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INSA 312
Basic Networks Systems Administration
Module 3

By Alhanouf Alsenan
Roaa Aldoweesh
Chapter3:

Introduction to Active Directory Domain Services

Lesson 1: Overview of AD DS
Lesson 2: Overview of Domain Controllers
Lesson 3: Installing Domain Controllers
 Active Directory Domain Services (ADDS)

Active Directory Domain Services – are the core functions in Active Directory
that manage users and computers and allow sysadmins to organize the data
into logical hierarchies.

Server Manager.

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 Active Directory Domain Services (ADDS)

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 Active Directory Domain Services (ADDS)

• The AD DS database stores information on user identity, computers, groups, services, and
resources.

• Because AD DS stores information about all of the objects in the domain, and all users and
computers must connect to AD DS domain controllers when they sign into the network.

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 Active Directory Domain Services (ADDS)

We can use AD DS options to perform actions such as:

• Installing, configuring, and updating apps.
• Managing the security infrastructure.
• Enabling Remote Access Service and DirectAccess.
• Issuing and managing digital certificates.

• One of the most used AD DS features is Group Policy, which enables you to configure
centralized policies that you can use to manage most objects in AD DS.
• Understanding the various AD DS components is important to using Group Policy successfully
(we will see in future modules).

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 Components of (AD DS)

Two components:

1. Logical components are structures that you use

to implement an AD DS design that is appropriate
for an organization

2. Physical components in AD DS are those objects

that are tangible( you can touch), or that
described tangible components in the real world.

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 Domain Controllers

A domain controller - is a Windows server that stores a replica of the account and
security information for the domain and defines the domain boundaries.

A domain controller (DC) is a server that responds to authentication requests and

verifies users on computer networks.

➢ The domain controller keeps all that data organized and secured.

➢ The domain controller is the box that holds the keys to the kingdom- Active
Directory (AD).

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 Domain Controllers

Two categories:

1) Primary domain controller

▪ Is the first-line domain controller that handles user-authentication requests.
▪ Only one primary DC can be designated
▪ According to security and reliability best practices
▪ The server housing the primary DC should be solely dedicated to domain
services.

2) Backup domain controller

▪ As a fail-safe in case the primary domain controller goes down.