Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Unleashed (R2 Edition)

In This Chapter

  • The Evolution of Directory Services

  • Understanding the Development of Active Directory

  • Active Directory's Structure

  • Active Directory's Components

  • Domain Trusts

  • Organizational Units

  • The Role of Groups in an Active Directory Environment

  • Active Directory Replication

  • The Role of DNS in Active Directory

  • Active Directory Security

  • Active Directory Changes in Windows Server 2003

The heart and soul of the Windows Server 2003 networking infrastructure resides in Active Directory, Microsoft's directory services implementation. Active Directory was devised to fill the directory services void in the Windows world and to serve as a platform for future integration of Microsoft technologies. A full understanding of the structure of Active Directory is vital to the understanding of the Windows Server 2003 environment as a whole.

In addition to the overall operating system enhancements, Windows Server 2003 expands upon the capabilities of Active Directory, adding the ability to rename domains, improving administrative tools, optimizing compression, and other long-awaited enhancements to the capabilities of the Active Directory environment. In addition, incremental improvements made to Windows Server 2003 have increased the functionality and flexibility of Active Directory, with tools such as Active Directory in Application Mode (ADAM).

This chapter describes an overview of directory services in general and specifically focuses on the overall development of Active Directory as an enterprise directory service. In addition, the basic components and functionality of Active Directory in Windows Server 2003 are summarized.

Related

Категории