Although the following is officially a press release, it's not a product announcement, and it's directly related to using OS X, so I've chosen to publish it as a tip. Here's the blurb that Eric Zelenka, Apple's Product Line Manager for Server Software, just mailed out.
Apple is pleased to announce the release of a new document entitled Integrating Mac OS X with Active Directory. This document describes how you can use the information stored in Microsoft's Active Directory to authenticate Macintosh users and provide file services and home directories for them on Mac OS X Server. It is available for immediate download from the Mac OS X Server web site.
Read the rest of the article for a bit more information on OS X and directory services.
Overview
With Mac OS X and Mac OS X Server, Apple has built an open, extensible directory services architecture. This architecture directs system software and applications to either Apple's NetInfo, the directory that ships with Mac OS X Server, or an LDAP (Lightweight Directory Access Protocol) directory located on the network. NetInfo is an easy-to-deploy, scalable directory service for Macintosh networks. LDAP is an open standard commonly used in mixed environments. By adding LDAP support, Apple provides customers with the ability to easily integrate Mac OS X and Mac OS X Server systems into most managed networks.
In addition, it is now possible to integrate Mac OS X comptuers into environments based on Microsoft's Active Directory. This includes maintaining Mac OS X user names and passwords in Active Directory, authenticating Mac OS X users with Active Directory and allowing users to mount their network home directory based upon information stored in Active Directory.
Today directory services are an essential part of any computing infrastructure. Directory services fill a number of critical roles including managing workgroups, workflows, employee directories, and hardware and software resources. With Mac OS X's open directory services architecture and built-in support for open standards, Mac OS X desktops and servers can now leverage directory services wherever they reside - in a Macintosh NetInfo directory, in a Microsoft Active Directory, or in an enterprise LDAP directory.
For readers not familiar with Mac OS X directory services, we recommend the Mac OS X Server Administrator's Guide and the white paper entitled Understanding and Using NetInfo.
Mac OS X Hints
http://hints.macworld.com/article.php?story=2002022821103215