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Alpha Computer Group can install, maintain and deploy all types of Microsoft Windows Domain Controllers. Windows Server can be one of three kinds: Active Directory “domain controllers“, Active Directory “member servers” and Windows Workgroup “stand-alone servers“. The term “Active Directory Server” is sometimes used by Microsoft as synonymous to “Domain Controller”. Alpha Computer Group supports all version of Windows Server such as; Windows Server NT, Windows Server 2000, Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2008, and Windows Server 2012 – 32bit or 64bit as well as from RC to R2. When you install Windows Server on a computer, you can choose to configure a specific server role for that computer. When you want to create a new forest, a new domain, or an additional domain controller in an existing domain, you configure the server with the role of domain controller by installing AD DS.
By default, a domain controller stores one domain directory partition consisting of information about the domain in which it is located, plus the schema and configuration directory partitions for the entire forest. A domain controller that runs Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows Server 2008, or Windows Server 2003 can also store one or more application directory partitions. There are also specialized domain controller roles that perform specific functions in an AD DS environment. These specialized roles include global catalog servers and operations masters.
Global Catalog Servers
Every domain controller stores the objects for the domain in which it is installed. However, a domain controller designated as a global catalog server stores the objects from all domains in the forest. For each object that is not in the domain for which the global catalog server is authoritative as a domain controller, a limited set of attributes is stored in a partial replica of the domain. Therefore, a global catalog server stores its own full, writable domain replica (all objects and all attributes) plus a partial, read-only replica of every other domain in the forest. The global catalog is built and updated automatically by the AD DS replication system. The object attributes that are replicated to global catalog servers are the attributes that are most likely to be used to search for the object in AD DS. The attributes that are replicated to the global catalog are identified in the schema as the partial attribute set (PAS) and are defined by default by Microsoft. However, to optimize searching, you can edit the schema by adding or removing attributes that are stored in the global catalog.
The global catalog makes it possible for clients to search AD DS without having to be referred from server to server until a domain controller that has the domain directory partition storing the requested object is found. By default, AD DS searches are directed to global catalog servers.
The first domain controller in a forest is automatically created as a global catalog server. Thereafter, you can designate other domain controllers to be global catalog servers if they are needed.
Operations Masters
Domain controllers that hold operations master roles are designated to perform specific tasks to ensure consistency and to eliminate the potential for conflicting entries in the Active Directory database. AD DS defines five operations master roles: the schema master, domain naming master, relative identifier (RID) master, primary domain controller (PDC) emulator, and infrastructure master.
The following operations masters perform operations that must occur on only one domain controller in the forest:
Schema master
Domain naming master
The following operations masters perform operations that must occur on only one domain controller in a domain:
Primary Domain Controller (PDC) emulator
Infrastructure master
Relative ID (RID) master
A directory service created by Microsoft for windows domain networks, and typically included in most windows server operating systems. Server computers that operate a running active directory are called domain controllers
Active Directory serves as central location for network administration and security; it is responsible for:
authenticating and authorizing all users and computers within a network of windows domain
assigning and enforcing security policies for all computers in a network and installing and or updating software on network computers
Active directory is the program used to verify whether the user logging onto computer is a system administrator or normal user, and verifies the password for authenticity.
Active Directory is a required component for a secure IT infrastructure because active directory interacts with each and every system on an enterprise network. Poor active directory can increase vulnerability to attacks, as well as cause problems to users.
Active Directory Support
Alpha Computer Group Active Directory Support includes:
Install and manage active directory infrastructure
Troubleshoot active directory installation/uninstallation issues
Optimize your user pool under AD system
Migration/up-gradation issues
Group policy management
User management
Replication issues
AD backup/restoration
Call Alpha Computer Group today for all of your Microsoft Server Domain/Active Directory support @ (877) 608 – 8647