Active Directory (AD) is a directory service created by Microsoft for Windows domain networks. It is included in most Windows Server operating systems.
Active Directory provides a central location for network administration and security. Server computers that run Active Directory are called domain controllers. An AD domain controller authenticates and authorizes all users and computers in a Windows domain type network—assigning and enforcing security policies for all computers and installing or updating software. For example, when a user logs into a computer that is part of a Windows domain, Active Directory checks the submitted password and determines whether the user is a system administrator or normal user.
Active Directory makes use of Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) versions 2 and 3, Kerberos and DNS.
Read more about Active Directory: History, Physical Matters, Replication, Database, Single Server Operations, Trusting, Lightweight Directory Service, Unix Integration
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