User & Groups

Local Users and Groups
The key to server security is users and groups. A user, or user account, represents a
real person who needs to use the resources on a server. In addition to granting
access to the server, users and groups are also used to control exactly what people
can do once they gain access to the server. As you will learn in Session 6, access to
the files and folders on a server is controlled by specifying which users and groups
are permitted to access each file or folder.
Users
User accounts are configured with several pieces of information:
_ A user name, or user ID, which uniquely represents and identifies the
account—for example, “JohnL,” “DJones,” or “RhondaHinz.” User names
are often an abbreviation of the user’s full name, which makes it easier for
the user to remember.
_ A proper name, which is the user’s full name. While Windows Server 2003
doesn’t actually care about the user’s full name, it’s a useful piece of information
that can help administrators easily identify user accounts.
_ A password, which is a series of numbers, symbols, and letters. Passwords
are intended to be a secret that only the user and the server know. When a
user provides the correct password, the server is assured that the user is
who they claim to be.
_ Account properties, which define special information about the user. For
example, account properties may indicate whether or not a user is allowed
to access a server only during business hours. Account properties may also
be used to temporarily lock users out, preventing them from accessing the
server even if they have the correct password.
Managing users
Windows Server 2003 enables you to create user accounts using the Computer
Management application (assuming you are logged on to the server with a user
account that has the authority to create user accounts). The application is located
in the Administrative Tools folder, which can be accessed from the Start menu.
Once the application is opened, just expand the Local Users and Groups folder.
As shown in Figure 3-1, you can manage users by selecting the Users folder.