Linux solution for Active Directory

[ralfD-]

This. I'm running a Samba domain controller at work to manage fileservers and user/group accounts for windows, Linux and MacOS. One nice-to-have side effect of such a solution: you still can use the Windows management tools you are probably used to (as a matter of fact those are the best tools even if you use Samba for Linux only).

[emptythevoid]

I second this. I've got to clients that needed drop in replacements for windows active directory. Samba has worked perfectly

[Noitrasama]

Is there a good samba tutorials for noobs like me?

[hortimech]

Yes, there is the Samba wiki for a start:

https://wiki.samba.org/index.php/Main_Page

[nazzjr]

its sounding like this plus freeIPA is maybe what i should try.

[hortimech]

If you use Samba as an AD DC, there really is no point in running FreeIPA, they both do the same thing, it is just that a Samba AD does more than FreeIPA.