Windows Domains

A Windows 10 feature that enables groups of workstations to be connected and managed from a specialized domain controller.

Windows offers creation of a domain account, which is a specialized administrator account that manages workstations that are part of a larger network. Control over each workstation is exercised via connection to a domain controller.

Domains are used to securely transfer data and manage computers within a private network. The domain-connected workstations can be a part of different local networks at the same time, and changes applied to the domain will be applied to all domain-connected workstations.

Domains use the common client-server system. A centralized server stores a collection of the available network resources, a common directory database, and the default security policy for the hosts of the domain. Clients request resources and information from the servers, and the servers provide user management, security, printing services, and storage (in the form of shared network drives). It's more manageable and scalable due to it's centralized management structure, and backups are a lot easier to run. However, it's more expensive to implement since it requires specialized software and hardware, and it takes longer to setup.

Joining a Domain

Access the System Properties window from Settings through: Settings > System > About > Device specificatoins > Related links > Domain or workgroup Select the option to change the computer name. However, before setting the domain name, ensure that the computer is using the DNS server managed by the Active Directory. That way, the computer can contact the domain controller for your domain, and successfully register itself with it's new domain.

When you input the name of the domain in order to join it, you'll need the credentials of an administrative user of that domain. If the registration is successful, you should see a message welcoming the user to the domain. A restart is usually required in order for necessary changes to the system to be applied.

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