Controlling Logon Hours

Client Management: Controlling Logon Hours

There may be instances when you wish to limit the times that certain users in the Active Directory can log into the domain. Windows Server 2003 allows us to do just that on a user by user basis. For example, let's say that Mac N. Tosh, a member of the Accounting group , is a part-time user that only comes in Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 1pm to 5pm. To prevent anyone from logging in as Mr. Tosh, we could restrict the days and hours in which he can log in based on his work schedule.

Tutorial: Changing a User's Logon Schedule

1. Open Active Directory Users and Computers and browse to the Users OU located in the North Wing OU.

2. Call up the Properties dialog box for any user in the right pane of the window. For this example, our user's name is Mac N. Tosh.

3. Click the Account tab, and click the Logon Hours button.

4. The Logon hours window appears, resembling a calendar. Allowable logon hours are displayed in blue , and restricted hours are displayed in white . Recall that we wish to allow our user to log into the domain on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 1pm to 5pm. He cannot be allowed to log into the domain at any other time during the week. Notice that our user has more time during the week in which he can't log on vs. the time when he can log on. So let's set the entire calendar to a state preventing him from logging in at all, and selectively choose the times when he is allowed to log into the domain. Click the All button in the upper left corner of the calendar and select the Logon Denied choice to the right of the calendar. This clears the calendar to all white.

5. Across the top of the calendar, click and drag out a square covering the 1pm to 5pm envelope. Now, click the Logon Permitted choice to the right of the calendar. Notice that the time span from 1pm to 5pm turns blue from Sunday to Saturday.

6. On the left of the calendar, click the Sunday button. Now click the Logon Denied choice. This turns the entire spectrum of hours for Sunday white. Do the same for Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. What we're left with is the time frame we wanted: logon permitted from 1pm to 5pm on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday:

   Click OK when you're satisfied with the schedule.