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Lesson 9

Active Directory Role Conclusion

  1. Describe the role of Active Directory in Windows
  2. Describe which Internet standards and technologies supported by Active Directory
  3. Describe the naming conventions in Active Directory that you must consider when establishing a Windows 2000 network
  4. Describe the logical structure of Active Directory
  5. Define the role of domains
  6. Define the role of organizational units (OUs)
  7. Define the relationship between trees and forests

Active Directory Terms

Here are some terms from this module that may have been new to you:
  1. Site: A site is one or more IP subnets connected by a high-speed link. Site
  2. Namespace: The namespace encompasses the forests, trees and domains that create the logical structure of the network. Objects within the namespace are identified in several different ways.
  3. Distinguished name: Every object in Active Directory has a distinguished name. The distinguished name identifies the domain where the object is located, in addition to the complete path by which the object is reached.
  4. Relative distinguished name: The relative distinguished name of an object is the part of the distinguished name that is an attribute of the object.
  5. User principal name: The user principal name of a user object is composed of the user's logon name and the DNS name of the domain where the user object resides.
  6. Globally unique identifier: The globally unique identifier (GUID) is a 128-bit number that is guaranteed to be unique. Windows 2000 assigns a GUID to objects when they are created.
  7. Domain: The basic administrative unit in a Windows 2000 network.
  8. Mixed-mode domain: Windows 2000 Server and Windows Server 2003 Active Directory can be deployed in mixed mode, which allows for Windows NT 4.0 Server BDCs. In fact, when you upgrade to Windows 2000 Server, you first upgrade the primary domain controller (PDC), and it's automatically acting in mixed mode.
  9. Native-mode domain: A domain in which all domain controllers are running Windows 2000 (no - NT 4.0 - domain controllers).
  10. Organizational unit: An organizational unit (OU) is a container object that you use to organize objects within a domain. An OU contains objects, such as user accounts, groups, computers, printers, and other OUs.
In the next module, you will learn the details of the physical structure of the Active Directory.

Best Practices for Active Directory

  1. Backup Active Directory database every week or at least backup once within tombstone period.
  2. Create an isolated AD Site that is assigned to a subnet not associated with any user, workstation or server subnet. Place a domain controller from each domain on this site and set the replication interval to 7 days.
    a) This Active Directory site may be used to authoritatively restore any accidently deleted object without restoring from backups,
    b) Since replication interval is high, there is possibility that you will be aware of accidently deleted objects before they get replicated to isolated Active Directory site.

Active Directory - Quiz

Click the Quiz link below to test your comprehension of the role and organization of the Active Directory.
Active Directory - Quiz