Hard Light Productions Forums
Off-Topic Discussion => General Discussion => Topic started by: Stealth on May 05, 2005, 04:57:54 pm
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question...
our Graphics department all use Macs, but in order for us to backup their files every night, we need them to be on our Windows-run domain... how would we do that, so they could view files of other computers and servers on the domain and vice-versa...
?
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This isn't going to be terribly helpful, but can't you do it the same way that Linux machines can coexist on a network with Windows machines? You just need an interpreter...
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I don't know, which is why i asked...
Thanks anyway though
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Which OS are you running for your Windows domain controller? IF your running NT4 + I believe there's a protocol named MacFile that you'll need to install and have running. See, the AppleTalk protocol (why the hell couldnt they all use native TCP I dont know) will talk with the MacFile "interpreter" on the Windows domain controller and should be able to see that machine or machines on it's own network as if they were little windows clients instead of evil mac clients.
pardon my bias. but yeh, I had a not-so-successful experience trying to get a G3 to talk with my NT4 DC. I do know getting MacFile setup though should get you in the right direction. I'm sure Microsoft has a walkthrough somewhere in thier Knowledge Base.
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Can't you just connect them through a router and use TCP/IP?
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Are the macs running OS X? OS X has SMB support which allows sharing with Windows.
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Heh, right, I forgot to mention that the setup I was working with involved a G3 running system 8.2 .. I think? In that case, MacFile would apply.
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SSH.
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domain controller's 2003 SBS... Mac's OSX, i dunno, it's pretty new... dual G5s i think.
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From my experience linking a G5 to a P4, the G5 would only recognize the network if the windows network name is "WORKGROUP". I believe XP has a default network name of "MSHOME". That was using Mac OSX version that came with the dual G5's.... 10.2.7?. I wouldn't know if this applies in your scenario.
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Use FTP?
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All good suggestions, thanks, but i'm trying to make it as seamless as possible. to browse folders on the Mac from a windows computer (and vice-versa) you just browse to it, double click it, and all its shared folders are there... etc.
Not sure what OS the mac's running, i'll check tomorrow
Also: "WORKGROUP" and "MSHOME" are default workgroup names; this mac has to join a domain, a domain with active directory, and all the security of a regular windows 2003 domain :-/ that's what makes it confusing
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Apple doesn't use Appletalk anymore, it's yet another dead Mac protocal, AFAIK.
But Windows should be able to talk to OSX on a network. I read a while ago that Windows was network compatible with the other Mac OS versions that were making the rounds.
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All good suggestions, thanks, but i'm trying to make it as seamless as possible. to browse folders on the Mac from a windows computer (and vice-versa) you just browse to it, double click it, and all its shared folders are there... etc.
Any good FTP program should be able to do that. Windows explorer can do that, now that IE is integrated into the shell. You have to remember the domain name (since it's a LAN you could probably set up a DNS to make it more user-friendly).
I don't know about macs, but it seems like you should be able to do the same thing with them.
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Originally posted by Kosh
Apple doesn't use Appletalk anymore, it's yet another dead Mac protocal, AFAIK.
GOOD. lol.
Well, the big question mark lies with Active Directory, which is so much different from XP in the first place. XP is really easy to network with Mac OS X but adding users and groups to Active Directory is different than XP.
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I'm fairly sure there're some free SSH servers for Windows. There's bound to be some for the Mac too. SFTP is a useful way to transfer files provided it's not required too often.
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yeah but i'll need a windows based program to be able to retrieve 145GB of files from the MAC on a nightly basis for backups... that's why i'm pretty sure that it needs to be done the right way, and not some work-around way using any three lettered protocol ;) ... they're good suggestions though, but there's got to be a way to let a MAC join a windows domain, etc.
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If you are using any form of original Mac system less than 9.2.2, you should cut your wrists right now.
Filesharing, and cross-platform networking works a treat in 10.2 (Jaguar) but even better in 10.3 (Panther) and 10.4 (Tiger)
We have 8 Win PCs and 2 Macs hooked to a Linux server - it's no perfect, but it's not bad either...
NOBODY uses System 8.00, it's deader than Breakdancing...
If you have Win XP, you should be able to set up one comp as a server and create shared folders, plus the same on the Mac, IF you have 10.2 or better. Remember to set Domain, Workgroup, Password etc and you should be able to get it running.
OSX supports everything you need, I say again: Upgrade! because your head will hurt if you don't...
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Originally posted by Clave NOBODY uses System 8.00, it's deader than Breakdancing...
*sighs, packs up cardboard*
After doing a google search... seems like the key still is Active Directory, and you may need to get some third party software in order to make it function.
OS 10.3 is the only X OS that will allow authentication to Active Directory. Otherwise you'll have to use LDAP. If you use Novell, you might just know how to do this, but it'll be way easier on you and your computers if you stick to trying to authenicate to Active Directory.
The Free Way (http://www.networkcomputing.com/showitem.jhtml?articleID=23900461&pgno=2)
The shell out yer money way (http://www.thechannelinsider.com/article2/0,1759,1623477,00.asp)
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OK thx for the help, i guess i'll have to get them to upgrade to 10.3... :-/ you sure that works though? :p
Funny, but the more i use windows 2003, the more i like it
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I thought SMB was supported by any OS X? I use Samba on my Linux machine to mount Windows XP shares. Samba uses the SMB protocol.
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What a lot of people do not realize though, is that Stealth wants to make his Mac's join a DOMAIN on a Windows Server 2003 machine. Networking with Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 is VERY DIFFERENT! Windows XP users can simply get by with workgroups, and there's where a Mac will join up in a network using SMB. But, when running a domain with a SERVER-Based OS, it's a LOT more complicated.
If you have your server running Windows XP Pro, XP machines do NOT use Active Directory for server/client communications. It's the Server OS that runs Active Directory, and THAT is the key here. When the Mac's try to talk to the domain controller, they have to go through Microsoft's Active Directory, or whatever other database you may have set up, such as LDAP. The problem here is that using something OTHER than Active Directory can cause more headaches than necessary. Getting something that is compatible with Active Directory, and according to one of the links I have posted, getting either Panther (10.3) or Tiger (10.4) will directly communicate with Active Directory, Authenticate, and look just like a windows client on the server.
Now, Kamikaze is correct, but what you're describing there is having his mac communicate with an XP Based server. SMB works with workgroups, not Active Directory, and you cannot just use Workgroups with Windows Server 2K3.
The mac OS X 10.2 and below will only authenticate with LDAP. LDAP is not a built-in piece of software that 2003 uses. The only reason you would want to use LDAP is if your server is a Unix/Linux based server, or you're running the dreaded Novell Netware 6 (in my experiences anyway)
If you're planning on upgrading, you might as well just upgrade to 10.4 - no use upgrading to 10.3 and having to pay for 10.4 . IMHO, Tiger is a service pack to Panther, but I dont delve into the Mac side of computers near as deep as I do in Windows.
( four edits - it's time for bed. )
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I still think it shouldn't be any more difficult than connecting it to the network. If it is, it's Apple's fault for not anticipating this need.
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thx Nix ;) that's exactly what i meant.
yeah, i need the MAC to be a member of the domain, and there's a program called "DAVE" that can do that, but you have to pay for it. if in the end the company has to buy some third person software, then so be it.
In the meantime, i'll just have to run an FTP server on the server, and set up a chrontab on the mac to upload all its files to the FTP server every night, for backup.
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BTW: If you get Mac OS 10.3 you may want to read this http://www.allinthehead.com/retro/218/accessing-a-windows-2003-share-from-os-x
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Also this place is a huge help in troubleshooting OSX:
http://forums.osxfaq.com/index.php
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Liberator, it's how Server 2003's Active Directory handles network login requests. it's simply not the same as "connecting to the network". Joining a domain is a completely different thing than just hooking on to someone's workgroup. But you're right though, it probably is apple's fault for not including the authentication methods for Microsoft Active Directory till after 10.3.
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Originally posted by Kamikaze
BTW: If you get Mac OS 10.3 you may want to read this http://www.allinthehead.com/retro/218/accessing-a-windows-2003-share-from-os-x
funny you should mention that, i've had that saved in favorites for about two days :D
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This has all been useful to me too as I'll be upgrading my DC from NT4 to Server 2003 this summer for work. We have a mac running 10.3 and I'm sure this same exact thing will happen to me. Thanks for sharing the links doods!
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yeah, MACs are a pain. god forbid that MACs and PCs could use the same protocols for file-sharing and domains, instead of going proprietary
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And heaven forbid should Apple port an OS that is better than windows to PC so most people can actually use it. :p