I was reading a few post around here, and i read a few that were about people using a domainat home instead of a simple workgroup.
are there any advantages for using a domain?
if so what are they? cause i might give it a try if i need something to do when im bored ;)
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A domain setup is best for administrative purposes and security. If you have serveral people who uses your computer is would be great. Remember you need a Windows server (NT, 2000, 2003). With a domain setup you can manage desktops, provide roaming profiles, group policies, run updates through Group Policy to your computers, etc.
Workgroups compared with domains
A domain is a group of accounts and network resources that share a common directory database and set of security policies, and might have security relationships with other domains. A workgroup is a more basic grouping, intended only to help users find objects such as printers and shared folders within that group. Domains are the recommended choice for all networks except very small ones with few users.
In a workgroup, users might have to remember multiple passwords, one for each network resource. (In addition, different users can use different passwords for each resource.) In a domain, passwords and permissions are simpler to keep track of, because a domain has a single, centralized database of user accounts, permissions, and other network details. The information in this database is replicated automatically among domain controllers. You determine which servers are domain controllers and which are simply members of the domain. You can determine these roles not only during Setup but afterward.
Domains, and the Active Directory directory system of which they are a part, provide many options for making resources easily available to users while maintaining good monitoring and security
Active Directory
The Windows-based directory service. Active Directory stores information about objects on a network and makes this information available to users and network administrators. Active Directory gives network users access to permitted resources anywhere on the network using a single logon process. It provides network administrators with an intuitive, hierarchical view of the network and a single point of administration for all network objects is a directory service that stores information about objects on a network and makes this information available to users and network administrators.
Pete
Business Accounts
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by: donparPosted on 2003-09-13 at 20:05:28ID: 9355499
Hi,
It depends on how many computers are on your home network. If you have quite a number (say, more than 3 or 4), a Domain would be an advantage as the same authentication is present on every machine in the domain. This is true for Windows NT, 2000, or 2003.
If your systems are set up as a Workgroup or otherwise, it is necessary to maintain usernames, passwords, and other parameters separately on each system. Using domain accesses it is much easier to set up authentications for file sharing, print sharing, etc. (This is a "top of my head" answer, so I'm sure there are many more :0 )
I recently went to a Domain setup for my 6 node network and it has worked out really well-- makes "life" simpler from a lot of standpoints. In my case it was Server 2003, Standard Edition, and once set up, it has worked flawlessly.
Hope this helps...
Regards,
dp