> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.parallels.com/landing/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.parallels.com/landing/ras-best-practices-guide/v20/active-directory-and-infrastructure-services-considerations.md).

# Active Directory and Infrastructure Services Considerations

Parallels RAS can be installed in both Workgroup and Active Directory (AD) environments where end users, RAS servers, and RDS servers belong to the same AD forest (domains with single root domain) or multiple forests with trust relationships. Domains and workgroups represent different methods for organizing computers in networks. The main difference among them is how the computers and other resources on the networks are managed. For better manageability and scalability, following Microsoft recommendations, Parallels recommends the use of domains where:

* One or more computers are servers. Network administrators use servers to control security and permissions for all computers in the domain. This makes it easy to make changes because they are automatically made to all computers. Domain users must provide a password or other credentials each time they access the domain.
* If you have a user account on the domain, you can log in to any computer in the domain without needing an account on that computer.
* There can be thousands of computers in a domain.
* The computers can be on different local networks.
* File, folder, and user and group permissions can be assigned.


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