Practicing Active Directory - Microsoft Q&A (2024)

FAQs

Is there a way to practice Active Directory? ›

The best way to practice Active Directory would be to set up a test environment on your own computer or on a cloud-based platform such as Microsoft Azure. Azure offers a free trial that allows you to set up virtual machines (VMs) running Windows Server, which would be suitable for practicing Active Directory.

If you are working with AD daily (not just reading about it), you could get to basic level in a few weeks, competent in 6 months, expert in maybe 2 or 3 years.

Each Domain controller must have at least 8 GB RAM and a Quad-Core CPU. For an enterprise with more than 2000 and less than 5000 concurrent logged in users per domain, you must have at least 4 Domain Controllers.

I would say it is quite easy to get familiar with the basics of AD, but you will soon notice that it is a VERY complex and complete solution, there are tons of settings to consider, it takes years of training to be able to fully exploit it… I hope this will help you getting started !

Active Directory is arguably one of the most important tools within a company. The larger a company gets, the more complex its user and security needs become. Implementing group policy objects, creating organization units, and assigning permissions become critical processes.

Anyone can enrol by creating a free account on Server Academy. Click the sign-up button and start learning Active Directory.

By mastering Active Directory, you can control user access to resources, assign and enforce security policies, and deploy software across your network. For those involved in IT management and system administration, Active Directory skills are essential tools for maintaining an orderly and secure IT infrastructure.

At a minimum, you need a 1.4 GHz, 64-bit CPU that supports Second Level Address Translation, 512 MB of RAM -- or 2 GB of RAM when using Desktop Experience -- and 32 GB of disk space. For better performance, especially with larger domains, consider a faster CPU and 4 GB of RAM.

Have at least two domain controllers in each Active Directory domain for fault tolerance and high availability. Consider deploying read-only DCs in branch offices or other locations with limited connectivity to the main data center to improve security and performance.

Can I run 2 domain controllers on the same network? ›

Yes, they can. The only thing you have to worry about is IP addressing. One or both domains will have to be statically IP addressed. The big thing would be moving from old DNS server to new DNS server.

Active Directory Definition

Active Directory is an important part of IT infrastructure. It can be used to manage devices, users, domains, and objects within a network. Organizations use Active Directory for its seamless identity and access management capabilities.

Active Directory is a directory service that is used to store and manage network such as user accounts, passwords, and other security information. It is a central repository for all the users and computers in a network. Active Directory can be used to centrally manage large networks.

The default active directory database file location is C:\Windows\NTDS. This file location can easily change during the active directory installation. As a best practice it is always good if it can be save in different hard disk partition rather than operating system partition.

Avatier Identity Anywhere

Avatier Identity Anywhere, one of the best alternatives to Active Directory, is an enterprise identity management software that enables them to reduce and eliminate dual administration.