Windows Account & User Management over 4 Machines

[Guest]

I'm looking for some recommendations: I have 4 machines, on a LAN, 3 of which
I need to setup about 40 user accounts, and the fourth I was looking to use
as a administrator machine, and be able to monitor the other 3 machines. All
40 users must be able to use any of the 3 machines. It doesnt make any sense
to create 40 accounts on all 3 machines seperately, I was wondering if there
was a way to have them log on one machine perhaps on a LAN, or if I could set
it up on one machine and copy the policy files to the other 2? They are just
going to be user accounts only, I will have the only administrator account.
Any advice, recommendations, would be helpful.

I currently have Windows XP Professional installed on all of the machines.
I do have the option of upgrading to Windows Server 2003, although I don't
know much about it and if it would let me do what I am looking to do. Any
comments, tips, or other recommendations of software programs would be
helpful. I have heard of something called Novell? I think that does what I
want but is there a way to do this just by using Windows?

Thanks

 

[Colin Nash [MVP]]

I'm looking for some recommendations: I have 4 machines, on a LAN, 3 of
which
I need to setup about 40 user accounts, and the fourth I was looking to
use
as a administrator machine, and be able to monitor the other 3 machines.
All
40 users must be able to use any of the 3 machines. It doesnt make any
sense
to create 40 accounts on all 3 machines seperately, I was wondering if
there
was a way to have them log on one machine perhaps on a LAN, or if I could
set
it up on one machine and copy the policy files to the other 2? They are
just
going to be user accounts only, I will have the only administrator
account.
Any advice, recommendations, would be helpful.

I currently have Windows XP Professional installed on all of the machines.
I do have the option of upgrading to Windows Server 2003, although I don't
know much about it and if it would let me do what I am looking to do. Any
comments, tips, or other recommendations of software programs would be
helpful. I have heard of something called Novell? I think that does what
I
want but is there a way to do this just by using Windows?

Thanks

Setting up a Windows domain would allow you to centralize manage accounts
and even have a 'roaming profile' for your users that follows on any machine
they use. For example, their desktop icons and Internet Explorer Favorites
would be the same.

For a small organization like yours, Small Business Server 2003 might be
more reasonably priced and more straightforward to set up.
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2003/sbs/default.mspx You would need
1 server (the hardware specs are up to you-- it doesn't always need to be a
top-of-the-line server class machine) and up to 75 workstations PCs.

Otherwise, yes you will need to create a ridiculous number of user accounts
on each machine and expect your users to keep track of a different password,
potentially, on each machine. Or give up on accounts completely and just
have all the machines log on to a generic account that everyone uses. (Not
a great idea for security.)

 

[Guest]

Thanks Colin

I will look into Windows Server Small Business