There's no doubt Active Directory is one of the most talked about features of Windows 2000 but its complexity can present an exponential learning curve. In the style typical of this range of books, Active Directory for Dummies aims to cut through the fog and offer a clear, step-by-step guide to this key feature of Microsoft's flagship.

The book targets a wide audience ranging from the merely curious right up to NT administrators looking at migrating to Windows 2000. The author starts with a gentle introduction to Active Directory explaining its purpose and structure and how trees and forests fit into the big picture. Without delay she whisks you on to planning and building your first structure where you'll see the close relationship between Active Directory and DNS, find out how to create a logical structure and measure available bandwidth using the trial software on the accompanying CD-ROM.

Migration tactics compare Windows NT and 2000 domains and the section on upgrade options also includes some useful hints on switching from Novell NDS, UNIX and even Banyan Vines. The tour's next destination is Managing Active Directory and the section on administering users is supported by plenty of screen shots.

The author's efforts to cut through the jargon do leave this book lacking in some areas and the technically aware would be better served with Alistair G Lowe-Norris's Windows 2000 Active Directory. However, the author's easy-going style and slightly irreverent approach will be appreciated by many, making this an ideal introduction to Active Directory.--Dave Mitchell

Active Directory, a fundamental component of Windows 2000, is revolutionizing the way people design and manage networks. Whether you are a savvy system administrator or are new to networking and information technology, Active Directory For Dummies helps you understand this wonderful new operating system technology. This unpretentious resource presents the fundamentals of Active Directory and then moves right into planning, implementing, and managing it. Active Directory For Dummies offers a clear explanation of the program and a cataloging of its benefits and buzzwords. Explore the following topics in easy-to-understand language: * Prepare your environment for a shift to Active Directory. * Consider logical structure issues like planning the DNS namespace, designing the tree, and defining an organizational unit (OU) model. * Build a model of an Active Directory domain and create your first objects. * Migrate from an existing environment to an Active Directory environment. * Manage security, users, resources, and replication traffic within the Active Directory tree. * Understand how the Active Directory Services Interface works with other Microsoft technology. Active Directory For Dummies also includes cool Web links for information on the program as well as a special section on troubleshooting common problems that may arise during installation and operation of Active Directory. The enclosed CD-ROM offers you 60-day test-drive versions of Visio Professional and Visio Enterprise as well as trial versions of Entevo DirectMigrate2000, EtherPeek 4.0, EtherHelp, TokenPeek, and TokenHelp.

Active Directory, a fundamental component of Windows 2000, is revolutionizing the way people design and manage networks. Whether you are a savvy system administrator or are new to networking and information technology, Active Directory For Dummies helps you understand this wonderful new operating system technology. This unpretentious resource presents the fundamentals of Active Directory and then moves right into planning, implementing, and managing it. Active Directory For Dummies offers a clear explanation of the program and a cataloging of its benefits and buzzwords. Explore the following topics in easy-to-understand language: * Prepare your environment for a shift to Active Directory. * Consider logical structure issues like planning the DNS namespace, designing the tree, and defining an organizational unit (OU) model. * Build a model of an Active Directory domain and create your first objects. * Migrate from an existing environment to an Active Directory environment. * Manage security, users, resources, and replication traffic within the Active Directory tree. * Understand how the Active Directory Services Interface works with other Microsoft technology.

Active Directory For Dummies also includes cool Web links for information on the program as well as a special section on troubleshooting common problems that may arise during installation and operation of Active Directory. The enclosed CD-ROM offers you 60-day test-drive versions of Visio Professional and Visio Enterprise as well as trial versions of Entevo DirectMigrate2000, EtherPeek 4.0, EtherHelp, TokenPeek, and TokenHelp.

Visio Professional Test Drive plus migration tools on CD?ROM

Plain?English explanations of trees, forests, and other Active Directory concepts

Harness the power of Active Directory for everything from migration to network management If you're an IT professional, Active Directory is probably the one feature of Windows 2000 you're most excited about. But because it's so different from NT, it's also a little scary. Relax! With this friendly guide at your side, you'll quickly get a handle on this powerful network management tool — and jumpstart your deployment of Windows 2000. all this on the bonus CD?ROM 60?day Test Drive version of Visio Professional and Visio Enterprise Trial versions of Entevo DirectMigrate2000, EtherPeek, 4.0, EtherHelp, TokenPeek, and TokenHelp Plus all original Visio files for figures in the book so that you don't have to create your Active Directory diagrams from scratch! PC with Pentium 90 or faster running Windows 95 or later; or NT 4 or later. For details and complete system requirements, see the CD?ROM appendix

Discover how to: Customize Active Directory for your network Build an Active Directory test model Migrate from NT or Novell to Active Directory Test bandwidth and optimize sites and replication Manage security, users, and resources

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Marcia Loughry, MCSE, MCP+I, and Network+, is a Senior Infrastructure Specialist with a large IT firm in Dallas where she designs NT solutions and integrates UNIX and NetWare environments with NT.

2005-10-22 Greatest thing since sliced bread

When Microsoft took an elegant simple schema from UNIX and redesigned it into a convoluted might mare called "Active Directory" it was time for this book. Turns out that "Active Directory" is not active or a directory; who would have guessed? Well this book starts you off with correcting concepts and even lets you know that with the new terminology that the definition of "domain" has been changed.
A lot of time Dummies books are too busy being cute; this one however is so packed with helpful information that it does not have time to be cute. This book takes you from ground zero to up and running while helping avoid common pit falls.