In addition to Advanced Server and Windows NT primary and backup domain controllers, a domain can contain computers running Windows NT Workstation and computers running Windows NT Server as members, but not domain controllers. LAN Manager 2.x servers and clients also can participate in an Advanced Server domain.
For each computer running Windows NT Workstation on your network, you specify whether to have the workstation participate in a domain or in a workgroup. A workgroup is a collection of computers that can view each others’ directories over the network but do not share a common directory database. Workgroup members log on to workstation accounts only and share resources between computers in the workgroup. In most cases, you will want each workstation to participate in a domain.
For information about domain interactions with workgroup computers, see Computers That Can Interact With Domain Computers.
Computers running Windows NT Server can be configured as member servers that do not store copies of the directory database, and therefore do not authenticate accounts or receive synchronized copies of the directory database. These servers are used to run applications dedicated to specific tasks, such as managing print or file servers or high-volume tasks such as running database applications.
For information about running Windows NT Server as a member server, see Windows NT Server Concepts and Planning.
LAN Manager for UNIX Systems, version 2.x, servers can function in a domain that has a primary domain controller running Advanced Server or Windows NT Server. LAN Manager 2.x servers can be used as backup domain controllers but cannot be the primary domain controller of an Advanced Server domain because LAN Manager 2.x does not support all the types of information contained in Advanced Server accounts.
LAN Manager 2.x BDCs can validate logon attempts from computers running Windows for Workgroups, Windows 95, or LAN Manager 2.x workstation software, but they cannot validate logon attempts from computers running Windows NT Workstation. (For this reason, do not rely on LAN Manager 2.x servers as your only BDCs in an Advanced Server domain.)
Note
LAN Manager 2.x BDCs cannot be promoted to primary domain controller of an Advanced Server domain.
