Active Directory Setup and Conversion Services

The Active Directory directory service is used in server operating system environments to manage networks comprising Microsoft Windows clients, Windows 2000 Server and Windows Server 2003 servers and domain controllers, and Windows-compatible applications and services. There are many benefits to deploying Active Directory, including centralized management, scalability, and the ability to easily delegate administrative authority.

Active Directory Benefits for Smaller Enterprises

Although many organizations have completed their Microsoft Active Directory deployment, there remain organizations that have either not completed deployment or have yet to take advantage of some of the important features of Active Directory.

Windows Server 2003 and Active Directory help small and medium size organizations with a reliable working environment for the end-users, which offers the highest levels of reliability and performance so users can get their work done as efficiently as possible, as well as providing a more secure and manageable environment to make the lives of the IT staff easier.
The following sections will review the advantages of Active Directory in these areas:
• Increasing the Productivity of Users
• Reducing the Burden of IT Administration
• Improving Fault Tolerance to Minimize Downtime
• Enhancing Security to Provide Better Peace of Mind
• Leveraging the Capabilities of Active Directory-enabled Applications

Many clients running older operating systems find their current systems simply not capable of meeting the expectations of their business for a reliable, dependable, secure, or manageable environment. While many organizations have gotten creative at workarounds and adding in a number of add-ons and utilities to “make do” with their current investments, Windows Server 2003 and Active Directory provide the out-of-the-box functionality organizations need to effectively and efficiently run their businesses.
As an example, organizations that need to meet data encryption and information privacy requirements to meet the government regulations of Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (GLBA), and Sarbanes Oxley can purchase costly third-party add-ons for their older operating system environments and messaging system, or the organization can migrate to Windows Server 2003 and Exchange 2003 and take advantage of the encryption, security, and privacy components that are built-in to these products.
Even something as simple as patching and updating systems can become overly complex when performed through third-party add-ins, scripting, or other tools with older operating systems. These processes can be simplified with the tools included with Windows Server 2003 which can be utilized to automatically perform system updates.
Organizations that have completed their migration to Windows Server 2003 and Active Directory have been able to realize how much time they spent keeping their old networks marginally operational, and appreciate the dramatically minimized administration time and effort required for the new environment while also seeing significant improvements in user productivity.

Increasing the Productivity of Users
In the past, system upgrades were frequently conducted for the sole benefit of specific feature and function benefits. However, as organizations seek to improve their competitive advantage and business effectiveness in the marketplace, they are turning to improvements in user productivity as a driving factor to support the investment in technology upgrades.
This section focuses on some of the ways organizations have been able to leverage the capabilities of Windows Server 2003 and Active Directory to tangibly improve the efficiency in employee tasks, and enhance employee productivity.

Active Directory Improvements in Windows Server 2008

A new "Read-Only Domain Controller" operation mode in Active Directory, intended for use in branch office scenarios where a domain controller may reside in a low physical security environment. The RODC holds a non-writeable copy of Active Directory, and redirects all write attempts to a Full Domain Controller. It replicates all accounts except sensitive ones. In RODC mode, credentials are not cached by default. Moreover, only the Domain Controller running the PDC-Emulator needs to run Windows Server 2008. Also, local administrators can log on to the machine to perform maintenance tasks without requiring administrative rights on the domain.
Restartable Active Directory allows ADDS to be stopped and restarted from the Management Console or the command-line without rebooting the domain controller. This reduces downtime for offline operations and reduces overall DC servicing requirements with Server Core. ADDS is implemented as a Domain Controller Service in Windows Server 2008.