Active Directory for Dummies by Marcia Loughry And Steve Clines

When it comes to managing user accounts and resources in a Windows network, Active Directory is the gold standard. If you’re new to Active Directory (AD), you’ll want to check out Active Directory for Dummies by Marcia Loughry and Steve Clines. This book is a great resource for learning about AD basics, such as creating user accounts, setting up group policies, and troubleshooting common issues.

Active Directory (AD) is a directory service that Microsoft developed for Windows domain networks. It is included in most Windows Server operating systems as a set of processes and services. AD stores information about objects on the network, such as user accounts, computer accounts, groups, and all other security-related information.

AD is designed to provide centralized management of network resources. The term “directory” refers to the way in which data is organized in AD. Data in AD is organized into objects.

There are three types of objects in AD: containers, leaf objects, and attributes. Containers are used to organize other objects within AD. Leaf objects are the actual resources that you can access on the network, such as files and printers.

Attributes are the properties of an object, such as name or location.

Domain Controller

A domain controller is a server that stores the Active Directory database and manages communication between computers in a Windows domain. The domain controller authenticates and authorizes all users and computers in the domain, and ensures that all users have the correct permissions to access resources in the domain.

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What is Active Directory

Assuming you would like an overview of Active Directory: Active Directory is a directory service created by Microsoft for Windows domain networks. It is included in most Windows Server operating systems as a set of processes and services.

Active Directory stores information and settings in a central location for computers, users, and applications within the domain. A domain is a grouping of network resources that can be managed together. Domains allow administrators to create security policies and deploy updates to all machines on the network from a single console.

By default, every machine that joins a domain becomes part of the same security boundary. This means that any user with an account on the domain can access any shared resource on any machine within the domain. Active Directory uses two main types of objects to store information:

-Resources (computers, printers, etc.) -Security principals (users, groups, etc.) Resource objects are used to store information about network resources such as computers and printers.

Security principal objects are used to store information about users, groups, and other security-related objects.

What are the Benefits of Using Active Directory

Assuming you are looking for the benefits of Active Directory from a business perspective: Active Directory (AD) is a Microsoft technology used to manage computer networks, as well as identifying and authenticating users. AD is either installed as part of the server operating system or deployed as a separate server role.

As an identity management database, AD stores information about network resources, such as user accounts, computers, groups, and security policies. AD can be used to simplify and automate many common network management tasks, such as adding new users or computers to the network, managing user rights and permissions, or resetting passwords. By storing all this information in a central location that can be easily accessed and updated, AD makes it easier for network administrators to maintain control over their networks.

There are many other benefits of using Active Directory that can be helpful for businesses, including: -Security: By storing information about users and their permissions in a central database, businesses can more easily control who has access to sensitive data and systems. This can help prevent unauthorized access and data leaks.

-Productivity: Since Active Directory can automate many common tasks related to managing users and resources on a network, it can free up time for administrators that can be better spent on other tasks. Additionally, by making it easier for users to find the resources they need quickly and easily, AD can help improve employee productivity. -Scalability: Active Directory is designed to support large numbers of users and devices on enterprise-level networks.

As businesses grow and add more employees or locations, they can rely on AD to keep track of everything without running into performance issues.

How Do I Install And Configure Active Directory

Assuming you would like a step-by-step guide on how to install and configure Active Directory: 1. Log into the server with an account that has administrator privileges. 2. Open Server Manager.

If Server Manager is not already open, click Start, point to Administrative Tools, and then click Server Manager. 3. In the console tree, expand Roles, and then click Active Directory Domain Services. The details pane displays a message that says AD DS is not installed.

Click Add Roles in the message box to start the Add Roles Wizard. 4. On the Before You Begin page of the Add Roles Wizard, review the information about adding roles to servers, and then click Next. 5. On the Select Server Roles page, select Active Directory Domain Services check box, and then click Next three times until you arrive at the Confirm Installation Selections page where you can review your choices for installation options including any features that will also be installed automatically as required by AD DS (DNS in this case).

After reviewing your selections on this page, click Install to proceed with installing AD DS on your server running Windows Server 2008 or Windows Server 2008 R2 . Installing AD DS will promote your server to a domain controller for a new domain using default settings unless you specify otherwise during promotion or after promotion using dcpromo /advancedoptions command line tool which allows for more granular control over promotion process if needed befor clicking Next button seven times until completion . Review results of installation once it is completed and close out of wizard .

reboot system when prompted . That’s It! Your Done!

How Do I Manage Users, Computers, And Other Objects in Active Directory

Assuming you are referring to managing users, computers, and other objects within Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS), there are a few methods that can be used. The first method is to use the Active Directory Users and Computers snap-in. This can be launched by going to Start > Run and then typing “dsa.msc”.

Once the snap-in has been loaded, you will be able to expand the tree structure on the left hand side of the console until you reach the level that contains the object you wish to manage. Right clicking on an object will give you a list of management tasks that can be carried out. Another way to manage AD DS objects is by using PowerShell cmdlets.

For example, the Get-ADUser cmdlet can be used to retrieve information about a specific user account, such as their name, email address, and when their password was last set. To view a list of all available cmdlets for AD DS management, you can type “Get-Command -Module ActiveDirectory” at a PowerShell prompt. Finally, it is also possible to use ADSI Edit to manage AD DS objects.

This tool can be found in Start > All Programs > Administrative Tools > ADSI Edit. Once launched, ADSI Edit will connect to the default naming context (NC) for your domain automatically.

What are Some of the Common Tasks That Can Be Performed With Active Directory

Assuming you are referring to Active Directory Domain Services: Active Directory Domain Services is the centralized location for managing network resources in a Windows Server environment. It stores information about objects on the network, such as users, computers, and devices, and provides security and replication services.

Some of the common tasks that can be performed with Active Directory include: -Creating and managing user accounts -Granting permissions and access to network resources

-Organizing users into groups for easier management -Auditing user activity

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Conclusion

Assuming you would like a summary of the blog post: Active Directory is a Microsoft technology used to provide centralized management and security for networks. It allows administrators to control access to network resources, manage user accounts and passwords, and enforce security policies.

Active Directory can be deployed on-premises or in the cloud, and it is included with most versions of Windows Server.