Active Directory

Active Directory, which is an essential component of the Windows 2000 architecture, presents organizations with a directory service designed for distributed computing environments. Active Directory allows organizations to centrally manage and share information on network resources and users while acting as the central authority for network security. In addition to providing comprehensive directory services to a Windows environment, Active Directory is designed to be a consolidation point for isolating, migrating, centrally managing, and reducing the number of directories that companies require.

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Active Directory Extranet Adoption Fueled by Internet Scalability and Rapid Return on Investment Read how customers are realizing reduced costs by employing Active Directory as their single directory technology across network operating system and extranet roles. Sunbelt W2Knews: We Migrated to Active Directory Sunbelt's upgrade to Active Directory is so successful that they can't believe it! Read the story about their upgrade and how they thought they entered the "Twilight Zone" because "nothing ever goes this well." Network Computing: Energizing the Enterprise Directory Learn how energy company Cinergy is using Active Directory to manage the desktop environment and integrate its new "PeopleSoft 8" human resources application, catering to more than 9,000 employees across nine countries. Active Directory receives Check Point OPSEC certification After rigorous lab testing and meeting stringent interoperability requirements Active Directory has received Check Point's OPSEC certification. Through the use of the LDAP v3 protocol, VPN-1/FireWall-1 Next Generation administrators can now leverage Active Directory as their single authentication and user directory store thus reducing management overhead and significantly improving overall network security within a Microsoft environment. Using Netegrity SiteMinder and Active Directory for Your Online Business See how Active Directory and Netegrity SiteMinder work together to meet enterprise requirements for building a scalable, dynamic, and secure online business. Leveraging Active Directory in the Extranet: Performance & Total Cost of Ownership Analysis Securing and scaling an e-business infrastructure efficiently is a vital component of any organization's overall strategy for supporting e-business initiatives. Performance remains essential however, that performance comes at a cost. Mindcraft's recent certification of Active Directory in conjunction with OpenNetwork Technologies' DirectorySmart 4.7 demonstrates both scalability and performance while providing compelling proof that these two products offer the lowest total cost of ownership in the industry. Mindcraft's report is available at http://www.mindcraft.com/whitepapers/ds47ad. Network World article discussing 8,000,000 user deployment Anthem says Active Directory project to help slash user management and apps development costs.

What's New in Active Directory for Windows .NET Server A central component of the Windows platform, the Active Directory® service provides the means to manage the identities and relationships that make up network environments. This article provides an overview of benefits, new features, and improvements for Active Directory. Active Directory Services and Windows 2000 Domains This Microsoft Press book chapter explains the Windows 2000 domain model, why it is so different from the Windows NT 4.0 domain model, and how it interacts with Active Directory services. Active Directory Features Active Directory features at a glance. Active Directory Migration Tool Overview The Active Directory Migration Tool provides an easy, secure, and fast way to migrate to Windows 2000 Active Directory service. As a system administrator, you can use this tool to diagnose any possible problems before starting migration operations to Windows 2000 Server Active Directory. Active Directory Overview A non-technical overview of Active Directory technology and a look into Microsoft's overall directory services strategy. Active Directory Service Interfaces Overview This overview paper introduces Active Directory Service Interfaces (ADSI). Benefits of Active Directory in a Windows 2000 Environment This article provides a quick glance of the features that require or are enhanced by Active Directory. Windows 2000 Domain Name System Overview This overview focuses on Windows 2000 Domain Name System (DNS), an implementation designed to streamline server administration and simplify DNS management. Business networks—whether providing back office services, intranet-based informational services, or Internet-based e-commerce—can benefit from the many new technologies, features, and integrated technologies that constitute Windows 2000 DNS services. Windows 2000 DNS is designed to interoperate with Windows 2000 networking services and Active Directory. Active Directory Service Overview Active Directory reduces costs and simplifies management by eliminating the time consuming, redundant tasks usually associated with running a distributed network. More Overviews

Video: Bancorp South Visit with Bancorp South to hear how Active Directory has helped streamline processes while reducing costs. Video: Windows 2000 and Active Directory General Motors, Fleet Boston, and Alberta Government discuss Active Directory.

Baltimore Gas & Electric Company This customer study describes how Baltimore Gas and Electric (BGE) will support its rapidly changing business goals by upgrading to Microsoft Windows 2000 Server and Windows 2000 Professional. Barnes & Noble This customer study discusses how Microsoft Windows 2000 Server helps Barnes & Noble.com meet promised delivery dates to its customers and exceed its internal goal of 99 percent on-time deliver. Cinergy A leader in the energy industry, Cinergy Corporation needed to streamline its management infrastructure to enable the company to quickly respond to new business opportunities and ever-changing government regulations. With Microsoft Windows 2000 and its Active Directory service, Cinergy now has the flexibility and central management it needs, and has achieved 99.99 percent availability with servers running Windows 2000 Active Directory. The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Pennsylvania had 40,000 unique desktops in 47 agencies with over 100 domains, and many different email systems on six different platforms. Now the entire state is united on a common Microsoft platform with Windows 2000 Server Active Directory centralizing management across the entire organization. As a result, Pennsylvania saved $9.2 million over the three years of implementation, and lowered the total cost of ownership for e-mail and collaboration by $9 million. Interland This REJ analysis, validated by the Giga Information Group, determined that Microsoft Windows 2000 Server would enable Interland to cost-effectively improve the efficiency of their current hosting business. Lockheed Martin As part of an ongoing drive to flatten its management infrastructure and improve productivity and profitability, Lockheed Martin intends to implement Microsoft Windows 2000 throughout the enterprise. Micronpc.com MicronPC.com projects 26 percent cost reductions by upgrading to Microsoft Windows 2000 Server and implementing best practices.

Active Directory Deployment at ABN AMRO This case study explains ABN AMRO's implementation of Active Directory for their Dutch branch offices. With over 700 branch offices and some 25,000 workstations, ABN AMRO's implementation of Active Directory provides a good example of the techniques and design components that are common to large-scale enterprise deployments. Active Directory Deployment at Pacific Life This paper tracks how Pacific Life designed its Active Directory architecture. It covers the planning methodology, the design, the testing, and the execution of that design as it was rolled out across the enterprise. Active Directory at Boise Cascade The expansion of Boise Cascade's businesses has increased the challenges of managing an increasingly dispersed infrastructure. Boise Cascade needed to balance the cost efficiencies generated by standardization and the flexibility needed to service these diverse businesses scattered around the U.S. and the world. This paper outlines the considerations that drove Boise Cascade's adoption of Active Directory. Banyan Migrating to Windows 2000 Server and Windows 2000 Professional has provided Banyan Worldwide with a common platform that allows for reduced support costs by controlling desktop configuration. Active Directory provides the core infrastructure that will be used by the next generation of line-of-business applications selected by Banyan. Caterpillar Inc. Deploys Windows 2000 and Active Directory Caterpillar Inc., the world's leading manufacturer of construction and mining equipment, diesel and natural gas engines and industrial gas turbines, needed to streamline the computing operations of its more than 70,000 employees. The company replaced a highly-fragmented and disparate computing environment with a Windows 2000 installation and an Active Directory deployment. The company realized its objectives of centralizing the management of its network resources, reducing corporate IT costs, and simplifying Caterpillar's IT administration. Getronics Deploys Windows 2000 Server and Active Directory By deploying the Active Directory™ service in the Microsoft® Windows® 2000 family of products, including the Windows 2000 Advanced Server, and Windows 2000 Professional operating systems, Getronics created an infrastructure that is fast, reliable, secure, and easy to manage. This new infrastructure makes it easy for employees to share information and resources while allowing Getronics to streamline administration and reduce support costs. As their Windows 2000-based solution helps Getronics improve existing processes it also supports emerging business realities, such as a heavy reliance on the Internet, a growing mobile workforce, and alliances or joint ventures. This whitepaper covers Getronics' design and implementation of Active Directory, and shares best practices learned along the way. Microsoft Corporation This study describes Microsoft's internal experiences with rolling out Active Directory and Windows 2000.

Microsoft Active Directory Now a Leader in Gartner Group's Magic Quadrant In this February 2002 article, the Gartner Group discusses the trend in directory services toward commoditization, resulting in higher support of directory-enabled products and services. Microsoft's Active Directory is recognized as a leader in Gartner's "Magic Quadrant." Energizing the Enterprise Directory Group policy was the big draw for Cinergy, an energy company, in selecting Active Directory. Now Cinergy Corp. is in the process of integrating its year-old Active Directory with its new PeopleSoft 8 human-resources application. When a Cinergy user's address or last name changes, his or her HR information gets updated in the directory automatically, rather than manually. Baltimore SelectAccess Delivers Secure Business Platform Using Microsoft Active Directory Baltimore Technologies, a global leader in e-security, has announced that SelectAccess, its next-generation access and authorization solution, now has proven integration with Microsoft Active Directory. Integration of the Baltimore and Microsoft products enables seamless management of network users and resources, supported by robust security. This expanded support builds on the multi-faceted relationship between Microsoft and Baltimore, which also covers strong public-key authentication for the Windows enterprise. DirectorySmart for Active Directory™ offers secure infrastructure solution for Microsoft Active Directory. DirectorySmart for Active Directory is used to secure and deploy Web services. Learn more about this product, offered by OpenNetwork Technologies. Entrust Technologies Provides Complete Integration With Microsoft's Active Directory In this announcment, Entrust Technologies describes how Microsoft's Active Directory can be used as the certificate repository for Entrust/PKI. Market Bulletin: Multi-Value Replications A recent article published in Network World claims that a key security flaw exists in Active Directory. It is Microsoft’s position that statements made in this article are presented out of context, creating unnecessary concern and confusion. This bulletin addresses issues related to multi-value replications and points to system administration practices that can prevent undesirable behavior. Oblix Delivers Web Access Management Solution With Comprehensive Support for Microsoft Active Directory Newly released Oblix NetPoint 5.0 improves security and reduces costs associated with administering user identities and policies while extending Active Directory capabilities to combined intra- and extranet e-business environments.

Active Directory Architecture This white paper introduces network administrators to Active Directory, explains its architecture, and describes how it interoperates with applications and other directory services. Active Directory Interoperability and Metadirectory Overview This strategy white paper addresses solution requirements for dealing with disparate identity information, including the sharing of identity information between different resources, the distribution of identity changes amongst various resources, and ensuring that related data remains consistent throughout the enterprise. Active Directory in the Outward-Facing Role An outward-facing or Internet-based directory service must authenticate and authorize the millions of users potentially served by a large-scale Internet site. Download this white paper, which describes how to plan and to execute deployments of the Active Directory service in this role. Active Directory and Printing Windows 2000 Active Directory provides a method for publishing shared printers that makes it easy to search for printers by location or capabilities. Active Directory Service Interfaces This white paper presents an overview of integrating multiple directory services through Active Directory Service Interfaces (ADSI). Managing Identity within an Enterprise This white paper introduces enterprise identity management, a framework for managing identity. MSDSS Technical Overview This paper discusses the architecture and technologies of the Microsoft Directory Synchronization Service component of Services for NetWare version 5.0. More Technical Overviews

Configuring the DNS Service in Windows 2000 This Microsoft Press book chapter explains DNS and name resolution. It also presents the skills and knowledge necessary to install and configure the DNS Service. Active Directory Users, Computers, and Groups This white paper introduces administrators to the way users, computers, and groups are organized and how user authentication and authorization are used to provide security. Configuring Windows 2000 DNS to Support Active Directory This scenario shows how you can design an infrastructure for Microsoft Windows 2000 Domain Name System (DNS) servers that simplifies DNS management and that supports the Active Directory directory service by enabling computers to locate domain controllers. It also shows how you can use Active Directory to enhance DNS security and reliability. Step-by-Step Guide to Managing Active Directory This guide introduces you to administration of the Windows 2000 Active Directory service. The procedures demonstrate how to use the Active Directory Users and Computers snap-in to add, move, delete, and edit the properties for objects such as users, contacts, groups, servers, printers, and shared folders. Step-by-Step Guide to Active Directory Sites and Services This guide explains how to use the Active Directory Sites and Services snap-in to administer replication topology both within a site in a local area network (LAN) and between sites in a wide area network (WAN). Step-by-Step Guide to Setting up Additional Domain Controllers This guide describes how to create the first domain controller for a new child domain and how to configure an additional domain controller for that child domain using the Active Directory Installation wizard. More Administration & Configuration Guides

Active Directory Programmer's Guide This guide provides an overview of Active Directory from a programmer's perspective. The guide also provides discussion and sample code for Active Directory programming tasks, from such basics as searching for objects and reading properties, to more advanced tasks such as service publication. Integrating Applications with Windows 2000 and Active Directory This paper describes a variety of architectural models for integrating the Active Directory service with applications to deliver enhanced functionality and lower total cost of ownership. Integrating Your Active Directory Namespace Into an Existing DNS Infrastructure With Name Overlap This Microsoft Windows 2000 Resource Kit Deployment Lab Scenario shows how to use Windows 2000 Domain Name System (DNS) to support the Active Directory service when a DNS server that does not support Service (SRV) resource records is authoritative for the company's DNS name, and you want the DNS name to overlap with your Active Directory domain name. A DNS server that does not support SRV records cannot support Active Directory by itself. Achieving Single Signon with Windows 2000 This article discusses the how to achieve single signon between the Windows 2000 platform and other platforms that support Kerberos. The article discusses interoperability and provides links to several related topics. Synchronizing Active Directory with Exchange Server Directory Service This document provides a detailed overview of using the Active Directory Connector (ADC) to synchronize Exchange-based data with Active Directory. More Interoperability Guides

Best Practice Active Directory Design for Managing Windows Networks This guide and its companion, Best Practice Active Directory Deployment for Managing Windows Networks, assist IT professionals that participate in an Active Directory service planning and deployment project. This guide provides a step-by-step methodology based on best practices learned from customers that have already deployed Active Directory in their organizations. It provides all the tasks and decisions you need to develop an Active Directory design to manage Windows networks. Best Practice Active Directory Deployment for Managing Windows Networks This guide and its companion, Best Practice Active Directory Design for Managing Windows Networks, assist IT professionals that participate in an Active Directory service planning and deployment project. This guide provides step-by-step guidance for testing and piloting your design assumptions and deploying Active Directory in a production environment. Best Practices for Deploying Printer Location with Active Directory This white paper provides best practices for publishing printers and maintaining printer information in Active Directory. Windows 2000 Domain Architecture: Design Alternatives This article discusses the pros and cons of various Active Directory deployment architectures and examines design alternatives including Domain architecture and Organizational Units. Design Considerations for Delegation of Administration in Active Directory Through delegation of administration, a directory infrastructure can be designed to span multiple organizations that have unique management requirements. This guide describes how service management and data management can be delegated in Active Directory to achieve autonomy between organizations, or isolation between organizations. This guide includes a step-by-step methodology that describes how to select the appropriate directory structure (forest, domain, or OU) for a delegation based on organizational requirements and security considerations. Deployment Planning Guide The Deployment Planning Guide provides important planning and technical product information to assist teams in charge of deploying Windows 2000 Server and Windows 2000 Professional. Planning Migration from Windows NT to Windows 2000 This white paper outlines planning processes and considerations when migrating Microsoft Windows NT domains to Microsoft Windows 2000. New Windows 2000 utilities, tools, and technologies make migrating users and computers, while maintaining access to resources, a straightforward task. Deployment Lab Scenarios Windows 2000 Resource Kit Deployment Lab Scenarios document solutions that provide example configurations showing the deployment of Windows 2000 technologies on an actual network simulating a large organization and the Internet. Windows 2000 Server Disaster Recovery Guidelines Network administrators must develop disaster prevention and recovery procedures for their software and files. This paper details a strategy for that, and lists new or enhanced Windows 2000 file system, data storage, and System State features. As well, this paper introduces the improved Windows 2000 Backup utility and provides guidelines for recovery of machines running Microsoft Windows 2000 Server. More Planning & Deployment Guides

Active Directory Network Printer Management Use Windows 2000 and Active Directory to locate, connect to, and manage network printers. From the remote configuration of the printer ports to printing over the Internet, Windows 2000 makes printing easier. Delegating Administrative Control With Windows 2000 Active Directory it is now possible to delegate administration of a subset of your network environment to others without granting access to the entire environment. Centralized Management with Windows 2000 Windows 2000 includes the tools and the infrastructure to help you centrally monitor the status of servers and take corrective action even from distant locations. Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) manages system information and Terminal Services allow you remote access to these systems. Managing Desktops with Group Policy and IntelliMirror Windows 2000 Group Policy and IntelliMirror allow administrators to manage desktops and users more efficiently than ever before. In this demo, you will see how Group Policy and IntelliMirror streamline policy administration and procedures, eliminate common support problems and protect users from costly errors and mistakes.

Active Directory Application Services Kit This link is to the Microsoft Internet Services Network page on the Active Directory Application Services Kit. The kit consists of documents, scripts and a sample Web application for building an application hosting service using the Active Directory service. Active Directory Client Extensions for Windows 95, Windows 98 and Windows NT Workstation 4.0 Microsoft has developed extensions for the Windows 95, 98 and Windows NT 4 operating systems that allow those client platforms to take advantage of features provided by the Windows 2000 Active Directory service. Adsizer.exe: Active Directory Sizer (Last Updated: 10/08/2001 - Estimates the hardware required for deploying Active Directory in an organization. Application Compatibility Toolkit This link is to the Application Compatibility Toolkit on the MSDN developer program site. It contains documents and tools to help Microsoft Windows 2000 customers diagnose and resolve application compatibility issues. MSDN — Developer resources for Active Directory This link is to the Active Directory section of the MSDN developer program Web site. It provides a wide-ranging and ever-changing set of content that is essential reading for Active Directory application developers. Services for NetWare v5.0 Microsoft Services for NetWare v.5 (SFNW5) brings the benefits of Windows to customers who have chosen the Novell NetWare operating system, and helps them migrate to Windows 2000 Server. Newsgroups Looking for answers to questions or issues someone may have already asked? Microsoft Active Directory Newsgroups can provide a quick and easy way to gather needed information. Domain Rename Tool The Active Directory™ Domain Rename Tools provide a secure and supported methodology to rename one or more domains (as well as application directory partitions) in a deployed Active Directory forest. The DNS name and/or the NetBIOS name of a domain can be changed using the domain rename procedure. For an understanding of the constraints of the domain rename procedure, please see the accompanying document, "Understanding How Domain Rename Works", available on this page.

Active Directory Services, Tools, and Business Solutions from Third Party Companies Microsoft has teamed up with leading independent software vendors (ISVs) and service providers to deliver a wide range of Active Directory solutions. By taking advantage of these solutions, organizations can quickly evaluate, plan, deploy, and maintain Active Directory. Assessment, Migration and Administration tools and services Numerous third-party tools are available to assist organizations in deploying and administering Active Directory. This page, which includes links to vendor websites, introduces some deployment and management tools for Active Directory. Business Solutions using Active Directory Active Directory delivers a complete solution for managing enterprise wide resources. This page, which includes links to vendor websites, introduces some Active Directory enabled third-party business solutions.

Active Directory Online Bookstore Visit the Windows 2000 Online Bookstore at Fatbrain for the latest books and training materials on Windows 2000 Active Directory. All in-stock orders placed by 4 p.m. PST are shipped that same day. Training Providers This link is to the Training Providers page of the Microsoft Training and Certification site. Here you will find information on how to locate specific training courses and training providers. Windows 2000 Training & Certification This link is to the Training Resources page of the Microsoft Training and Certification site. Here you will find information on how to locate specific training courses for Windows 2000.

Windows 2000 Active Directory Migration Tool The Active Directory Migration Tool provides an easy, secure, and fast way to migrate to Windows 2000 Active Directory service. As a system administrator, you can use this tool to diagnose any possible problems before starting migration operations to Windows 2000 Server Active Directory. Adsizer.exe: Active Directory Sizer (Last Updated: 10/08/2001 - Estimates the hardware required for deploying Active Directory in an organization.