AD Manager Utility / Tool Basics

Active Directory is a Microsoft® software that helps you organize your company’s users, computer and more. This document provides an introduction to Active Directory and the need for special utility to manage it.

WHAT IS
ACTIVE
DIRECTORY

Active Directory Basics

  1. Active Directory (AD) is a database system that connects all of the individual machines on a network. Active Directory uses a structured data store as the basis for a logical, hierarchical organization of directory information.
  2. The Active Directory stores information about objects on the network and makes this information easy for administrators and users to find and use.
  3. The AD allows an administrator to control every computer on the network, as well as facilitates easier sharing of information between machines.

BENEFITS OF
ACTIVE
DIRECTORY

How is AD Useful?

Some of the benefits of using an Active Directory are:

  1. Password Management
  2. Organize objects by groups
  3. Access Control
  4. Authentication
  5. Automation
  6. LDAP Support
  7. Reduces human errors

As can be seen by the above, implementation of an Active Directory is very useful in better IT Security & easier User Administration

CHALLENGES IN
ACTIVE DIRECTORY
MANAGEMENT

Difficulties in using native AD tools

Relying solely on Active Directory’s native tools can make the business-critical tasks of user provisioning,
change user and de-provisioning time consuming and error prone, negatively affecting productivity and
security.

Some of the challenges of using native AD management tools are:

  1. The native tools use command line UIs
  2. The native UI is cumbersome, error-prone
  3. Repeatable tasks cannot be automated thus making AD management time consuming.
  4. Bulk user and object management is virtually impossible with native tools.
  5. Delegation of AD admin account is not possible with native tools.
  6. The native tools do not have reporting and auditing capabilities
  7. Usage of native tools leads to under or over privileged users.

KEY FEATURES
NEEDED IN AN
AD MANAGER

AD Manager Essential Features

  1. Distributed access management
  2. User Provisioning, De-provisioning & Re-provisioning
  3. Group member management
  4. Maintaining data integrity & consistency by enforcing standardized data formats
  5. Completeness of user information by enforcing mandatory data input rules
  6. Secure delegation & auditing of administration privileges
  7. Reporting and viewing data as actionable information
Menu