Active Directory

Active Directory (codename Cascade) is an implementation of LDAP directory services by Microsoft for use in Windows environments. Active Directory allows administrators to assign enterprise wide policies, deploy programs to many computers, and apply critical updates to an entire organization. An Active Directory stores information and settings relating to an organization in a central, organized, accessible database. Active Directory networks can vary from a small installation with a few hundred objects, to a large installation with millions of objects.

Related Topics:
Codename - LDAP - Directory service - Microsoft - Windows

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Active Directory was previewed in 1996, released first with Windows 2000, and saw some revision to extend functionality and improve administration in Windows Server 2003.

Related Topics:
1996 - Windows 2000 - Windows Server 2003

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Unlike earlier versions of Windows which used NetBIOS to communicate, Active Directory is fully integrated with DNS and TCP/IP - indeed DNS is required. To be fully functional, the DNS server must support SRV resource records or service records.

Related Topics:
Windows - NetBIOS - DNS - TCP/IP - SRV resource records

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