Link to home
Start Free TrialLog in
Avatar of MikeSievers
MikeSievers

asked on

Active Directory or not?

We have 15 users and one domain with 2 severs. I add users through Server Management.

Why should I bother installing Active Directory with the extra Admin. managing it requires?

I am the company's part time Admin.

SOLUTION
Avatar of oBdA
oBdA

Link to home
membership
This solution is only available to members.
To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.
Start Free Trial
SOLUTION
Link to home
membership
This solution is only available to members.
To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.
Start Free Trial
SOLUTION
Link to home
membership
This solution is only available to members.
To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.
Start Free Trial
Avatar of MikeSievers
MikeSievers

ASKER

When I right click on My Computer on a client it displays
Domain: ABC.local

On the server I do not show users under acive directory only via Server Management.

On the server it does not show any users under "Active Directory Users and Computers" but users are dispalyed via Server Management.

The server does display ABC.local as the domain under "Active Directory and Users.
The server is running SBS Windows 2003.
ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION
Link to home
membership
This solution is only available to members.
To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.
Start Free Trial
SOLUTION
Link to home
membership
This solution is only available to members.
To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.
Start Free Trial
SOLUTION
Link to home
membership
This solution is only available to members.
To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.
Start Free Trial
My software Vendor told me I didn't have Active Directory installed since I couldn't see the users under "Active Dircetory Users and Computers."

He told me it's not worth the headache, but it seems I do as I just clicked on the users folder and then domain users and .... they are there!

Sheessh.  I guess he assumed I knew to click on domain users and then members of.

We are purchasing a windows accounting package for 40k and the expert there told me not to install it.  oh well it's already there.

SOLUTION
Link to home
membership
This solution is only available to members.
To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.
Start Free Trial
I now don't feel very confident with the software expert...    : (

So it is worth having installed and is worth the extra admin time?

We are moving from a Unix server that Windows computers could logon to via FacetWin.  I have been the Admin. for the Unix system for 15 years! Of course we would purchase
a new server every 4 years.  The old accounting package is RealWorld.  It runs in characer mode.  It is blazingly fast. I hope my people don't cry over slower screen refesh rates with
the new Windows accounting software.



   
Hi,

In relation to "So it is worth having installed and is worth the extra admin time?"

Yes to the first part and you already are to the second part -

you can do an amazing amount with Active Directory - have a look on google and see what I mean.

I am not sure why your software guy told you not to install it - it comes with SBS 2003. Its a great way to give permisions to users and computers alike.

Hope that helps

AD is great when you get the hang of it - and thats not hard at all

Cheers

AJ
Where do you see "extra admin time"? Just to start with: To get the same account functionality you have with your domain and its 15 users in a workgroup setup with 2 servers and 15 clients, you'd need to manage 30 accounts on the servers, and 15 accounts on each of your 15 workstations, which adds up to 255 accounts. A user password change would have to be executed on 17 places for that to work. That's what I would call "extra admin time".
So, yes, a domain is worth installing. Not to mention that you have wizards for everything in SBS.