What is Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS) - ManageEngine ADManager Plus

Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS) is a core component of Active Directory (AD) which provides authentication, authorization, and directory services to manage users, computers, and resources within a network. It is a server role that serves as the foundation of identity management in Windows-based environments, ensuring secure access to resources and enforcing policies across the organization.

AD DS operates as a centralized database that stores information about network objects, including users, groups, and devices. It helps organizations streamline user authentication, apply security policies, and manage access to resources efficiently.

Key functions of AD DS:

• Authentication and authorization: Verifies user credentials and determines access permissions.
• Hierarchical structure: Organizes network objects into domains, trees, and forests.
• Group Policies: Enforces security policies and configurations across multiple devices.
• Replication and redundancy: Ensures data consistency across domain controllers with multi-master replication.
• Scalability and security: Supports large enterprise environments with robust security features.

What services does AD DS provide?

AD DS comprises the following five services:

• Domain Services: Domain Services manages directory information and handles user authentication. It verifies user login credentials and access permissions when a user tries to connect to a network resource.
• Lightweight Directory Services (LDS): LDS is similar to Domain Services, but it uses the Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) for cross-platform compatibility, which allows Linux-based devices to work on the network.
• Active Directory Federation Services (AD FS): AD FS enables single sign-on (SSO), which allows users to access multiple applications with one login.
• Rights Management: The Rights Management service controls access to data and folders in the network based on permissions, providing access rights management.
• Certificate Services: Certificate Services creates and manages digital certificates, signatures, and encryption keys, enhancing the security of your network.

What is a domain controller in AD?

Domain controllers (DCs) are physical servers that host AD DS and are responsible for handling authentication and authorization requests within a domain. A DC enforces security policies, manages user logins, and syncs directory data across the network.

Functions of a DC:

• User authentication: Verifies login credentials against stored directory data. AD needs at least one DC to verify users and handle login requests on the network.
• Security policy enforcement: Applies access permissions and Group Policies.
• Directory replication: Syncs the AD DS database across the AD forest. Any changes, like password updates or account deletions, are copied to other DCs on the network.
• SSO: Allows users to access multiple resources with one set of credentials.

Why AD DS is important for enterprises

AD DS simplifies management of user identities and access permissions and allows administrators to organize the data into logical hierarchies. It also strengthens security and ensures compliance with several industry standards by enforcing security policies organization-wide.

Streamline AD management with ADManager Plus

Managing AD can become complex, especially in large organizations with numerous users and devices. ADManager Plus simplifies AD management by offering:

• Automated user provisioning and deprovisioning: Streamline identity life cycle management with automatic user onboarding and offboarding. Easily create, modify, and delete users in bulk. Use templates to eliminate discrepancies and seamlessly integrate with HCM applications.
• Effortless group management: Manage AD groups easily with bulk creation and management capabilities. Create security and distribution groups using templates, manage group memberships in bulk, and more.
• Periodic access reviews: Perform automatic reviews of users' access permissions with access certification campaigns. Revoke or approve access rights in a single click.
• Comprehensive risk assessment: Identify potential risks in your organization with a detailed Identity Risk Assessment report. Take on-the-fly actions, view remediation measures, and get a risk score that shows how secure your environment is.
• Streamlined workflows: Define the flow and sequence of a task with workflows. Configure workflow agents at various levels, like requesters, approvers, reviewers, and executors.
• Detailed reporting and auditing: Monitor all the actions taking place in your organization with prebuilt, detailed reports. Schedule periodic report generation and export them in various formats, like PDF, CSV, HTML, and XLS.

Take control of your AD environment today with ADManager Plus and experience seamless administration!