This LPIC-2 practice question tests your understanding of file sharing and samba. This is a configuration task: choose the command set that satisfies every stated requirement. Small differences — like 'secret' vs 'password' or 'transport input ssh' vs 'all' — change whether the answer is correct. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
An administrator has configured Samba as a domain member for an Active Directory environment. For user authentication via winbind, which daemon must be running?
smbd
Why wrong: smbd handles file sharing, not authentication resolution.
samba
Why wrong: The 'samba' service typically starts smbd, nmbd, and winbindd together.
winbindd
winbindd is required for user/group resolution from AD.
nmbd
Why wrong: nmbd provides NetBIOS name resolution, not authentication.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
winbindd
In a Samba domain member configuration for Active Directory, the winbindd daemon is responsible for resolving user and group information from the Windows domain and providing authentication services via the Winbind protocol. It communicates with the Active Directory domain controller using DCE/RPC and LDAP to map Windows SIDs to Unix UIDs/GIDs, enabling seamless user authentication. Without winbindd running, winbind-based authentication (e.g., via PAM or nsswitch) will fail, even if smbd and nmbd are active.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
smbd
Why it's wrong here
smbd handles file sharing, not authentication resolution.
samba
Why it's wrong here
The 'samba' service typically starts smbd, nmbd, and winbindd together.
winbindd
Why this is correct
winbindd is required for user/group resolution from AD.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
nmbd
Why it's wrong here
nmbd provides NetBIOS name resolution, not authentication.
Common exam traps
The trap here is that candidates often confuse the Samba suite daemons, assuming smbd handles all authentication tasks, but winbindd is the specific daemon required for AD domain member authentication and identity mapping.
Detailed technical explanation
Under the hood, winbindd uses the idmap_rid or idmap_ad backend to map Windows SIDs to Unix IDs, and it communicates with the domain controller via Kerberos for authentication and LDAP for identity lookups. A subtle behavior is that winbindd must be started after smbd and nmbd are configured, and it requires proper configuration of the 'idmap config' parameters in smb.conf to avoid ID conflicts. In a real-world scenario, if winbindd is not running, users may be able to mount shares but will fail to authenticate with their AD credentials, leading to 'NT_STATUS_ACCESS_DENIED' errors.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
A practitioner preparing for the LPIC-2 exam encounters this exact type of scenario on the job. The correct answer here is not the most general option — it is the best answer for the specific constraint described. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Real exam questions reward reading the full scenario before eliminating options, because the constraint defines which answer fits.
What to study next
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FAQ
File Sharing and Samba — This question tests File Sharing and Samba — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: winbindd — In a Samba domain member configuration for Active Directory, the winbindd daemon is responsible for resolving user and group information from the Windows domain and providing authentication services via the Winbind protocol. It communicates with the Active Directory domain controller using DCE/RPC and LDAP to map Windows SIDs to Unix UIDs/GIDs, enabling seamless user authentication. Without winbindd running, winbind-based authentication (e.g., via PAM or nsswitch) will fail, even if smbd and nmbd are active.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 25, 2026
This LPIC-2 practice question is part of Courseiva's free LPI certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the LPIC-2 exam.
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