Something that sucks about Windows Server 2008

Update failures. That's something that sucks about Windows Server 2008.

Apparently it's pretty common. Microsoft Technet's forum is filled with threads asking about it (like this one). At least support is good; Tim Quan seems to resolve every one of them.

Using Windows as an NFS server an in Active Directory environment: Microsoft Service for NFS

One way to let a modern Windows computer be an NFS server is to use "Microsoft Services for NFS", which is a Windows component available in Windows Server 2003 and Windows Server 2008. Previously, it was part of the Microsot Services For Unix download.

An important part of this project is connecting UNIX user accounts to Windows user accounts. Most documentation you find on the internet, even on Microsoft's own sites, discusses a User Name Mapping tool that can be installed as part of Services for NFS but briefly mentions (and then ignores) the possibility of putting UNIX user attributes in Active Directory. Finding information on how to do that is rather difficult.

Here's a very simplified list of tasks to do to make it work:

1. Install "Microsoft Services for NFS" windows feature on the file server.
2. Install "Microsoft Identity Management for UNIX" role on the domain controller(s).
3. Find the UNIX Attributes tab for a user in AD Users & Computers and enter appropriate data.
4. Right-click the folder you want to share, click "Sharing & Security". Click "NFS Sharing" tab. Click "Permissions" button. Adjust permissions.
5. Mount folder on the UNIX box as a normal NFS. Enjoy.

Special thanks to Interop Systems for a simple HowTo:
http://www.interopsystems.com/downloads/Implement_Configure_NFS.pdf

They've got other Unix-Windows networking HowTos at:
http://www.interopsystems.com/learning.htm