root:x:0:0:Netbios Domain Administrator:/home/users/root:/bin/false
        nobody:x:999:514:nobody:/dev/null:/bin/false

    Now repeat this for the group accounts as shown here:

        root#  getent group
        ...
        nobody:x:65533:
        nogroup:x:65534:nobody
        users:x:100:
        +::0:
        Domain Admins:x:512:root
        Domain Users:x:513:
        Domain Guests:x:514:
        Domain Computers:x:515:
        Administrators:x:544:
        Print Operators:x:550:
        Backup Operators:x:551:
        Replicators:x:552:

    In both cases the LDAP accounts follow the “+::0:” entry.

14. Now it is time to join the Samba BDC to the target NT4 domain that is being migrated to Samba-3 by executing the following:

        root#  net rpc join -S TRANSGRESSION -U Administrator%not24get
        merlin:/opt/IDEALX/sbin # net rpc join -S TRANSGRESSION \
                                 -U Administrator%not24get
        Joined domain DAMNATION.

15. Set the new domain administrator (root) password for both UNIX and Windows as shown here:

        root#  /opt/IDEALX/sbin/smbldap-passwd root
        Changing password for root
        New password : ********
        Retype new password : ********

    Note: During account migration, the Windows Administrator account will not be migrated to the Samba server.

16. Now validate that these accounts can be resolved using Samba's tools as shown here for user accounts:

        root#  pdbedit -Lw
        root:0:84B0D8E14D158FF8417EAF50CFAC29C3:
                AF6DD3FD4E2EA8BDE1695A3F05EFBF52:[U          ]:LCT-425F6467:
        nobody:65534:NO PASSWORDXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX:
                NO PASSWORDXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX:[NU         ]:LCT-00000000:

    Now complete the following step to validate that group account mappings have been correctly set:

        root#  net groupmap list
        Domain Admins (S-1-5-21-1385457007-882775198-1210191635-512)
                                                    -> Domain Admins
        Domain Users (S-1-5-21-1385457007-882775198-1210191635-513)
                                                     -> Domain Users
        Domain Guests (S-1-5-21-1385457007-882775198-1210191635-514)
                                                    -> Domain Guests
        Domain Computers (S-1-5-21-1385457007-882775198-1210191635-515)
                                                  -> Domain Computers
        Administrators (S-1-5-32-544) -> Administrators
        Print Operators (S-1-5-32-550) -> Print Operators
        Backup Operators (S-1-5-32-551) -> Backup Operators
        Replicators (S-1-5-32-552) -> Replicators

    These are the expected results for a correctly configured system.

17. Commence migration as shown here:

        root#  net rpc vampire -S TRANSGRESSION \
               -U Administrator%not24get > /tmp/vampire.log 2>1

    Check the vampire log to confirm that only expected errors have been reported. See ???.

18. The migration of user accounts can be quickly validated as follows:

        root#  pdbedit -Lw
        root:0:84B0D8E14D158FF8417EAF50CFAC29C3:...
        nobody:65534:NO PASSWORDXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX:...
        Administrator:0:84B0D8E14D158FF8417EAF50CFAC29C3:...
        Guest:1:XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX:...
        TRANSGRESSION$:2:CC044B748CEE294CE76B6B0D1B86C1A8:...
        IUSR_TRANSGRESSION:3:64046AC81B056C375F9537FC409085F8:...
        MIDEARTH$:4:E93186E5819706D2AAD3B435B51404EE:...
        atrickhoffer:5:DC08CFE0C12B2867352502E32A407F23:...
        barryf:6:B829BCDE01FF24376E45D5F10408CFBD:...
        fsellerby:7:6A97CBEBE8F9826B417EAF50CFAC29C3:...
        gdaison:8:48F6A8C8A900024351DA8C2061C5F1D3:...
        hrambotham:9:7330D9EA0964465EAAD3B435B51404EE:...
        jrhapsody:10:ACBA7D207E2BA35D9BD41A26B01626BD:...
        maryk:11:293B5A4CA41F6CA1A7D80430B8342B73:...
        jacko:12:8E8982D86BD037C364BBD09A598E07AD:...
        bridge:13:0D2CA7D2BE67FE2193BE3A377C968336:...
        sharpec:14:8841A75CAC19D2855D8B73B1F4D430F8:...
        jimbo:15:6E8BDC904FD9EC5C17306D272A9441BB:...
        dhenwick:16:D1694A03C33584BDAAD3B435B51404EE:...
        dork:17:69E2D19E69A593D5AAD3B435B51404EE:...
        blue:18:E355EBF9559979FEAAD3B435B51404EE:...
        billw:19:EE35C3481CF7F7DB484448BC86A641A5:...
        rfreshmill:20:7EC033B58661B60CAAD3B435B51404EE:...
        MAGGOT$:21:A3B9334765AD30F7AAD3B435B51404EE:...
        TRENTWARE$:22:1D92C8DD5E7F0DDF93BE3A377C968336:...
        MORTON$:23:89342E69DCA9D3F8AAD3B435B51404EE:...
        NARM$:24:2B93E2D1D25448BDAAD3B435B51404EE:...
        LAPDOG$:25:14AA535885120943AAD3B435B51404EE:...
        SCAVENGER$:26:B6288EB6D147B56F8963805A19B0ED49:...
        merlin$:27:820C50523F368C54AB9D85AE603AD09D:...

19. The mapping of UNIX and Windows groups can be validated as show here:

        root#  net groupmap list
        Domain Admins (S-1-5-21-1385457007-882775198-1210191635-512)
                                                             -> Domain Admins
        Domain Users (S-1-5-21-1385457007-882775198-1210191635-513)
                                                              -> Domain Users
        Domain Guests (S-1-5-21-1385457007-882775198-1210191635-514)
                                                             -> Domain Guests
        Domain Computers (S-1-5-21-1385457007-882775198-1210191635-515)
                                                           -> Domain Computers
        Administrators (S-1-5-32-544) -> Administrators
        Print Operators (S-1-5-32-550) -> Print Operators
        Backup Operators (S-1-5-32-551) -> Backup Operators
        Replicator (S-1-5-32-552) -> Replicators
        Engineers (S-1-5-21-1385457007-882775198-1210191635-1020) -> Engineers
        Marketoids (S-1-5-21-1385457007-882775198-1210191635-1022) -> Marketoids
        Gnomes (S-1-5-21-1385457007-882775198-1210191635-1023) -> Gnomes
        Catalyst (S-1-5-21-1385457007-882775198-1210191635-1024) -> Catalyst
        Recieving (S-1-5-21-1385457007-882775198-1210191635-1025) -> Recieving
        Rubberboot (S-1-5-21-1385457007-882775198-1210191635-1026) -> Rubberboot
        Sales (S-1-5-21-1385457007-882775198-1210191635-1027) -> Sales
        Accounting (S-1-5-21-1385457007-882775198-1210191635-1028) -> Accounting
        Shipping (S-1-5-21-1385457007-882775198-1210191635-1029) -> Shipping
        Account Operators (S-1-5-32-548) -> Account Operators
        Guests (S-1-5-32-546) -> Guests
        Server Operators (S-1-5-32-549) -> Server Operators
        Users (S-1-5-32-545) -> Users

    It is of vital importance that the domain SID portions of all group accounts are identical.

20. The final responsibility in the migration process is to create identical shares and printing resources on the new Samba-3 server, copy all data across, set up privileges, and set share and file/directory access controls.

21. Edit the `smb.conf` file to reset the parameter domain master = Yes so that the Samba server functions as a PDC for the purpose of migration. Also, uncomment the deletion scripts so they will now be fully functional, enable the `wins support = yes` parameter and comment out the `wins server`. Validate the configuration with the testparm utility as shown here:

        root#  testparm
        Load smb config files from /etc/samba/smb.conf
        Processing section "[apps]"
        Processing section "[media]"
        Processing section "[homes]"
        Processing section "[printers]"
        Processing section "[netlogon]"
        Processing section "[profiles]"
        Processing section "[profdata]"
        Processing section "[print$]"
        Loaded services file OK.
        Server role: ROLE_DOMAIN_PDC
        Press enter to see a dump of your service definitions

22. Now shut down the old NT4 PDC. Only when the old NT4 PDC and all NT4 BDCs have been shut down can the Samba-3 PDC be started.

23. All workstations should function as they did with the old NT4 PDC. All interdomain trust accounts should remain in place and fully functional. All machine accounts and user logon accounts should also function correctly.

24. The configuration of Samba-3 BDC servers can be accomplished now or at any convenient time in the future. Please refer to the carefully detailed process for doing so is outlined in ???.

#### Migration Log Validation

The following `vampire.log` file is typical of a valid migration.

    adding user Administrator to group Domain Admins
    adding user atrickhoffer to group Engineers
    adding user dhenwick to group Engineers
    adding user dork to group Engineers
    adding user rfreshmill to group Marketoids
    adding user jacko to group Gnomes
    adding user jimbo to group Gnomes
    adding user maryk to group Gnomes
    adding user gdaison to group Gnomes
    adding user dhenwick to group Catalyst
    adding user jacko to group Catalyst
    adding user jacko to group Recieving
    adding user blue to group Recieving
    adding user hrambotham to group Rubberboot
    adding user billw to group Sales
    adding user bridge to group Sales
    adding user jrhapsody to group Sales
    adding user maryk to group Sales
    adding user rfreshmill to group Sales
    adding user fsellerby to group Sales
    adding user sharpec to group Sales
    adding user jimbo to group Accounting
    adding user gdaison to group Accounting
    adding user jacko to group Shipping
    adding user blue to group Shipping
    Fetching DOMAIN database
    Creating unix group: 'Engineers'
    Creating unix group: 'Marketoids'
    Creating unix group: 'Gnomes'
    Creating unix group: 'Catalyst'
    Creating unix group: 'Recieving'
    Creating unix group: 'Rubberboot'
    Creating unix group: 'Sales'
    Creating unix group: 'Accounting'
    Creating unix group: 'Shipping'
    Creating account: Administrator
    Creating account: Guest
    Creating account: TRANSGRESSION$
    Creating account: IUSR_TRANSGRESSION
    Creating account: MIDEARTH$
    Creating account: atrickhoffer
    Creating account: barryf
    Creating account: fsellerby
    Creating account: gdaison
    Creating account: hrambotham
    Creating account: jrhapsody
    Creating account: maryk
    Creating account: jacko
    Creating account: bridge
    Creating account: sharpec
    Creating account: jimbo
    Creating account: dhenwick
    Creating account: dork
    Creating account: blue
    Creating account: billw
    Creating account: rfreshmill
    Creating account: MAGGOT$
    Creating account: TRENTWARE$
    Creating account: MORTON$
    Creating account: NARM$
    Creating account: LAPDOG$
    Creating account: SCAVENGER$
    Creating account: merlin$
    Group members of Domain Admins: Administrator,
    Group members of Domain Users: Administrator(primary),
    TRANSGRESSION$(primary),IUSR_TRANSGRESSION(primary),
    MIDEARTH$(primary),atrickhoffer(primary),barryf(primary),
    fsellerby(primary),gdaison(primary),hrambotham(primary),
    jrhapsody(primary),maryk(primary),jacko(primary),bridge(primary),
    sharpec(primary),jimbo(primary),dhenwick(primary),dork(primary),
    blue(primary),billw(primary),rfreshmill(primary),MAGGOT$(primary),
    TRENTWARE$(primary),MORTON$(primary),NARM$(primary),
    LAPDOG$(primary),SCAVENGER$(primary),merlin$(primary),
    Group members of Domain Guests: Guest(primary),
    Group members of Engineers: atrickhoffer,dhenwick,dork,
    Group members of Marketoids: rfreshmill,
    Group members of Gnomes: jacko,jimbo,maryk,gdaison,
    Group members of Catalyst: dhenwick,jacko,
    Group members of Recieving: jacko,blue,
    Group members of Rubberboot: hrambotham,
    Group members of Sales: billw,bridge,jrhapsody,maryk,
    rfreshmill,fsellerby,sharpec,
    Group members of Accounting: jimbo,gdaison,
    Group members of Shipping: jacko,blue,
    Fetching BUILTIN database
    skipping SAM_DOMAIN_INFO delta for 'Builtin' (is not my domain)
    Creating unix group: 'Account Operators'
    Creating unix group: 'Guests'
    Creating unix group: 'Server Operators'
    Creating unix group: 'Users'

### NT4 Migration Using tdbsam Backend

In this example, we change the domain name of the NT4 server from `DRUGPREP` to `MEGANET` prior to the use of the vampire (migration) tool. This migration process makes use of Linux system tools (like useradd) to add the accounts that are migrated into the UNIX/Linux `/etc/passwd` and `/etc/group` databases. These entries must therefore be present, and correct options specified, in your `smb.conf` file, or else the migration does not work as it should.

Procedure 9.2. Migration Steps Using tdbsam

1. Prepare a Samba-3 server precisely per the instructions shown in ???. Set the workgroup name to `MEGANET`.

2. Edit the `smb.conf` file to temporarily change the parameter domain master = No so the Samba server functions as a BDC for the purpose of migration.

3. Start Samba as you have done previously.

4. Join the NT4 Domain as a BDC, as shown here:

       root#  net rpc join -S oldnt4pdc -W MEGANET -UAdministrator%not24get
       Joined domain MEGANET.

5. You may vampire the accounts from the NT4 PDC by executing the command, as shown here:

       root#  net rpc vampire -S oldnt4pdc -U Administrator%not24get
       Fetching DOMAIN database
       SAM_DELTA_DOMAIN_INFO not handled
       Creating unix group: 'Domain Admins'
       Creating unix group: 'Domain Users'
       Creating unix group: 'Domain Guests'
       Creating unix group: 'Engineers'
       Creating unix group: 'Marketoids'
       Creating unix group: 'Account Operators'
       Creating unix group: 'Administrators'
       Creating unix group: 'Backup Operators'
       Creating unix group: 'Guests'
       Creating unix group: 'Print Operators'
       Creating unix group: 'Replicator'
       Creating unix group: 'Server Operators'
       Creating unix group: 'Users'
       Creating account: Administrator
       Creating account: Guest
       Creating account: oldnt4pdc$
       Creating account: jacko
       Creating account: maryk
       Creating account: bridge
       Creating account: sharpec
       Creating account: jimbo
       Creating account: dhenwick
       Creating account: dork
       Creating account: blue
       Creating account: billw
       Creating account: massive$
       Group members of Engineers: Administrator,
                        sharpec(primary),bridge,billw(primary),dhenwick
       Group members of Marketoids: Administrator,jacko(primary),
                       maryk(primary),jimbo,blue(primary),dork(primary)
       Creating unix group: 'Gnomes'
       Fetching BUILTIN database
       SAM_DELTA_DOMAIN_INFO not handled

6. At this point, we can validate our migration. Let's look at the accounts in the form in which they are seen in a smbpasswd file. This achieves that:

       root#  pdbedit -Lw
       Administrator:505:84B0D8E14D158FF8417EAF50CFAC29C3:
            AF6DD3FD4E2EA8BDE1695A3F05EFBF52:[UX         ]:LCT-3DF7AA9F:
       jimbo:512:6E9A2A51F64A1BD5C187B8085FE1D9DF:
            CDF7E305E639966E489A0CEFB95EE5E0:[UX         ]:LCT-3E9362BC:
       sharpec:511:E4301A7CD8FDD1EC6BBF9BC19CDF8151:
            7000255938831D5B948C95C1931534C5:[UX         ]:LCT-3E8B42C4:
       dhenwick:513:DCD8886141E3F892AAD3B435B51404EE:
            2DB36465949CB938DD98C312EFDC2639:[UX         ]:LCT-3E939F41:
       bridge:510:3FE6873A43101B46417EAF50CFAC29C3:
            891741F481AF111B4CAA09A94016BD01:[UX         ]:LCT-3E8B4291:
       blue:515:256D41D2559BB3D2AAD3B435B51404EE:
            9CCADDA4F7D281DD0FAD321478C6F971:[UX         ]:LCT-3E939FDC:
       diamond$:517:6C8E7B64EDCDBC4218B6345447A4454B:
            3323AC63C666CFAACB60C13F65D54E9A:[S          ]:LCT-00000000:
       oldnt4pdc$:507:3E39430CDCABB5B09ED320D0448AE568:
            95DBAF885854A919C7C7E671060478B9:[S          ]:LCT-3DF7AA9F:
       Guest:506:XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX:
            XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX:[DUX        ]:LCT-3E93A008:
       billw:516:85380CA7C21B6EBE168C8150662AF11B:
            5D7478508293709937E55FB5FBA14C17:[UX         ]:LCT-3FED7CA1:
       dork:514:78C70DDEC35A35B5AAD3B435B51404EE:
            0AD886E015AC595EC0AF40E6C9689E1A:[UX         ]:LCT-3E939F9A:
       jacko:508:BC472F3BF9A0A5F63832C92FC614B7D1:
            0C6822AAF85E86600A40DC73E40D06D5:[UX         ]:LCT-3E8B4242:
       maryk:509:3636AB7E12EBE79AB79AE2610DD89D4C:
            CF271B744F7A55AFDA277FF88D80C527:[UX         ]:LCT-3E8B4270:

7. An expanded view of a user account entry shows more of what was obtained from the NT4 PDC:

       sleeth:~ # pdbedit -Lv maryk
       Unix username:        maryk
       NT username:          maryk
       Account Flags:        [UX         ]
       User SID:             S-1-5-21-1988699175-926296742-1295600288-1003
       Primary Group SID:    S-1-5-21-1988699175-926296742-1295600288-1007
       Full Name:            Mary Kathleen
       Home Directory:       \\diamond\maryk
       HomeDir Drive:        X:
       Logon Script:         scripts\logon.bat
       Profile Path:         \\diamond\profiles\maryk
       Domain:               MEGANET
       Account desc:         Peace Maker
       Workstations:
       Munged dial:
       Logon time:           0
       Logoff time:          Mon, 18 Jan 2038 20:14:07 GMT
       Kickoff time:         Mon, 18 Jan 2038 20:14:07 GMT
       Password last set:    Wed, 02 Apr 2003 13:05:04 GMT
       Password can change:  0
       Password must change: Mon, 18 Jan 2038 20:14:07 GMT

8. The following command lists the long names of the groups that have been imported (vampired) from the NT4 PDC:

       root#  net group -l -Uroot%not24get -Smassive

       Group name            Comment
       -----------------------------
       Engineers             Snake Oil Engineers
       Marketoids            Untrustworthy Hype Vendors
       Gnomes                Plain Vanilla Garden Gnomes
       Replicator            Supports file replication in a domain
       Guests                Users granted guest access to the computer/domain
       Administrators        Members can fully administer the computer/domain
       Users                 Ordinary users

   Everything looks well and in order.

9. Edit the `smb.conf` file to reset the parameter domain master = Yes so the Samba server functions as a PDC for the purpose of migration.

### Key Points Learned

Migration of an NT4 PDC database to a Samba-3 PDC is possible.

- An LDAP backend is a suitable vehicle for NT4 migrations.

- A tdbsam backend can be used to perform a migration.

- Multiple NT4 domains can be merged into a single Samba-3 domain.

- The net Samba-3 domain most likely requires some administration and updating before going live.

## Questions and Answers

clean database Why must I start each migration with a clean database?
Domain SID Is it possible to set my domain SID to anything I like?
/etc/passwd/etc/grouptdbsampassdb backendaccountsuseraccountsgroupaccountsDomain When using a tdbsam passdb backend, why must I have all domain user and group accounts in /etc/passwd and /etc/group?
validateconnectivitymigration Why did you validate connectivity before attempting migration?
How would you merge 10 tdbsam-based domains into an LDAP database?
machine accountsaccountsmachine I want to change my domain name after I migrate all accounts from an NT4 domain to a Samba-3 domain. Does it make any sense to migrate the machine accounts in that case?
multiple group mappings After merging multiple NT4 domains into a Samba-3 domain, I lost all multiple group mappings. Why?
How can I reset group membership after loading the account information into the LDAP database?
group names What are the limits or constraints that apply to group names?
vampire My Windows NT4 PDC has 323,000 user accounts. How long will it take to migrate them to a Samba-3 LDAP backend system using the vampire process?

| Why must I start each migration with a clean database?

This is a recommendation that permits the data from each NT4 domain to be kept separate until you are ready to merge them. Also, if you do not start with a clean database, you may find errors due to users or groups from multiple domains having the same name but different SIDs. It is better to permit each migration to complete without undue errors and then to handle the merging of vampired data under proper supervision.

| Is it possible to set my domain SID to anything I like?

Yes, so long as the SID you create has the same structure as an autogenerated SID. The typical SID looks like this: S-1-5-21-XXXXXXXXXX-XXXXXXXXXX-XXXXXXXXXX, where the XXXXXXXXXX can be any number with from 6 to 10 digits. On the other hand, why would you really want to create your own SID? I cannot think of a good reason. You may want to set the SID to one that is already in use somewhere on your network, but that is a little different from straight out creating your own domain SID.

| When using a tdbsam passdb backend, why must I have all domain user and group accounts in `/etc/passwd` and `/etc/group`?

Samba-3 must be able to tie all user and group account SIDs to a UNIX UID or GID. Samba does not fabricate the UNIX IDs from thin air, but rather requires them to be located in a suitable place.

When migrating a `smbpasswd` file to an LDAP backend, the UID of each account is taken together with the account information in the `/etc/passwd`, and both sets of data are used to create the account entry in the LDAP database.

If you elect to create the POSIX account also, the entire UNIX account is copied to the LDAP backend. The same occurs with NT groups and UNIX groups. At the conclusion of migration to the LDAP database, the accounts may be removed from the UNIX database files. In short then, all UNIX and Windows networking accounts, both in tdbsam as well as in LDAP, require UIDs/GIDs.

| Why did you validate connectivity before attempting migration?
| Access validation before attempting to migrate NT4 domain accounts helps to pinpoint potential problems that may otherwise affect or impede account migration. I am always mindful of the 4 P's of migration: Planning Prevents Poor Performance.
| How would you merge 10 tdbsam-based domains into an LDAP database?

If you have 10 tdbsam Samba domains, there is considerable risk that there are a number of accounts that have the same UNIX identifier (UID/GID). This means that you almost certainly have to edit a lot of data. It would be easiest to dump each database in smbpasswd file format and then manually edit all records to ensure that each has a unique UID. Each file can then be imported a number of ways. You can use the pdbedit tool to affect a transfer from the smbpasswd file to LDAP, or you can migrate them en masse to tdbsam and then to LDAP. The final choice is yours. Just remember to verify all accounts that you have migrated before handing over access to a user. After all, too many users with a bad migration experience may threaten your career.

| I want to change my domain name after I migrate all accounts from an NT4 domain to a Samba-3 domain. Does it make any sense to migrate the machine accounts in that case?
| I would recommend not to migrate the machine account. The machine accounts should still work, but there are registry entries on each Windows NT4 and upward client that have a tattoo of the old domain name. If you unjoin the domain and then rejoin the newly renamed Samba-3 domain, you can be certain to avoid this tattooing effect.
| After merging multiple NT4 domains into a Samba-3 domain, I lost all multiple group mappings. Why?

Samba-3 currently does not implement multiple group membership internally. If you use the Windows NT4 Domain User Manager to manage accounts and you have an LDAP backend, the multiple group membership is stored in the POSIX groups area. If you use either tdbsam or smbpasswd backend, then multiple group membership is handled through the UNIX groups file. When you dump the user accounts, no group account information is provided. When you edit (change) UIDs and GIDs in each file to which you migrated the NT4 Domain data, do not forget to edit the UNIX `/etc/passwd` and `/etc/group` information also. That is where the multiple group information is most closely at your fingertips.

| How can I reset group membership after loading the account information into the LDAP database?
| You can use the NT4 Domain User Manager that can be downloaded from the Microsoft Web site. The installation file is called `SRVTOOLS.EXE`.
| What are the limits or constraints that apply to group names?

A Windows 200x group name can be up to 254 characters long, while in Windows NT4 the group name is limited to 20 characters. Most UNIX systems limit this to 32 characters. Windows groups can contain upper- and lowercase characters, as well as spaces. Many UNIX system do not permit the use of uppercase characters, and some do not permit the space character either. A number of systems (i.e., Linux) work fine with both uppercase and space characters in group names, but the shadow-utils package that provides the group control functions (groupadd, groupmod, groupdel, and so on) do not permit them. Also, a number of UNIX systems management tools enforce their own particular interpretation of the POSIX standards and likewise do not permit uppercase or space characters in group or user account names. You have to experiment with your system to find what its peculiarities are.

| My Windows NT4 PDC has 323,000 user accounts. How long will it take to migrate them to a Samba-3 LDAP backend system using the vampire process?

UNIX UIDs and GIDs on most UNIX systems use an unsigned short or an unsigned integer. Recent Linux kernels support at least a much larger number. On systems that have a 16-bit constraint on UID/GIDs, you would not be able to migrate 323,000 accounts because this number cannot fit into a 16-bit unsigned integer. UNIX/Linux systems that have a 32-bit UID/GID can easily handle this number of accounts. Please check this carefully before you attempt to effect a migration using the vampire process.

Migration speed depends much on the processor speed, the network speed, disk I/O capability, and LDAP update overheads. On a dual processor AMD MP1600+ with 1 GB memory that was mirroring LDAP to a second identical system over 1 Gb Ethernet, I was able to migrate around 180 user accounts per minute. Migration would obviously go much faster if LDAP mirroring were turned off during the migration.

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