Active Directory
Active Directory (AD) is Microsoft's proprietary directory service. It runs on Windows Server and enables administrators to manage permissions and access to network resources.
Active Directory stores data as objects. An object is a single element, such as a user, group, application or device such as a printer. Objects are normally defined as either resources, such as printers or computers, or security principals, such as users or groups.
Active Directory categorizes directory objects by name and attributes. For example, the name of a user might include the name string, along with information associated with the user, such as passwords and Secure Shell keys.
The main service in Active Directory is Domain Services (AD DS), which stores directory information and handles the interaction of the user with the domain. AD DS verifies access when a user signs into a device or attempts to connect to a server over a network. AD DS controls which users have access to each resource, as well as group policies. For example, an administrator typically has a different level of access to data than an end user.
