"Do you want cheap Windows file/print services for your network? If your answer to that question was, 'Yes!' your best way to this goal was to use the Samba file/print server on Linux.
"Samba 2.x is faster than NT or W2K Server, a lot cheaper and in its most recent versions you can not only use it in an NT Domain style network not only as a simple domain server or a Backup Domain Server (BDC) but as a Primary Domain controller (PDC) as well. But, the key word here is 'Domain' and with Microsoft planning to retire out NT 4 server with its Domain-based networking on December 31st 2004, it's high time for NT and Samba Domain administrators to think about switching over to Active Directory (AD).
"For NT mangers, Microsoft finally has a decent upgrade path built from Windows Server 2003 and Active Directory Migration Tool 2.0. And, now, Samba administrators do as well thanks to the arrival the feature complete Samba 3 beta 3.
"Don't get me wrong, it's not ready for prime time yet, but with this beta, Samba shows that if the day ever comes that NT domains are antique, Samba will be ready to contribute, fast, inexpensive AD compatible servers..."
