Page 1 of 3 123 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 24

Thread: What is Domain?

  1. #1
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Aug 2006
    Location
    India
    Posts
    289

    Question What is Domain?

    I see a lot of discussions going on in other forums wherein we discuss about domains. I searched google and all I could understand by looking at various results is that domain is some sort of methods using which some PCs can be grouped. Is is something like creating a subnet or more like a service for a network? and what are the differences between a LAN and a Domain?

    EDIT: I know about the Domain names but what is the 'domain' in a private network ... like a LAN?
    Last edited by jockey0109; June 21st, 2007 at 01:30 PM.
    "Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler."

    - Albert Einstein

  2. #2
    Senior Member JPnyc's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2005
    Posts
    2,734
    A domain is merely a unique name that an IP address resolves to. Domain names are for humans. A server is found by its IP address.
    A "DNS" matches the domain name to its corresponding IP address and sends the request to the server.

  3. #3
    Keeping The Balance CybertecOne's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2004
    Location
    Australia
    Posts
    660
    A Domain is a group of computers that are managed by a central server. "Domain" was coined by Microsoft, but there are other names for the same configuration for other operating systems.

    The Domain is given a unique name, that as JPnyc mentioned, i used by humans. You see these unique domain names everyday on the internet; www.google.com, any website and @mycompany.org, on any email address.

    [edit]
    I know about the Domain names but what is the 'domain' in a private network
    To answer that, imagine a company with employees that each use a computer. Those computers are then managed by a central server, called the domain controller, each workstation the employees use is a domain member.

    The domain controller is in charge of things like user accounts and passwords, restricting use and applying individual configuration settings for each user and or computer itself. Anyway, the list goes on and on..... really!
    [/edit]
    Last edited by CybertecOne; June 21st, 2007 at 02:15 PM.
    "Any intelligent fool can make things bigger and more complex... It takes a touch of genius --- and a lot of courage to move in the opposite direction."
    - Albert Einstein

  4. #4

  5. #5
    Right turn Clyde Nokia's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2003
    Location
    Button Moon
    Posts
    1,696
    what are the differences between a LAN and a Domain?
    I suppose in a loose sort of way you could think of the LAN as the physical entity (the actual computers) and the backbone (routers, switches etc.) of the whole thing - and think of the domain as a software administrative aid to manage the computers (hosts) and the security of them from an Operating System point of view.

    Everything in the same domain shares an element of trust with each other and all do what the domain controller(s) says. One person can manage an unlimited number of hosts and is called the domain administrator. As everything in the same domain will implicitly trust the domain admin this makes management tasks extremely easy. Likewise anything not a member of the domain is not trusted b default unless configured otherwise - making securing the domain from external person(s) easier then it may otherwise be.

    A workgroup is similar to a domain except there is no controller available and everything is configured individually on each host. - usually this is the method when there are only a few hosts (say 10 or less) or there are no services which require a domain to be in place.

  6. #6
    Senior Member Aardpsymon's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    St Annes (aaaa!)
    Posts
    434
    To add to Nokia's differences, you can have multiple domains available on the same physical LAN. You can also set up "trusts" between domains on a LAN so that they can share resources.
    If the world doesn't stop annoying me I will name my kids ";DROP DATABASE;" and get revenge.

  7. #7
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Aug 2006
    Location
    India
    Posts
    289
    Well, Now the things are quite clearer than before. I thought that 'domains' were related to Linux also. Anyway.... thanks a lot.

    SO I think that the 'Active Directory' services are deployed for the management and configuration of the domains? And the active directory is nothing but the container type object with the elements being the resources for the management of the 'domain'?

    Anyway what is the 'Linux equivalent' of the 'Windows Server Domain'?
    "Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler."

    - Albert Einstein

  8. #8
    Right turn Clyde Nokia's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2003
    Location
    Button Moon
    Posts
    1,696

    SO I think that the 'Active Directory' services are deployed for the management and configuration of the domains? And the active directory is nothing but the container type object with the elements being the resources for the management of the 'domain'?
    Kind of, there is much more to that capabilities and usage Active Directory than that but in essence I suppose you are correct.

    Anyway what is the 'Linux equivalent' of the 'Windows Server Domain'?
    Crap!

  9. #9
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Aug 2006
    Location
    India
    Posts
    289
    So do I assume that there is nothing in Linux to manage the networks just like Windows? Then how do those big sites and so many companies run Linux in their production centers??
    "Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler."

    - Albert Einstein

  10. #10
    Right turn Clyde Nokia's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2003
    Location
    Button Moon
    Posts
    1,696
    There are similar applications out there but they're not exactly the same (to my knowledge ayway). There are 100's of plugin's for Active Directory to make it compatible with *nix based hosts for certain services and certain functions - and there are things like OPenLDAP etc that will handle the authentication side of things for *nix hosts - but for domain managment, administration and security nothing comes remotley close to Active Directory.

Similar Threads

  1. Windows Error Messages
    By cheyenne1212 in forum Miscellaneous Security Discussions
    Replies: 7
    Last Post: February 1st, 2012, 02:51 PM
  2. Simplified Domain Controller Hardening, Part 1
    By 576869746568617 in forum The Security Tutorials Forum
    Replies: 1
    Last Post: July 8th, 2006, 04:57 PM
  3. Domain Needs Spring Cleaning..
    By fraggin in forum Operating Systems
    Replies: 3
    Last Post: March 29th, 2005, 03:53 PM
  4. multiple master browsers in domain??
    By phishphreek in forum Microsoft Security Discussions
    Replies: 9
    Last Post: September 25th, 2003, 08:09 PM
  5. requirements for a .ca website?
    By Krimlin in forum Miscellaneous Security Discussions
    Replies: 3
    Last Post: June 16th, 2003, 08:26 AM

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •