Likewise is announcing the release of Likewise Open 6.0, the latest update to the Active Directory tool for Linux, Unix and Mac. Likewise Open 6.0 comes with several new features making the life of both users and administrators easier. Some of the key features are faster logons, especially in some environments, and an easier way of changing passwords.

“Likewise Open is a great tool for IT managers running heterogeneous Unix, Linux, and Mac OS X platforms in Active Directory environments – and is a great evaluation tool for those interested in Likewise Enterprise,” Gerald Carter, director of engineering, Likewise, said.

“Many of the advances in Likewise Open can be directly attributed to our ongoing working relationships with our partners that include the Likewise authentication engine in their own products. This active community allows us to collectively pool experiences and provide customers with what they need and want,” he added.

Highlights of Likewise Open 6.0:

· Faster logon: Likewise Open 6.0 makes it faster for users which belong to numerous groups to logon. This is especially true for larger or more complex groups.
· Users can now change their passwords with Likewise Open 6.0 even in complex Active Directory environments.
· A new upgrade system which simplifies the process enabling users to easily keep Likewise up to date while keeping their current configurations.
· A smart service manager which sequences daemons start up to decrease error rates and provide a unified model across Unix, Linux and Mac installs.

Likewise Open is a tool for integrating Unix, Linux and Mac machines into Microsoft Active Directory environments. The company says it is the largest provider of such solutions and that 50,000 companies have adopted Likewise Open.

Likewise Open 6.0 is available for download here on Softpedia.