Active Directory Domain Services

Active Directory® Domain Services (AD DS) stores information about users, computers, and other resources on a network. AD DS helps administrators manage this information securely. It also facilitates resource sharing and collaboration among users. AD DS is required for directory-enabled applications, such as Microsoft® Exchange Server, and for other Windows Server technologies, such as Group Policy.

Note
AD DS requires a Domain Name System (DNS) server to be installed on the network. If you do not have a DNS server available for name resolution in the domain, you will be prompted to install the DNS server role on this server.

The following topics provide information about using AD DS snap-ins:

• Active Directory Domains and Trusts
  
  
• Active Directory Users and Computers
  
  
• Active Directory Sites and Services
  
  
• ADSI Edit
  
  
• Local Users and Groups
  
  
• Active Directory Schema