Microsoft® Windows Server™ 2003 Inside Out

Chapter 32. Active Directory Architecture

• Active Directory Physical Architecture

• Active Directory Logical Architecture

Active Directory is an extensible directory service that enables you to manage network resources efficiently. A directory service does this by storing detailed information about each network resource, which makes it easier to provide basic lookup and authentication. Being able to store large amounts of information is a key objective of a directory service, but the information must be also organized so that it is easily searched and retrieved.

Active Directory provides for authenticated search and retrieval of information by dividing the physical and logical structure of the directory into separate layers. Understanding the physical ...