FreeIPA is an open-source identity management solution that provides centralized authentication and authorization for Linux systems. In this guide, we will walk through the steps to add an Ubuntu system to a FreeIPA server.

Step 1: Install Required Packages

Before adding an Ubuntu system to the FreeIPA server, you need to install the required packages. Open your terminal and run the following command:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install freeipa-client

Step 2: Configure the FreeIPA Client

Once the package is installed, you need to configure the FreeIPA client. Run the following command to start the configuration process:

sudo ipa-client-install

During the configuration, you will be prompted for the FreeIPA server's hostname. Enter the FQDN (Fully Qualified Domain Name) of your FreeIPA server. You may also be asked for your administrative credentials.

Step 3: Configure Kerberos

FreeIPA uses Kerberos for authentication. Ensure that the Kerberos client is properly configured by checking the /etc/krb5.conf file. It should look something like this:

[libdefaults]
    default_realm = YOUR.REALM
    dns_lookup_realm = false
    dns_lookup_kdc = true

[realms]
    YOUR.REALM = {
        kdc = your.freeipa.server
        admin_server = your.freeipa.server
    }

[domain_realm]
    .your.domain = YOUR.REALM
    your.domain = YOUR.REALM

Step 4: Join the FreeIPA Domain

After configuring the client, the ipa-client-install command will automatically join the Ubuntu system to the FreeIPA domain. You should see a success message indicating that the installation was completed successfully.

Step 5: Verify the Installation

To ensure that the Ubuntu system has been successfully added to the FreeIPA server, you can run the following command:

sudo ipa user-find

This command should list the users from your FreeIPA server, confirming that the client is communicating with the server.

Step 6: Configure SSSD

FreeIPA uses SSSD (System Security Services Daemon) for authentication. Ensure that the /etc/sssd/sssd.conf file is configured properly:

[sssd]
services = nss, pam
config_file_version = 2
domains = YOUR.DOMAIN

[domain/YOUR.DOMAIN]
id_provider = ipa
auth_provider = ipa
access_provider = ipa
ipa_domain = YOUR.DOMAIN
krb5_realm = YOUR.REALM

Step 7: Restart Services

After configuring SSSD, restart the necessary services to apply the changes:

sudo systemctl restart sssd

Conclusion

You have successfully added an Ubuntu system to the FreeIPA server. This setup allows for centralized management of users and policies across multiple systems.

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