|  | Planning an Installation of Microsoft Windows XP Professional Deciding on a Workgroup or Domain Installation
| Before installing Windows XP Professional, you must decide if you will install the operating system in a workgroup or domain configuration. Workgroup Characteristics A workgroup is a small group of computers on a network that enables users to work together and does not support centralized administration.
A workgroup has the following characteristics: Resources can be located on each computer in the workgroup. Administration and authentication of users are performed on each computer in the workgroup. Each computer has its own local Security Accounts Manager (SAM) database. A user must have a user account on each computer to which that user needs to gain access to resources. A workgroup becomes more difficult to manage as it becomes larger. Windows XP Professional can support only ten simultaneous incoming connections.
| Note: If you are installing Windows XP Professional on a stand-alone computer, you will install it into a workgroup configuration.