Join Linux Systems to Windows AD Domain 🖥️

In today's computing landscape, you'll often find a diverse mix of Windows and Linux systems. In this video, we demonstrate how simple it is to integrate a modern Linux machine into a Windows Active Directory domain. We'll walk you through the process of joining Debian, Red Hat, and SUSE Linux distributions to an Active Directory domain using just a few straightforward commands.


Applies to:
Ubuntu 18.04, 22.04, 24.04; Red hat Enterprise Linux 7, 8, 9; OpenSUSE 12, 15; SUSE Enterprise Linux Server 12, 15; Windows Server 2022, Windows Server 2025


Chapters
0:00 Introduction
1:00 Join Debian, Ubuntu, and Red hat Linux to ADDS
3:41 Join SUSE to ADDS via YAST
5:54 Check Active Directory and DNS
7:37 Thank you for watching


Glossary:
ADAC = Active Directory Administrative Center
ADDS = Active Directory Domain Services
ADUC = Active Directory Users and Computers
DNS = Domain Name Server
FQDN = Fully Qualified Domain Name
LDAP = Lightweight Directory Access Protocol
PAM = Pluggable Authentication Module
RSAT = Remote Server Administration Tools
SRV = Service Records (as in DNS entries for AD services)
SSSD = System Security Services Daemon
UPN = User Principal Name
YaST = Yet another Setup Tool


GitHub (Commands):
https://github.com/DariensTips/Join-Linux-Systems-to-a-Windows-Active-Directory-Domain


Commands:
Linux

sudo apt install realmd sssd sssd-tools adcli libnss-sss libpam-sss samba-common-bin oddjob oddjob-mkhomedir packagekit
sudo dnf install realmd sssd adcli samba-common-tools oddjob oddjob-mkhomedir PackageKit krb5-workstation
sudo hostnamectl set-hostname [computername.domain.name]
realm discover [domain.name]
sudo realm -v join [domain.name] -U [ad username]
sudo realm -v join --membership-software=samba [domain.name] -U [ad username]
sudo pam-auth-update


Windows (PowerShell)

Get-ADComputer [computername] -Properties *
Get-DnsServerResourceRecord -ZoneName [domain.name] -ComputerName [dns server] -RRType A


Links:
https://medium.com/@daryl-goh/how-to-join-a-linux-ubuntu-machine-to-windows-active-directory-domain-a5563ccc4844
https://sssd.io/docs/architecture.html
https://ubuntu.com/server/docs/introduction-to-active-directory-integration
https://web.mit.edu/kerberos/krb5-1.12/doc/admin/conf_files/krb5_conf.html
https://www.redhat.com/en/blog/linux-active-directory
https://www.redhat.com/en/blog/overview-direct-integration-options
https://www.serverlab.ca/tutorials/linux/administration-linux/adding-users-and-groups-to-sudoers/
https://www.server-world.info/en/note?os=Ubuntu_24.04&p=realmd
https://www.suse.com/support/kb/doc/?id=000018831

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLLmyrX1SggDA18MTjp8q9G0pdgUZdU4LG
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xIrZEou930
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f-DA9s3UA1o