Likewise Open Source Software that Authenticates Linux, Unix, and Mac systems with Microsoft Active Directory

Likewise Open is an open source, community project sponsored by Likewise Software to integrate Linux, Unix, and Mac systems with Microsoft Active Directory and authenticate users with their domain credentials. Likewise Open is licensed under open source licensing so you can download it for free. Likewise Open supports more than 180 platforms. After downloading Likewise Open, there are resources to help you get started including an in-depth installation and administration guide along with Mac and Linux 10-Minute Setup Guides.

Interested in learning more before you download Likewise Open? Take a minute to search the Likewise Open robust technical documentation library, view product screenshots, or hear the stories of other Likewise Open users.

Likewise Open is an open source project that encourages involvement from the community. If you would like to become involved join one of the community mailing lists and discuss Likewise Open with other users and developers. Report bugs you come across while working with Likewise Open or read our blogs about on identity management topics.

Distribution Partners

Technical Features

Joins Linux, Unix and Mac systems to Active Directory domains in a single step from the command line or from a GUI
Authenticates users with a single user name and password on both Windows and non-Windows systems
Uses a robust next-generation authentication engine that supports Kerberos, NTLM, and SPNEGO
Enforces the same password policies for Linux, Unix and Mac users as for Windows users
Support for multiple forests with one-way and two-way cross forest trusts
Single sign-on for SSH and Putty
Single UID automatically assigned
Credential caching in the event of temporary loss of connectivity to the Active Directory Domain Controller
No Active Directory schema changes involved
Most recent Linux, Unix and Mac distributions supported

Likewise Open Screenshots


The Likewise Open domIain join GU	The freely available Event Viewer for the open source Likewise Administrative Console.	The Likewise Domain Join menu on Mac Os x.	The domain join GUI on Mac OS X.

What Likewise Open Users are Saying

“I have started working with Likewise Open and have been very impressed. For basic client authentication it is definitely very helpful software. I have joined an Ubuntu box with very little effort to the local Center domain and was able to do single-sign-on with Firefox as well as domain authentication with ssh. I have not yet tried kerberos authentication with ssh but look forward to the attempt.”

"I’ve just installed this on Fedora 8, and had my machine logging in within minutes, literally, AND accepting kerberos logins via SSH. This really is excellent, we were looking at possibly using Centrify to provide our linux/unix tie in with AD, however we will almost certainly look to implement this product with a view to license the windows utilities, for the windows admins. Brilliant call, and I for one commend your company for taking this approach."