User Management

User management is the operating system function that creates and controls user accounts. It decides who is allowed to log on to a computer and what each person may do once they are logged on.

Everyone who uses the computer has their own account, and the operating system gives that account a set of access rights. These are permissions that set which programs can be opened, which settings can be changed and what parts of the system can be reached. An account with few rights can still use the computer perfectly well, but it cannot change the setup or reach anyone else's files.

Different accounts, different rights

A community sports centre has three reception computers, and each member of staff has an account suited to their job:

When a new volunteer starts, the technician creates an account with volunteer rights, so nothing more is handed over than the job needs. If a member of staff leaves, the account is disabled, so their old password can no longer be used.

Accounts as security

Because every action is tied to an account, the operating system can require a password at logon, insist on a new password after a set time, and lock an account after several wrong attempts. That is why user management is really about security. User management is not the same as file management: saving and organising files is a separate function, while user management is about accounts, permissions and keeping the computer safe from the wrong people.