Tutorial:Windows NT/2000
The Win2000 Active
Directory
In Windows 2000 almost everything revolves around Active Directory. Many new features
are included to make networks simpler to manage and easier to secure, and add on client
software is even available for computers running Windows 95 and Windows 98.
By Dave Cook
I
magine for a moment a vast net
nite network of users.
telephone directory for businesses. En
work of operating systems that re
In Windows 2000 Server Microsoft
tries in this directory would fall under
quires neither constant attention
has achieved that goal and more
certain categories such as Plumbers,
nor frequent adjustment to keep it run
with Active Directory. Although Ac
Hairdressers, Caterers, and Car Hire,
ning. The network would be flexible,
tive Directory can be installed the first
and each entry could contain certain
stable, scalable and secure. It would be
time Windows 2000 Server signs on, its
attributes, such as Name, Address and
compatible with all hardware devices
immediate implementation is not com
Phone Number. In order to provide
and software applications, and it
pulsory. Indeed, because many ad
further details about the business, ad
would be able to run any application
ministrators may need to familiarise
ditional elements are often included.
on just about every type of computing
themselves with Windows 2000 and its
For example, this could be information
device, from the smallest notebook to
concepts, there are good reasons not to
regarding a company's products, slo
the largest mainframe.
install Active Directory at this time.
gans, maps, and any specialist areas in
An impossible dream? Perhaps.
Administrators who decide to in
which it may excel.
Windows NT is certainly not up to the
stall Active Directory later can do so
A network directory service is
task. Its scalability, for instance, is
from the Configure Your Server wiz
rather more complex than the average
poor, with a flat file registry based se
ard (Figure 1), which is available from
telephone directory, of course. Never
curity system that has caused and will
the Start|Administrative Tools menu.
theless, the concept remains the same:
no doubt continue to cause more than
Active Directory contains entries for
its fair share of problems. What NT
Directory Service
users and groups, workstations and
lacks is a true directory service one
servers, printers and queues, and so on
that is capable of handling the man
At its most basic level, a directory
and so forth. It can store, organise and
agement tasks of a huge, almost infi
service can be regarded as a type of
retrieve information regarding all ob
Figure 1 Active Directory can be installed at any
Figure 2 The most influential Active Directory snap ins
time using the Configure Your Server wizard.
are available from the Administrative Tools menu.
PC Network Advisor
Issue 119 (June 2000) page 3
File: T1719.1
www.itp journals.com
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