Windows NT Accounts

User Account: A username and password in the SAM database of aworkstation, server, or domain controller. A user account can be either local orglobal.

Group Account: An account that contains one or more user accountswhose purpose is to simplify sharing of and access to group-based resources. Agroup account can be either local or global.

Computer Account: An account consisting of a computer name, followedby a dollar sign. The account is a member of the Domain Users global group inthe SAM database of a domain controller. NT creates a computer account when aworkstation, server, or Backup Domain Controller (BDC) joins a domain. Computeraccounts provide secure communication between a workstation or server and adomain controller, and between domain controllers in the same domain.

Trust Account: An account consisting of the trusted domain namepreceeded by G$$. NT creates this account between a domain controller in atrusted domain and a domain controller in a trusting domain when it establishesthe trust relationship. Trust relationships ensure secure, interdomaincommunication and are essential for passthrough authentication.