Microsoft’s Active Directory Security Feature

Introduction of Microsoft’s Active Directory

An active directory is a directory structure used on Microsoft Windows computers and servers to store information about networks and domains. It is primarily used for online information and was originally created in 1996. It was first used with Windows 2000. An active directory (sometimes referred to as an AD) has many functions. It provides information on objects, organizes these objects for easy retrieval and access, allows users and administrators to access it, and allows the administrator to set security up for the directory.

Security Features

Some examples of the security features are simplified user and network-resource management, flexible, secure authentication and authorization and also directory consolidation.

o   Simplified user and network-resource management  – using Active Directory, you can build hierarchical information structures that make it easier for you to control administrative credentials and other security settings and that make it easier for your users to locate network resources, such as files and printers.

o   Flexible, secure authentication and authorization  – the services provide protection for data while minimizing barriers to doing business over the Internet. Active Directory supports multiple authentication protocols, such as the Kerberos V5 protocol, Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) v3, and Transport Layer Security (TLS) using X.509 v3 certificates, and security groups that span domains efficiently.

o   Directory consolidation  – you can organize and simplify the management of users, computers, applications, and devices, and make it easier for users to find the information they need. You can take advantage of synchronization support through Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP)-based interfaces, and you can work with directory consolidation requirements specific to your applications.

http://www.tech-faq.com/active-directory.html

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc737139%28WS.10%29.aspx