Active Directory - The Business Standard
Many software applications have directory service functionality built
into their applications. These narrowly targeted directory services most
often lack standards-based interfaces, resulting in one network
containing multiple directories that don't work together and have to be
maintained separately. These disparate directory services often
translate into a higher total cost of ownership, requiring greater
management and more complex applications.
Microsoft Windows Server Active Directory service is an enterprise-class
directory service that is scalable, built using Internet-standard
technologies and delivered with Microsoft Windows Server 2003 & 2008. It
is the consolidation point for isolating, migrating, centrally managing
and reducing the number of directories found in a network. Using it can
simplify management, strengthen security and increase interoperability.
While not every organization will immediately implement Active Directory
services when deploying Windows Server 2003, the solution does offer
many advantages, including:
Manageability:
It allows your organization to efficiently share and manage information
about network resources or users.
- It provides a single point of management for Windows 2003 Server
user accounts, clients, servers and applications.
- It can contain over one million objects of a business such as
users, computers, printers and application programs.
Security:
It acts as the central authority for network security, letting your
operating system verify a user's identity and control access one work
resources.
- It can be used to extend systems securely to the Internet.
Interoperability:
It helps to organize and integrate systems that aren't Windows-based and
consolidates directories for easier management of the entire network.
- It increases the value of your existing network and lowers the
overall cost of computing because it makes your current Windows
network more manageable, secure and interoperable.