In message <(E-Mail Removed)>, TX2
<tx2newscollection-invalid-@hotmail.com> writes
>I can set up a basic peer to peer (P2P) network without any problems
>usually, and when doing so for a family friend the other day, he asked
>me a question I couldn't really answer.
>
>What is the difference between a server, and P2P??
>
>I think what he meant was domain 'type' networking as opposed to P2P.
>
>It came about because he happens to have a (I didn't ask) Windows 2000
>server CD on his desk.
>
>I tried to bluff my may out of his question by saying essentially, a
>server network such as that you'd get in a large office, was where all
>computers connected to one central computer, as opposed to P2P where
>they are all interconnected.
Whether you use P2P or domain security all of the machines are likely to
be connected together. The difference (for Microsoft networks) is how
they deal with user authentication.
In a P2P network each machine deals with its own security. Each machine
records what login names will be granted access, and what passwords they
use. With domain security login IDs and passwords are maintained
centrally, on a server called a Domain Controller (abbreviated to DC).
Suppose you have a login ID "Peter" with a password "foo". You could set
up every machine on the network using the same credentials.
When someone logs in to a machine as Peter/foo and requires access to
another machine their login ID and password (Peter/foo) is sent to that
machine. If it accepts those then access is granted. But if the user
Peter on that machine uses a different password then access will be
refused.
In a domain there is only one login ID for Peter and only one password.
What's more that ID can be made part of a group (such as Administrators)
and access rights can be granted for the individual user, the group or
both. It isn't necessary to enter every domain user's details into the
new computer. All of these details and quite a lot more are stored as
part of a "profile" stored on the domain controller.
When someone sits down at the new computer and enters their login
details for the first time, the new computer sends the details to the
Domain Controller. The response it gets back decides what access rights
the user has on the new machine and the rest of the network. The profile
stored on the DC can include startup scripts that map network drives,
set up default printers etc.
All of the details are on the Microsoft web site. It's a massive site
and there's an awful lot there. But if you expect to be able to support
a site using Microsoft domains then you will need to know a lot of this.
To add another layer of complication, Microsoft made a major change to
their domain security system when they introduced Windows 2000. If your
friend is starting with Windows 2000 he can ignore the earlier system
and go straight to the new system, which is called Active Directory
(abbreviated to AD.)
Just in case you aren't sufficiently confused I'll add that your friend
could get a lot of the benefits of domain security by running a Linux
server rather than Windows NT Server or Windows 2000 Server. It's
probably more appropriate for home networks.
If you want to take a look at Windows domain security, and you have a
spare PC, you can get an evaluation version of Microsoft's new server
(Windows 2003 Server.) You can order a free CD from the Microsoft site.
The evaluation version runs for 6 months.
--
Bernard Peek
London, UK. DBA, Manager, Trainer & Author. Will work for money.
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