Initial setup and Open Directory problem

Question

Hi,
I'm new to the MAC OS X server system and trying to get one up and running on a G5.
Unfortunately I can’t get the configuration up and running, and I have the feeling it already goes wrong during the initial setup. I was hoping you guys could help me out.
The purpose of the server is providing network user accounts (DNS + Open Dir.) and providing sharepoints.
I go trough following steps while installing from scratch:
- Install MAC OS X and run the Server install package from the OS X Server DVD (as you know, OSX Server is'n installing directly on G5)
- Choose keyboard layout, enter license and create an account "admin"
- Define static IP "192.168.1.1", add this IP as the first in the list of DNS Servers, add "company.local" in the search domain
- Install as a standalone server (so I can configure dns & other network services after basic setup)
- Check "network time server" (so time will be synced for Kerberos)
- Proceed, install and reboot
OSX Server seems to be installed fine and I can login with "admin". Next step I take is configuring DNS.
- create a zone "companyname.local.", use my IP as server address (192.168.1.1) and use "server" as the server name.
- add a machine record for DNS-testing (called "gateway", with the IP of "192.168.1.254")
Start the DNS service and reboot
- perform an nslookup with a second MAC with 192.168.1.1 as the nameserver and verify that DNS is resolving correctly.
DNS seems to be working fine, now I would like to get the Open Directory service to work:
- change "Standalone" to "Open directory master" in the server configuration panel
- provide a password for the directory admin
- use "SERVER.COMPANYNAME.LOCAL" as kerberos realm, and "dc=server,dc=companyname,dc=local" as the search base
- Save & start the service and perform a reboot to be sure all the new settings are in use
Unfortunately after this install open directory doesn't seem to work fine and also Kerberos doesn't start.
Concerning Kerberos: I get following output in the "Slapconfig log" Open Directory log file:
Starting LDAP server (slapd)
command: /usr/bin/ldapadd -c -x -D uid=root,cn=users,dc=maggie,dc=interesourcegroup,dc=local -w **
Hostname server.companyname.local is from Rendezvous
Skipping Kerberos configuration
Sorry to bother you with the entire walkthrough of the installation, but I have the feeling that I'm missing something while performing the basic install or DNS setup .. ?
Regards,
Seppe
G5 Mac OS X (10.4.6) /

Answer 1

We currently have a static IP and a public dns hosted
by MediaTemple, so I think I can create a subdomain
on MediaTemple and link it to our fixed IP address
("private.companyname.com" >> static ip) instead of
using dydns.. ?
Of course.
I suppose I can then use "private.companyname.com" as
the zone name on my G5 server and use
"server.private.companyname.com" for my local DNS?
Sounds reasonable.
If using this DNS, what will be the Kerberos REALM
and Search Base? And do I still need to specify
private.companyname.com as the Search Base in the
Network Settings of the clients and server?
Well, REALM and LDAP Search Base can set to whatever you like. On the other hand I've seen tools contacting kerberos servers break when the REALM is not part of the kerberos server fqdn.
So I'd stick with the usual recomandations and set kerberos REALM to your domain name (if there is no other kerberos server alread running and using this).
For the LDAP search domain I'd also follow the road of using domain name space as search base.
When dns will finally be setup properly, these setting will be autopopulated for you in the GUI. So test, test, test you dns with
host $ip and host $fqdn and then go on promoting "Standalone Server" to "Open Directory Master".
HTH
-Ralph