14.3.3.2. Primary Domain Controller (PDC) using LDAP

The most powerful and versatile implementation of a Samba PDC is its ability to have an LDAP password backend. LDAP is highly scalable. LDAP database servers can be used for redundancy and fail-over by replicating to a Samba BDC. Groups of LDAP PDCs and BDCs with load balancing are ideal for an enterprise environment. On the other hand, LDAP configurations are inherently complex to setup and maintain. If SSL is to be incorporated with LDAP, the complexity instantly multiplies. Even so, with careful and precise planning, LDAP is an ideal solution for enterprise environments.
Note the passdb backend directive as well as specific LDAP suffix specifications. Although the Samba configuration for LDAP is straightforward, the installation of OpenLDAP is not trivial. LDAP should be installed and configured before any Samba configuration. Also notice that Samba and LDAP do not need to be on the same server to function. It is highly recommended to separate the two in an enterprise environment.
[global] 
workgroup = DOCS
netbios name = DOCS_SRV 
passdb backend = ldapsam:ldap://ldap.example.com
username map = /etc/samba/smbusers
security = user
add user script = /usr/sbin/useradd -m %u
delete user script = /usr/sbin/userdel -r %u
add group script = /usr/sbin/groupadd %g 
delete group script = /usr/sbin/groupdel %g 
add user to group script = /usr/sbin/usermod -G %g %u
add machine script = \
 /usr/sbin/useradd -s /bin/false -d /dev/null \
 -g machines %u
# The following specifies the default logon script 
# Per user logon scripts can be specified in the
# user account using pdbedit
logon script = scripts\logon.bat
# This sets the default profile path.
# Set per user paths with pdbedit
logon path = \\%L\Profiles\%U
logon drive = H:
logon home = \\%L\%U
domain logons = Yes
os level = 35
preferred master = Yes
domain master = Yes
ldap suffix = dc=example,dc=com
ldap machine suffix = ou=People
ldap user suffix = ou=People
ldap group suffix = ou=Group
ldap idmap suffix = ou=People
ldap admin dn = cn=Manager
ldap ssl = no
ldap passwd sync = yes
idmap uid = 15000-20000
idmap gid = 15000-20000
...

# Other resource shares
...
...

Note

Implementing LDAP in this smb.conf file assumes that a working LDAP server has been successfully installed on ldap.example.com.