When referring to the logical arrangement of interconnected physical network resources and users, the term domain is also commonly used in other types of networks. Domains of this type allow for centralised control over all aspects of a network’s infrastructure and user experience. Servers, workstations, printers, and other peripherals are all common components of a network domain. It also offers a means of user authentication and authorization within the network. Administrators have the ability to restrict a user’s access to certain resources and modify the user’s permissions.
A network domain allows for the classification of network nodes and users according to organisational requirements and the characteristics of networked resources. Policy can be applied to network resources individually, allowing for greater control and flexibility for administrators. A user just needs to log in once to the domain before being granted access to all of the authorised resources, no matter where they may be physically located. Users can talk to one another and work together on the network thanks to this domain as well.
Network resources and users on both a LAN and a WAN might be part of a single domain (WAN). Common characteristics of domain management platforms like Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS) include optimising procedures like duplicating directory data between dispersed servers and assisting client computers in locating the nearest resources.
Active Directory, created by Microsoft for Windows domain networks, is a popular network domain in use today. Active Directory is a database that keeps track of all the items and users in a network and displays that data in a hierarchical, logical fashion so that it can be easily accessed and managed by both administrators and end users. Login authentication and directory object access control are only two examples of the integrated security features available.
One or more domain controllers are used by the Active Directory domain to centrally administer the network’s resources and users. A domain controller is a server responsible for administering an entire domain. It keeps track of information about the network’s resources, stores user accounts, and handles authentication requests. Replicating the directory with other domain controllers is another function it undertakes. While domain controllers find their most common usage in Active Directory networks, they are also employed in various non-Windows contexts.