Active Directory: An Introduction and Overview 30/03/2023 – Posted in: Technology – Tags: Active Directory, Authentication, Domain Controllers, Network Security, Resource Management
Active Directory (AD) is a technology developed by Microsoft that provides centralized authentication, authorization, and management of users, computers, and other resources in a networked environment. AD is widely used in enterprise environments and is a critical component of many Windows-based networks.
What is Active Directory?
At its core, Active Directory is a hierarchical database that stores information about objects in a networked environment. Objects can include users, computers, groups, printers, and other resources. Each object in the database has a set of attributes that define its properties and characteristics.
AD uses a domain-based architecture, where a domain is a logical grouping of objects. Domains can be organized into a hierarchy, with a root domain at the top and child domains below it. Each domain has a unique name and is managed by a domain controller (DC), which is a Windows server that runs the Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS) role.
Domain controllers are responsible for authenticating users and computers, storing user and computer accounts, and replicating changes to other domain controllers in the network. When a user logs into a computer, the computer contacts a domain controller to verify the user’s credentials and determine what resources the user is authorized to access.
Links to Active Directory Resources
If you’re interested in learning more about Active Directory, there are a wealth of resources available online. Here are a few links to get you started:
- Microsoft’s Active Directory documentation: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/identity/ad-ds/get-started/virtual-dc/active-directory-domain-services-overview
- Active Directory Wikipedia page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Active_Directory
