Kerberos: The Definitive Guide

Windows Domain Controller

The Windows 2000 and 2003 Domain Controller is the Windows equivalent of a Unix-based KDC. You’ll need Windows 2000 Server or Windows 2003 Server to create a domain controller.

Therefore, to establish a Windows-based KDC, you must establish an Active Directory domain. Microsoft has a wizard that steps you through this process. While this book doesn’t cover the intricacies of Active Directory, we will explore the basic steps required to create a domain controller on a Windows 2000 or 2003 Server machine.

Once again, this quick guide to setting up a Kerberos realm using a Windows server machine is not intended to be a full introduction to Active Directory. Instead, this section will guide you through the necessary steps to establish a working Kerberos realm using your Windows server as a KDC, where both Windows machines and Unix boxes can participate as clients.