Specifications

Chapter 8 Advanced Directory Client Settings 159
Mac OS X v10.6 supports packet encryption and packet signing options for all
Windows Active Directory domains. This functionality is on by default as “allow.” You
can change the default setting to disabled or required by using the dsconfigad
command-line tool. The packet encryption and packet signing options ensures all data
to and from the Active Directory Domain for record lookups is protected.
The Active Directory connector dynamically generates a unique user ID and a primary
group ID based on the user account’s Globally Unique ID (GUID) in the Active Directory
domain. The generated user ID and primary group ID are the same for each user
account, even if the account is used to log in to dierent Mac OS X computers.
Alternatively, you can force the Active Directory connector to map the user ID to Active
Directory attributes that you specify.
The Active Directory connector generates a group ID based on the Active Directory
group account’s GUID. You can also force the plug-in to map the group ID for group
accounts to Active Directory attributes that you specify.
When someone logs in to Mac OS X with an Active Directory user account, the Active
Directory connector can mount the Windows network home folder specied in the
Active Directory user account as the user’s Mac OS X home folder. You can specify
whether to use the network home specied by Active Directory’s standard home
Directory attribute or by Mac OS X’s home Directory attribute (if the Active Directory
schema has been extended to include it).
Alternatively, you can congure the plug-in to create a local home folder on the
startup volume of the Mac OS X client computer. In this case, the plug-in also mounts
the user’s Windows network home folder (specied in the Active Directory user
account) as a network volume, like a share point. Using the Finder, the user can then
copy les between the Windows home folder network volume and the local Mac OS X
home folder.
The Active Directory connector can also create mobile accounts for users. A mobile
account has a local home folder on the startup volume of the Mac OS X client
computer. (The user also has a network home folder as specied in the user’s Active
Directory account).
A mobile account caches the user’s Active Directory authentication credentials on the
Mac OS X client computer. The cached credentials permit the user to log in using the
Active Directory name and password when the client computer is disconnected from
the Active Directory server.
A mobile account has a local home folder on the startup volume of the Mac OS X
client computer. (The user also has a network home folder as specied in the user’s
Active Directory account.)