Active Directory
Introduction
What is Active Directory?
▸ Active Directory (AD) is a Microsoft technology used to manage
computers and other devices on a network.
▸ Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS) is one of the directory
services provided by Active Directory. Its primary functions include
providing authentication and authorization to help manage access to
network resources.
▸ It runs on Windows servers called domain controllers (DCs)
▸ It stores information about users, computers and other Active Directory
objects, including properties like names and passwords, in a database.
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Benefits
▸ Hierarchical organizational structure.
▸ Multimaster Authentication & Multimaster replication (the ability to
access and modify AD DS from multiple points of administration)
▸ A single point of access to network resources.
▸ Ability to create trust relationships with external networks running
previous versions of Active Directory and even Unix.
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Domain Controller
What is a Domain Controller?
▸ A server that is running AD DS is called a domain controller.
▸ Domain controllers host and replicate the directory service database inside
the forest.
▸ The directory service also provides services for managing and authenticating
resources in the forest.
▸ A Domain Controller is a server computer that acts like a brain for a Windows
Server domain
▸ When Active Directory is configured, a domain is created with a name such as
org.com, within which we can add various types of objects, including computer
and user objects.
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AD Components
Active Directory Components
▸ Objects: Single unique entity with a type of information. Has it’s own
attributes and schema
▹ Resources: Printers, etc.
▹ Security Principals: Computer accounts/groups (with SID)
▸ Forests:
▹ A domain is a collection of objects grouped together logically under a
namespace
▹ A group of domains with a trust hierarchy is called a tree
▹ Forest is a collection of trees that share a common global catalog,
schema, structure, and configuration
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Active Directory Components
▸ Organizational Units (OU)
▹ Group of similar objects to ease administration
▹ Recommended level to apply group policies
▹ Think of it like several departments of an organization. For e.g., sales,
finance, technology, human, etc.
▹ Have the same Common Name (CN),. i.e., sales.org.com, tech.org.com,
etc.
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Group Policy Objects
Group Policy Objects
▸ Group Policy provides a method of centralizing configuration settings and
management of operating systems, computer and user settings in
Microsoft Environment.
▸ Two types:
▹ Local Group Policy: Affects only the workstation it is on, management
on a desktop individually
▹ AD Group Policy: Centralized administration, which works only in
conjunction with Active Directory and domain joined workstations
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Group Policy Objects
▸ A Group Policy object (GPO) is a collection of Group Policy settings that
define what a system will look like and how it will behave for a defined
group of users. Every GPO contains two parts, or nodes: a user
configuration and a computer configuration.
▸ Two types:
▹ Local Group Policy: Affects only the workstation it is on, management
on a desktop individually
▹ AD Group Policy: Centralized administration, which works only in
conjunction with Active Directory and domain joined workstations
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Group Policy Objects
▸ Advantages:
▹ Strong password policy
▹ Principle of least privilege
▹ Regular health checks
▹ Management of systems
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AD Group Policy
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AD Group Policy
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