Active Directory Alternatives?

Question

Is there a way to use active directory without the Windows Server operating system? If I do have the windows Server operating system, then do all the computers have to be on a domain? Is there something else like it?

Answer 1

You don't have to have Active Directory to create a network. You can setup a Peer to Peer network. That means that all your computers are on the same segment of the network and you can setup Workgroups and share your information that way. Active Directory is a great way to authenticate users on your network and it helps you keep shared resources more secure by being able to give certian groups of users specific access to specific resources easily. In a workgroup each computer keeps it's own list of authenticated users rather than them all being kept in one spot like in active directory. Active Directory is nice but it isn't required to have a network and to be able to share information on the network.

Answer 2

Novell Netware eDirectory is similar to Active Directory. Or if you are trying to learn some, and you aren't against using Linux, Samba(file sharing for Windows Computers) can be a domain controller. And yes, to make use of the benefits of Active Directory, the computers should all be on the domain.

Answer 3

The only alternative to Active directory is NDS(Netware Directory Services) which you have to run their NOS to get it. No you cannot run AD on its own w/o some kind of MS OS supporting it, its integrated into the Windows OS.
From a Network administration standpoint Novell is a lot more stable and secure.

Answer 4

I don't believe Microsoft AD has been ported to any other OS but you can look into Netware Directory Services from Novell as an alternative.