What benefit do you gain by creating Account templates for Windows Server 2003?

Question

What benefit do you gain by creating Account templates for Windows Server 2003

Answer 1

Sheez... where do I start?
The benefits of Active Directory are best evidenced by their ability to lump objects into groups. Groups of users, groups of computers, etc., each with specialized attributes (especially file and access permissions). Configuring these attributes correctly takes time. Doing it repeatedly, you're prone to making mistakes. Doing it rarely, you're prone to forgetting all the special settings you made weeks or months ago.
Once you create a user or computer with all the right attributes for that group (such as administrators, accountants, attorneys, staff, whatever), you can use it as a template for all future members of that group. Then, adding members with all the right attributes, permissions, etc. becomes simple. Use the template, add the name and you're done.
Not only is it much, much faster (particularly in large environments or those that change quickly), it's much more reliable. If you didn't make a mistake the first time, you'll never make another.