This chapter presents an overview of the various components of an Advanced Server network. The relationships between computers and domains, users and domains, groups and domains, and between multiple domains are explained, providing a general understanding of how all of the pieces fit together.
Also in this chapter is an introduction to the basic concepts involved in managing an Advanced Server domain. Step-by-step procedures are provided in online Help.
This chapter contains the following sections:
Modern network server operating systems track user accounts in a secure and replicated database called a directory. The operating system services that facilitate the use of this database are called directory services.
A domain is the administrative unit of Advanced Server directory services. Within a domain, an administrator creates one user account for each user. The account includes user information, group memberships, and security policy information.
Advanced Server directory services provide the following key advantages through the domain structure:
Single user logon
Network users can connect to multiple servers with a single network logon. Directory services extend this logon to all Advanced Server services and server applications.
Centralized network administration
A centralized view of the entire network from any workstation on the network provides the ability to track and manage information on users, groups, and resources in a distributed network. This single point of administration for multiple servers simplifies the management of an Advanced Server-based network.
Universal access to resources
One domain user account and password is all that a user needs in order to use available resources throughout the network. Through directory services, account validation is extended to allow seamless user access to multiple network domains.
Although Advanced Server directory services are transparent, they are instrumental in executing the commands you enter to manage the user and group accounts in your domain.
An understanding of domain components and how they interact is critical to making appropriate decisions when using a domain structure to implement Advanced Server directory services features. The following section provides a brief explanation of the key components and functionality of an Advanced Server domain.
This section discusses the following topics:
