 - Active Directory is Microsoft's trademarked directory service, an integral part of the Windows 2000 architecture. Like other directory services, such as Novell Directory Services (NDS), Active Directory is a centralized and standardized system that automates network management of user data, security, and distributed resources, and enables interoperation with other directories. Active Directory is designed especially for distributed networking environments.
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Active Directory features include: - Support for the X.500 standard for global directories
- The capability for secure extension of network operations to the Web
- A hierarchical organization that provides a single point of access for system administration (management of user accounts, clients, servers, and applications, for example) to reduce redundancy and errors
- An object-oriented storage organization, which allows easier access to information
- Support for the Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) to enable inter-directory operability
- Designed to be both backward compatible and forward compatible
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Getting started with Active Directory |
| To explore how the Active Directory is used in the enterprise, here is an additional resource: |
| Active Directory Tutorial: Learn how Microsoft Active Directory can benefit your environment with this tutorial on security, replication, DNS and more. You'll also find best practices for Active Directory design and migration, plus what's new with AD for Windows Server 2008. |
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| LAST UPDATED: |
07 Nov 2008
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