How to you manage multiple systems on the same network?

[Ian]

Do most people here manage all of their systems by creating individual local accounts, use MS accounts to sync data or do you go as far as running Active Directory to manage users?

So far, I've always used local accounts on all of my systems - but I'm tempted to centralise management of them via AD, even for a home network. It would be a lot of work for just a handful of systems, but I'd quite like to be able to make sure they're all up to date and have fully patched software. It would also be nice to have roaming profiles between systems.

How do you manage your systems and user accounts?

 

[Trouble]

I'd say that your current approach, using local accounts and propagating those accounts with the necessary "share" and "NTFS / Security" permissions across all network nodes, is the most practical, if not the most elegant.
IF....
For no other reason than, financial concerns. Purchasing Microsoft Server software and the associated client access licenses can be a bit pricey.
Add to that the cost of any software you might need for the day to day operation of that server is also very pricey. Purchasing an Antivirus product and a Backup product that will run on a server can be very expensive.

Central management is nice, roaming user profiles are certainly a perk (when they work), and generally, playing with AD, configuring roles, your own private DNS domain, DHCP server, etc., can be quite fun, but....
For a small network involving only a few actual client machines it's probably not a good choice for everyone.
I didn't mind doing it when I had to but after retiring I've never felt the need other than the occasional playing around with a Hyper-V network with a single PDC and a couple clients, just to keep my hand in.

 

[Ian]

Yup, I have a feeling I'd regret doing it (in the long run) once I've had the fun of setting it up - I'd be concerned it would take too much time to manage. At the moment, I run things as you've described using network shares.

I just really miss being able to sync roaming data across PCs in an easy way - but I guess I'd make up for the time saved by having to manage an AD server.

 

[Tim Locke]

A few years back MS had a home server product which would have been just the thing...maybe too many businesses bought it instead of the real thing so it went away.

 

[Wolfie]

Hi Ian,

I only use local accounts as I don't want MS snooping around my stuff as they have already violated enough privacy rules in my book!.

 

[davehc]

Being lazy, I use the "Homegroup". I have it set up for for other computers in the house, from which I can peruse and "interfere" with them, as my wife puts it! I haven't any using Linux, but one of them uses Windows 7 .

 

[Wolfie]

I haven't any using Linux

If you did Dave, you would be an expert in "Samba" by now!.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samba_(software)