Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

FreeIPA VS Samba

Compare FreeIPA VS Samba and see what are their differences

FreeIPA logo FreeIPA

FreeIPA is an integrated security information management solution combining Linux (Fedora), 389...

Samba logo Samba

Samba serves as an open source alternative to the traditional domain controller offered by Microsoft.
  • FreeIPA Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-07-29
  • Samba Landing page
    Landing page //
    2018-09-29

FreeIPA features and specs

  • Open Source
    FreeIPA is open source, allowing users to inspect, modify, and enhance the source code to fit their specific needs without any licensing fees.
  • Integration
    It provides a seamless integration with various enterprise-level services like LDAP, Kerberos, DNS, and more, making it a comprehensive identity management solution.
  • User-Friendly Interface
    FreeIPA offers a web-based interface which simplifies management tasks and reduces the learning curve for new users.
  • Strong Security Features
    It includes robust security measures such as centralized authentication, access control policies, and automated certificate management, enhancing overall security.
  • Extensive Documentation
    Users have access to a wide array of documentation and community support which helps in troubleshooting and learning the system.

Possible disadvantages of FreeIPA

  • Complexity
    The installation and configuration process can be complex and daunting for users unfamiliar with its components and architecture.
  • Scalability Limitations
    FreeIPA may encounter performance issues or limitations when scaling to very large environments, thus it might not be ideal for very large organizations without additional configuration or resources.
  • Linux-Centric
    FreeIPA is primarily designed for Linux environments, and while it can integrate with Windows, the setup and functionality may be limited or require additional effort.
  • Community-Based Support
    While there is community support, it may not be as robust or responsive as professional paid support services offered by other IAM solutions.
  • Learning Curve
    Users may face a steep learning curve due to the composite nature of FreeIPA, which integrates multiple technologies such as Kerberos, LDAP, and DNS.

Samba features and specs

  • Cross-Platform Compatibility
    Samba allows file and print sharing between computers running Windows and Unix-like systems such as Linux, enhancing interoperability across different platforms.
  • Active Directory Support
    Samba provides Active Directory support, enabling Linux servers to seamlessly join and participate in Windows network domains, including authentication and directory services.
  • Open Source
    Being open source, Samba is cost-effective and provides the flexibility to modify and utilize the software according to organizational needs, with a supportive user and developer community.
  • Wide Adoption
    Samba is widely adopted and trusted in enterprise environments for providing reliable file and print services across various operating systems.
  • Comprehensive Documentation
    Samba has extensive documentation and community-contributed resources that help users effectively set up and troubleshoot issues.

Possible disadvantages of Samba

  • Complex Configuration
    Samba configuration can be complex and may require a thorough understanding of both Windows and Linux networking concepts to set up and maintain correctly.
  • Performance Overhead
    Due to protocol translation between different systems, there may be performance overheads in certain environments, impacting speed and efficiency.
  • Security Risks
    As with any network service, misconfiguration or lack of updates can expose Samba to security vulnerabilities, requiring careful management and regular updates.
  • Resource Intensive
    Running Samba services can be resource-intensive, requiring sufficient hardware resources to maintain optimal performance, especially in larger network environments.
  • Occasional Compatibility Issues
    While Samba strives for compatibility, there may occasionally be issues with newer Windows features or complex Active Directory environments.

FreeIPA videos

An Overview of FreeIPA

More videos:

  • Review - Identity Management with FreeIPA
  • Review - Identity management in Red Hat Enterprise Linux - FreeIPA OTP
  • Review - FreeIPA - Part 2 - Server and Client Install and Setup. An open source Active Directory alternative
  • Review - FreeIPA Part 4 - Installing NextCloud & Docker to use with LDAP through FreeIPA for Authentication.
  • Tutorial - freeIPA on Proxmox VE 7 Home Lab Tutorial

Samba videos

Samba OG 3 Month Review | Uncomfortable?

More videos:

  • Review - (Best Value Indoor Shoe) Adidas Samba Classic - Review + On Feet
  • Review - Adidas Samba Classic Indoor - Unboxing + On Feet

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to FreeIPA and Samba)
Identity And Access Management
Cloud Computing
55 55%
45% 45
Identity Provider
68 68%
32% 32
Cloud Storage
51 51%
49% 49

User comments

Share your experience with using FreeIPA and Samba. For example, how are they different and which one is better?
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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Samba seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 1 time since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

FreeIPA mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of FreeIPA yet. Tracking of FreeIPA recommendations started around Mar 2021.

Samba mentions (1)

  • Samba 4.16 broken?
    Well, it's the first Samba release in the ports since 4.13, and it isn't marked as broken. I'm not sure why you'd look on the samba.org site to see if the FreeBSD port has defects, or why you'd give me a link link to the Samba wiki for 4.13 when I'm very clearly asking about 4.16. Source: about 2 years ago

What are some alternatives?

When comparing FreeIPA and Samba, you can also consider the following products

Keycloak - Open Source Identity and Access Management for modern Applications and Services.

OpenLDAP - OpenLDAP Software is an open source implementation of the Lightweight Directory Access Protocol.

Zentyal - Linux directory, domain, mail, gateway and infrastructure server for SMBs.

Univention Corporate Server - Univention Corporate Server UCS with Active Directory functions and App Center is the cost-efficient and popular successor to Microsoft's server solutions.

389 Directory Server - Enterprise-class open source Linux LDAP server.

Microsoft Active Directory - Active Directory is a special-purpose database \ 8212; it is not a registry replacement.