Windows Server® 2008 Bible

Chapter 18. Planning for Active Directory

IN THIS CHAPTER

• Understanding basic design principles

• Domain planning

• Forest planning

• Administration planning

• Migration planning

• Backup and restore planning

This chapter analyzes numerous models in planning for Active Directory and defines potential obstacles that may interrupt your planning process. Planning an Active Directory requires a methodology with a focus on your enterprise or organization's operational needs. You also want to take into consideration the big picture and how it evolves as you integrate new applications with Windows Server 2008. This is a constant battle in the ever-changing technical world. This chapter can help network managers, systems integrators, and consultants prepare for the required tasks and decisions to plan an Active Directory.

Active Directory Overview

Gaining a good understanding of Active Directory is critical before you start your planning. Directory services are nothing more than orderly ways of classifying and managing resources on a network, whether users, printers, servers, or security parameters. Directories become the points of reference for user services and applications. They help find a printer in a field office, locate a user and direct an e-mail, or verify that a user has access rights to a particular file. They also provide Single Sign-On (SSO), which gives a user access to the whole network from a single logon. Directories are becoming increasingly important as business networks expand to include ...