Domains vs Workgroups...Pros/Cons?

[pgebhard]

I have a home network, and I wonder about domains and workgroups...how do they work in a technical way? Is one faster or more managable? Any ideas... I just dont have a clue what a domain offers. I currently have a workgroup that includes my 3 computers.

 

[stash]

As far as performance, they should be pretty much the same. The big difference is managability. With a workgroup, every machine has its own access list. That means if you want to create multiple user accounts, you would have to create each account on every machine in the workgroup. With a few computers and just a few users this isnt such a big deal, especially if you dont have to change passwords often.

With a domain, the user accounts are stored on a central server. That way, you only have to create a user account in one place to be able to have that user log onto any machine in the domain.

For example, a large corporation might have 500 users. They might also want the users to change their passwords on the first day of every other month or something like that. If the corp had a workgroup, the admins would be very busy come password change day. With a domain, a user changes their password, and can then log onto any machine.

Hope this helps...PS, for your home network, you would probably want to go with a workgroup.

 

[pgebhard]

Ok, thanks a lot! One thing i had just asked my friend (this isnt a big deal tho) is how I could make it so I could do ctrl+alt+del and be able to lock the computer. I mean at school, they run win2k and you can do that, but then again that is a domain. He said you can do it with domains, but I guess not with anything else. Is that true? If it is, it isnt a big deal; I would still keep a workgroup.

 

[stash]

You can lock a Windows 2000 box regardless if it is on a domain or a workgroup. Ctrl-alt-del and you'll see it.

 

[pgebhard]

Dang, so WinXP (I have Pro) just doesnt have that?

 

[Goosemaster]

yeah it does...you probably don't see it because the switch user mode is on. If you go into users and options you can change it...it will look like 2k...

But if you want to lock it, the easuiest way is just to ctrl-alt-del and then click shurtdown,switch user....


THat will still keep you logged in, but will effectively lock the pc.