Active Directory

Active Directory is Microsoft’s directory service that manages users, computers, and other resources within a Windows domain network. Originally released with Windows 2000 Server, it provides authentication and authorization services, enabling administrators to assign policies, deploy software, and apply critical updates across an organization. Active Directory uses a hierarchical structure of domains, trees, and forests, storing information about network objects in a centralized database that can be queried and managed through various tools and protocols including LDAP.