Using windows authentication in a workgroup to manage application users

A first computing system for authenticating a user of an application, the first computing system comprising:

• a component configured to receive credentials for accessing a user account of an operating system executing at a remote computing system configured to manage access to a first resource;
• a component configured to transmit to the remote computing system a request to access the first resource using the received credentials for accessing the user account of the operating system executing at the remote computing system,
• wherein the request is transmitted before the user has been authenticated by the application;
• and
• a component configured to receive from the remote computing system, an indication of whether the first resource was successfully accessed using the received credentials for accessing the user account of the operating system executing at the remote computing system,
• wherein the application is configured to authenticate the user responsive to determining that the resource was successfully accessed using the received credentials for accessing the user account of the operating system executing at the remote computing system.

A computer-readable memory storing instructions that, if executing by a first computing system having a processor, cause the first computing system to perform a method for authenticating users of a second computing system, the method comprising:

• establishing, by the first computing system, user accounts with an operating system executing at the first computing system and configured to manage access to a first resource and a second resource;
• responsive to receiving, from the second computing system, a first request to authenticate a user on behalf of a first application executing at the second computing system, the first request including credentials,
• requesting, by the first computing system, access to the first resource using the established user account and the credentials of the first request, and
• sending, to the second computing system, an indication of whether the first resource was successfully accessed using the established account and the credentials of the first request;
• and
• responsive to receiving, from the second computing system, a second request to authenticate the user on behalf of a second application executing at the second computing system, the second request including credentials,
• requesting, by the first computing system, access to the second resource using the established user account and the credentials of the second request,
• sending, to the second computing system, an indication of whether the second resource was successfully accessed using the established account and the credentials of the second request.