Active Directory Services Features

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Active Directory in the Windows Server 2003 family is a significant enhancement over the flat domain model provided in Windows NT. Active Directory is integrated within the Windows Server 2003 family and offers the following features:

Centralized data store All data in Active Directory resides in a single, distributed data repository, allowing users easy access to the information from any location. A single distributed data store requires less administration and duplication nd improves the availability and organization of data.

Scalability Active Directory enables you to scale the directory to meet business nd network requirements through the configuration of domains and trees and the lacement of domain controllers. Active Directory allows millions of objects per omain and uses indexing technology and advanced replication techniques to speed performance. 70-291 Exam

Extensibility The structure of the Active Directory database (the schema) can be expanded to allow customized types of information.
Manageability In contrast to the flat domain model used in Windows ...
... NT, Active

Directory is based on hierarchical organizational structures. These organizational structures make it easier for you to control administrative privileges and other security settings, and to make it easier for your users to locate network resources such as files and printers.Integration with the Domain Name System (DNS) Active Directory uses DNS, an Internet standard service that translates easily readable host names to numeric Internet Protocol (IP) addresses. Although separate and implemented differently for different purposes, Active Directory and DNS have the same hierarchical structure. Active Directory clients use DNS to locate domain controllers. When using the Windows Server 2003 DNS service, primary DNS zones can be stored in Active Directory, enabling replication to other Active Directory domain controllers.

Client configuration management Active Directory provides new technolo. MCSE gies for managing client configuration issues, such as user mobility and hard disk failures, with a minimum of administration and user downtime.Policy-based administration In Active Directory, policies are used to define the permitted actions and settings for users and computers across a given site,domain, or organizational unit. Policy-based management simplifies tasks suchas operating system updates, application installation, user profiles, and desktop system lock down.