Active Directory at Riordan Manufacturing

This document is a proposal for the implementation of active directory (AD) at Riordan Manufacturing. The contents below will discuss the definition of AD, the benefits and address implementation plans. Also included are diagrams of active directory for Riordan, and a detail analysis of the active directory diagrams.

Definition

AD is used on Microsoft Windows servers and computers to store information about domains and networks. It was first used with Windows 2000 and has evolved over time to Windows 2008. AD has many functions but most importantly provides information on objects then organizes them for easy access and retrieval. With a username and password, users and administrators are allowed access and administrators have the ability to set the security for the directory (Tech-FAQ, n.d.).

Benefits

AD provides a single logon point for all network resources so users can login to the network using only a single user name and password. Once this is done, users can see resources their account is allowed access to. An administrator also has the ability to login one computer and control objects on any computer within the network (Embad, n.d.).

Windows Server 2008 has many security settings to enforce and this is done locally by configuring them on each computer. A feature named Group Policy in an AD environment is an option to enforce settings on every computer within the network. Network administrators then have the ability to improve network functionality and make changes faster without needing user intervention to implement changes.

Windows Server 2008 has the advantage of introducing many new Group Policy objects specific to Windows Server 2008 R2 and Windows 7. These objects come with several new components that expand on the core capabilities of Group Policy management. The functions of Group Policy haven't changed from Windows 2003 so the Group Policy