If you’ve ever set up a Windows server or network, you’ve probably come across Active Directory - or AD. Microsoft AD provides system administrators with a set of tools for managing resources on a network.
It’s designed to simplify the experience of using Windows for both administrators and end-users - and is an essential tool for any IT department.
What is Active Directory? What are the key benefits and capabilities of the tool? Why is it important for Windows networks? How can you get started?
In this blog post, we’ll answer all of your questions about Microsoft Active Directory and discuss some of its most important features. Let’s go!
Active Directory is a directory service provided by Microsoft for the Windows Server operating system. A directory is a hierarchical structure that stores data and information about objects on the network.
Microsoft AD enables administrators to manage the resources within a network and provides a centralized location for storing and managing object data.
What sort of information does Active Directory handle and store?
Other objects include:
A directory service like Windows AD can authenticate and authorize requests to use network resources such as printers, file services, and local applications. This makes AD a crucial tool for maintaining file security and access permissions.
Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS) is a core function within Active Directory that handles identity management by storing information about user accounts and permissions.
What features does AD DS provide? These include:
This service stores information about your user accounts and authenticates their credentials whenever a request is made to access a network resource.
Many Windows server protocols - including Exchange Service, Group Policy and Remote Desktop Protocol - rely on AD DS to function.
How does Active Directory work? How are these directories structured and organized? Let’s discuss some key features of Windows AD and explore how the platform works!
Microsoft AD stores information about objects on a network in a database. The servers that host and provide access to this database are known as domain controllers.
This server handles requests for authentication from users within your network, using AD DS to authenticate credentials and provide access.
Organizational Units are a type of container in Active Directory that can be used to organize and manage objects, such as users, computers, and groups.
This allows you to create a hierarchical structure that reflects how your company uses its network resources, making it easier to manage objects and apply group policies.
Group Policy allows administrators to define and enforce policies for a group of objects - such as multiple users and computers.
It can simplify the management and maintenance of a network by standardizing configurations and settings across your network. It ensures that policies and AD settings are consistent across your network, providing an added level of security to your systems.
Active Directory allows network administrators to control and manage network resources. Here are some key benefits of Microsoft AD:
Active Directory provides a single, centralized location for storing and managing user and resource data.
As a result, you can control access to resources, enforce security policies, and track and monitor activity. If your AD is well maintained, every user will have access to the resources and shared files they need.
With Active Directory you can set up and enforce security policies, such as password policies, access permissions, and authentication to control and protect network resources.
This helps to secure your network and protect against unauthorized access and avoid data breaches.
Active Directory makes it easy to create and delete user accounts, set up user permissions, and manage devices, such as computers and printers.
This will also save time for your end-users as it ensures their user accounts and passwords work across devices and network applications.
Active Directory is designed to support large networks with a high number of users and resources. In fact, it can easily handle millions of objects.
It is highly scalable, meaning it can easily grow and adapt as your business needs expand.
Before implementing Active Directory, proper planning is essential. Here are key considerations:
Consider these factors when designing your AD environment:
Ensure you have the necessary resources:
With proper planning complete, you'll be ready to begin implementation. For a detailed installation guide, see the step-by-step section below.
Follow these detailed steps to implement Active Directory in your organization:
Before installing AD DS, ensure your server meets these requirements:
Follow these steps to install the AD DS role:
After installing AD DS, you'll need to promote the server:
After server restarts, configure these elements:
Even well-maintained Active Directory environments can encounter problems. Here are solutions to common issues:
When domain controllers fail to sync data properly:
repadmin /showrepl to identify specific errorsIf users can't log in or access resources:
As you can see, Active Directory stores a lot of different data and is responsible for several important services. That's why it's good to stay up-to-date on the current data in your domain so that it runs safely and you can act quickly if something isn't up to date. Read more about this topic here - How to pull Active Directory reports.
Follow these industry-standard best practices to maintain a healthy Active Directory environment:
Active Directory is an on-premises directory service, while Azure AD is Microsoft's cloud-based identity and access management service. Azure AD doesn't use Group Policy or domain controllers but offers modern authentication protocols for cloud applications.
For business continuity, you should have a minimum of two domain controllers per domain. For larger organizations, follow the general rule of one DC per 2,000-2,500 users, with additional DCs for each physical location with more than 100 users.
Our AD FastReporter tool provides comprehensive reporting and monitoring for Active Directory, helping you maintain security and optimize performance.
Learn More About AD FastReporterMicrosoft Active Directory is an essential part of any Windows network. Correctly installing a domain controller and configuring your directory will ensure your network resources are allocated effectively and securely.
It ensures that user accounts and permissions are set up correctly and that your end-users can use their credentials on any application or device they need to use.
If your organization has migrated to the cloud, perhaps you should explore Azure AD - Microsoft’s cloud directory service. It’s a modern identity as a service (IDaaS) solution that provides your business with secure authentication across all of your cloud apps.