Chapter Summary

• Active Directory is a hierarchical database that provides directory services to users and client computers within the directory.

• The Active Directory schema defines the types of objects allowed in Active Directory, as well as their attributes.

• Active Directory logically groups resources into a forest, which can contain multiple domain trees.

• Sites are used to define resources that are connected by high-speed LAN bandwidth versus resources connected by lower-speed WAN bandwidth.

• Global catalog servers provide an efficient means of querying for resources across domains within a forest.

• Active Directory is partitioned into three naming contexts: schema, domain, and configuration.

• DSProxy and DSAccess function as intermediaries between a global catalog server and an Exchange Server 2003 client.

• Exchange Server 2003 integrates with the SMTP, NNTP, and World Wide Web services of Windows Server 2003 and IIS.