Active Directory Services

Active Directory (AD) is a directory service that automates network management of user data, security and distributed resources. It is a core component of Microsoft’s Windows server infrastructure and has been designed to provide a secure environment for managing users, services and resources.

Active Directory is a core component of the network infrastructure of many organizational networks and is crucial for the internal security of the network by mitigating internal threats. However, managing it is often a complex, time-consuming task.

Configuration errors can lead to serious security vulnerabilities. Organizations should look for add-on tools that automate many of the processes involved and that ease many of the management pains and complexity. These will streamline many processes, and ensure changes do not impact the overall security posture of the organization, explains Colin Tankard of Digital Pathways. [Colin Tankard, April 2012]