Microsoft Active Directory
Active Directory provides the means to manage the identities and
relationships that make up your organization's network. Integrated
with Windows Server 2008 R2, Active Directory gives you
out-of-the-box functionality needed to centrally configure and
administer system, user, and application settings.
Active Directory Domain Services
Active Directory provides the means to manage the identities and
relationships that make up your organisation's network. Integrated
with Windows Server 2008, Active Directory gives you out-of-the-box
functionality needed to centrally configure and administer system,
user, and application settings. Active Directory Domain Services
(AD DS) stores directory data and manages communication between
users and domains, including user logon processes, authentication,
and directory searches
Active Directory Rights Management
Active Directory Rights Management Services (AD RMS) and the AD
RMS client, enable you to augment an organisation's security
strategy by protecting information through persistent usage
policies, which remain with the information, no matter where it is
moved. You can use AD RMS to help prevent sensitive
information-such as financial reports, product specifications,
customer data, and confidential e-mail messages-from intentionally
or accidentally getting into the wrong hands.
Active Directory Federation Services
Active Directory Federation Services is a highly secure, highly
extensible, and Internet-scalable identity access solution that
allows organisations to authenticate users from partner
organizations. Using AD FS in Windows Server 2008, you can simply
and very securely grant external users access to your
organization's domain resources. AD FS can also simplify
integration between untrusted resources and domain resources within
your own organization
Active Directory Certification Services
Active Directory Certificate Services (AD CS) enhances security
by binding the identity of a person, device, or service to their
own private key. Storing the certificate and private key within
Active Directory helps securely protect the identity, and Active
Directory becomes the centralized location for retrieving the
appropriate information when an application places a request.
Active Directory Lightweight Directory
Services
Active Directory Lightweight Directory Service (AD LDS),
formerly known as Active Directory Application Mode, can be used to
provide directory services for directory-enabled applications.
Instead of using your organization's AD DS database to store the
directory-enabled application data, AD LDS can be used to store the
data. AD LDS can be used in conjunction with AD DS so that you can
have a central location for security accounts (AD DS) and another
location to support the application configuration and directory
data (AD LDS).
Additional Active Directory Improvements
- New Forest Functional Level
- Enhanced Command Line and Automated Management
- Improved Automated Monitoring and Notification
- Better Management with Server Manager
- Improved Compliance with Established Standards and Best
Practices
- Answer File Creation
- Read-Only Domain Controller Installation
