Domain and Workgroup -- What's the difference?

[FrankZ]

So, I was kinda wondering, I've been setting up domains and workgroups in so many different places already, that it just became an easy job for me, set up the cables, the hubs, and all that jazz. But I've been thinking recently, why do we need to set up domains if it'll be the same with workgroups? What's the difference? What will I benefit from domains?

I'd like to let ya know that I already figured out some of the few main points between them:

- Domains let you do file sharing on almost any number of interconnected computers regardless of operating system
- Domains can let you make local web (you can load local web pages stored on the domain host on other computers connected to it)


After that, I don't have a clue. So what are the difference/s?

[Neo]

I'm not entirely sure O.o;;

This is one of my weaknesses actually, Networking that is. I know enough to say, hookup a home network, but nothing much more advanced then that.

Heh. I'm lucky if my file shares actually work x.x

-Neo

[TimP]

Workgroups originate from the old NetBIOS days of Windows networking (anyone else remember Windows 3.11 for Workgroups?) as a very simple form of peer to peer networking for sharing files, printers, etc.

Domains were introduced with Active Directory in Windows 2000 and use TCP/IP, DNS, and Kerberos. Unlike the peer to peer nature of Workgroups, a domain consists of at least one central server, known as a domain controller.

Active Directory is an enormous product and I can't begin to summarize everything, but some cool things about it are:

Single sign-on: You have a single username and password across all computers, all your login information is synchronized, so changing your password on one computer changes it on all computers. This also allows you to do things like setup a network home directory that gets automatically mapped to every computer you log on to and only you can access it.

Centralized administration: You can push changes (group policy) from the domain controller to a subset or all computers under the domain controller. A simple example would be changing the home pages on all machines with one click.

Highly granular resource sharing: You can share printers and files to individuals users or groups of users.


So most likely you've been setting up workgroups rather than domains, as the names are not synonymous. The domain controller must be running Windows 2000 Server (any variety), Windows Server 2003 (any edition except Web), or Windows Server 2008. Windows XP Home computers cannot join domains, only Windows XP Professional. I believe you need to be running Vista Business or higher to join domains in the Vista family.

[FrankZ]

Thanks, TimP. Currently, I'm running Microsoft Windows Codename Whistler on my Domain Controller, and have got 51 active peers. But is it possible to join or link two different domain controllers together to somewhat join the two domains? Or do I just have to change the second domain controller into a normal peer and join all the others on the first domain?

[TimP]

Whistler was the code name for Windows XP (over 6 years old now), which can't be run as a domain controller, unless for some reason the beta version of Windows XP allowed it, which seems unlikely, so I'm a bit confused.

Active Directory allows multiple domain controllers in a single domain, though. I don't know if multiple domain controllers offer any performance gains, but I suspect it's mostly for redundancy.

[FrankZ]

Whistler was the code name for Windows XP (over 6 years old now), which can't be run as a domain controller, unless for some reason the beta version of Windows XP allowed it, which seems unlikely, so I'm a bit confused.

Active Directory allows multiple domain controllers in a single domain, though. I don't know if multiple domain controllers offer any performance gains, but I suspect it's mostly for redundancy.

Hmm... Whistler works fine as my domain controller for some time now... anyways, thanks again Timp. So is it fine to use three different domain controllers with different operating systems (WIN2k Server, WIN2008, WIN2003)