Chapter 3. Active Directory

   

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The Microsoft Active Directory directory service is a central component of the Windows platform, providing the means to manage the identities and relationships that make up network environments.

Expanding on the foundation of the Microsoft Windows 2000 operating system, the Microsoft Windows Server 2003 family improves the manageability of Active Directory and eases migration and deployment. Application developers and independent software vendors (ISVs), in particular, will also find that Active Directory in Windows Server 2003 is their best choice for developing directory-enabled applications.

Active Directory has been enhanced to reduce total cost of ownership (TCO) and operation within the enterprise. New features and enhancements have been provided at all levels of the product to extend versatility, simplify management, and increase dependability . With Windows Server 2003, organizations can benefit from further reductions in cost while increasing the efficiency with which they share and manage the various elements of the enterprise.

This chapter is for IT professionals and network system architects who want to understand the major improvements and new features of Active Directory in Windows Server 2003. This chapter begins with an overview of basic concepts in Active Directory and then addresses new features of and improvements to Active Directory in the Windows Server 2003 family.

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