Network accounts still desirable?

[jayartibee]

In these days of the demise of MacOS Server - and the comparative complexity of using a Golden Triangle of Windows Server for Home folders + third party MDM -

 

Is it still a useful idea to have children use a network account - OR is it more a reflection of the real workplace to log in to a shared (managed) local account and then to log in to a file server for documents?

 

I certainly think the latter would be quicker, and massively reduce network traffic?

[Rob_D]

I would say, yes. Network accounts are still "desirable" in education. (And I'd think they're still use a lot in business, but I can't say for sure).

 

The main arguments for network accounts (whether that's on site AD, AAD or something else), are auditing and tracking of student users as part of the wbefiltering/safeguarding solution, and convenience. If you have a "shared local login" on the PC then that's 2 logins they need to put in, and remember in a world where everything is pushing toward SSO, and an environment when I've been asked "can you reduce the number of clicks to get to X", having to login and then login in again is going to be a harder sell. And leaving the workstations "open" sounds like asking for problems.

 

And I'd say even in business, the main reason to move away from network accounts is 1:1 devices but even then, the device account is still authenticating against an AD like central directory.

[Brimstone]

macOS still lets users login with AD,AAD Credentials, but network based users account just do not work with macOS

[XiJ]

I have some local logins that are scripted to joint a local share (no AD server). They desperately need mdm tbh.

 

I would look at mdm - and how you can link that to any azureAD/on-prem/google for your auth.