Active Directory and the Internet

Active Directory can exist within the scope of the global Internet DNS namespace. When an Internet presence is required by an individual or organization, the Active Directory namespace is maintained as one or more hierarchical Windows 2000 domains beneath a root domain that is registered as a DNS namespace. Registration of individual and organizational root domain DNS names ensures the global uniqueness of all DNS names and provides for the assignment of network addresses that are recorded in the global DNS database. Registration of the DNS name for the root domain of the individual or organization also grants that individual or organization the authority to manage its own hierarchy of child domains, zones, and hosts within the root domain.

Note

An organization might or might not choose to be part of the global Internet DNS namespace. However, even if the organization's root domain is not registered as an Internet DNS namespace, the DNS service is required to locate Windows 2000–based computers in general and Windows 2000–based domain controllers in particular.

For more information about DNS and DNS name servers, see Windows 2000 Server Help, and see "Introduction to DNS" in the TCP/IP Core Networking Guide .