Can Linux Server install software on Windows?

Question

linux

Hello!
Sorry for such a question, but ...
The company needs to put a new server.
Ideally, when a user logs into the domain, it should give access to the necessary network folders, install printer drivers and install software (MS Office, Chrome, Photoshop, WinRar, KeePass, etc.).
All PCs run on Windows .
I know what this can do in ActiveDirectory, but most likely I will not see money for Windows Server.
Is it possible to do the same on a Linux server? Do you mean installing software from a Linux server on a Windows PC and installing drivers?
Thanks

Answer 1

Starting from version 4.0, Samba is able to run as an Active Directory (AD) domain controller (DC). If you are installing Samba in a production environment, it is recommended to run two or more DCs for failover reasons.

There are ways to ruin your life and use samba . There is an easy way to get money on the win server. Just say that there you can click everything with a mouse in an hour, an hour of your work costs X rubles, a license Y rubles, total costs are X + Y.
And you can suffer with samba, suffer for months. Accordingly, the cost X * the amount of pain.

Answer 2

most likely I will not see money for Windows Server.

Dude, one installation of photo#ops will already pull on "major damage", and a dozen - on "very large". And another plus is the office, which, of course, does not cost very much in itself, but you need it for every computer ...
Against the backdrop of the cost of licensing client software (which will be checked in the first place), the cost of licensing the server (even plus CAL) - will look like mere pennies.
I still don’t know about the correct support for remote installation and domain policies in samba
(although its appearance will be an outrageous breakthrough - because AD is not only valuable mech logins and passwords in one place ...)

Answer 3

Ansible can.

Answer 4

If I'm not mistaken, then with proper manipulations this is possible, because Linux itself can join Windows groups

Answer 5

wine + psexec
https://winitpro.ru/index.php/2010/09/22/utilita-p...
or RDP
But all these are crutches, full infrastructure management is possible only through AD. So keep buying. At the same time, inventory the software. Something I doubt that everyone needs Photoshop, but it costs just so much that there would be a case of causing major damage.

Answer 6

In my opinion, this has already been written many times about how to make an AD domain controller on Linux. I'm not special in this, but here is the very first link in Google https://habr.com/en/post/215573/

Answer 7

Ideally, when a user logs into the domain, it should give access to the necessary network folders, install printer drivers and install software (MS Office, Chrome, Photoshop, WinRar, KeePass, etc.).

I understand correctly that you need a replacement for a windows server domain controller? plus so that when logging in, it was installed on the machine (checked that the installation had already been carried out so as not to do it again?) Software according to the list?
It's possible.
samba is a very powerful application that does the bare minimum to authorize and support network access to files (and user profiles), ie. based on it, you can implement a minimalistic domain controller, the functionality of which will be enough for small networks (a dozen other machines).
To implement automatic installation of applications, you need to write a small script that will check that it has not yet been launched on this machine, and run unattended install of the necessary applications in turn (the specified software, and in 99% of cases any), you need to use .msi or setup. exe run with keys (see instructions /?) and place this script in autorun in user profile
example for msi

msiexec /ic:\path\to\package.msi /quiet /qn /norestart /log c:\path\to\install.log PROPERTY1=value1 PROPERTY2=value2

there is a problem with access rights, this is not a domain issue, this is a feature of windows, either the initial login must be performed by the administrator (having access to install programs on machines) or the administrator must configure this in advance (for example, disable UAC and after installation let it be enabled using powershell )