Active Directory Data Storage

A directory service consists of both a directory storage system (called the directory store ) and a mechanism that is used to locate and retrieve information from the system. Active Directory ™ , the directory service that is included with Microsoft® Windows® 2000, stores objects that provide information about the real things that exist in an organization's network and that are associated with one or more domains, such as users, specific groups of users, computers, applications, services, files, and distribution lists. It then makes this information available to users and applications throughout the organization.

In This Chapter

Active Directory Architecture

Data Storage

Installing Active Directory

Removing Active Directory

Unattended Setup for Installation or Removal of Active Directory

  • For more information about the Active Directory hierarchy and Domain Name System (DNS) naming, domain controller location, and tree and forest structure, see "Active Directory Logical Structure" in this book.

  • For more information about replication between sites and within a site, see "Active Directory Replication" in this book.

  • For more information about understanding and modifying the Active Directory schema, see "Active Directory Schema" in this book.

  • For more information about DNS, see "Introduction to DNS" and "Windows 2000 DNS" in the Microsoft ® Windows ®  2000 Server Resource Kit TCP/IP Core Networking Guide .