Comparisons anchored on Samba, the GPL-3.0 SMB implementation that can run as an Active Directory compatible domain controller: against Microsoft Active Directory and OpenLDAP.
Running an Active Directory compatible domain on Samba instead of Windows Server: the functional levels Samba supports, missing SysVol replication and its workarounds, joining Samba DCs to an existing Windows domain, Windows Server licensing and lifecycle costs, and which estates can drop Windows domain controllers and which should keep them.
An Active Directory compatible domain for Windows and Linux clients against a plain LDAPv3 directory: Kerberos, DNS and Group Policy in Samba AD versus OpenLDAP's flexible schema, overlays and replication. Covers why Samba AD cannot use OpenLDAP as its backend, moving off an NT4-style Samba domain on OpenLDAP, and which to choose for a mixed estate.
The DNS backend decision for a Samba AD domain controller: the built-in SAMBA_INTERNAL server versus BIND with the DLZ module, why NONE and BIND9_FLATFILE are ruled out, and how the choice affects forwarding, zones and day-two operations.
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