Inside Windows® Server 2003

Domain Design Strategies

In Active Directory, as with classic NT, a domain defines a discrete security and administrative unit. It also defines a replication boundary, as each domain forms a separate naming context within the Active Directory database.

As you doodle your initial designs, start by looking for ways to use a single Active Directory domain. Do this even if you have a strong feeling that a single domain will not be feasible in your organization due to political turmoil. A single domain has several advantages:

• Easier navigation. Users look at network structures with all the fear and suspicion of medieval serfs gaping up at a comet. The simpler you make it for them to find resources, the more likely your design has of being successfully ...