The Active Directory Structure - The Basics

In the two videos below, I discuss the basics of the directory structure within Active Directory, addressing concepts of uniqueness within a domain.  I explain the basic concepts related to Distinguished Names and Relative Distinguished Names, as well as showing how to use various tools to learn more about Active Directory objects and their attributes.

Part 1

Part 2

Tools used in this video:

1. Active Directory Users and Computers – the default tool provided for administrators working with AD objects
2. ADSI Edit – a more in-depth editor for Active Directory objects.  It grants access to the different naming partitions within AD, including the Domain Naming, Configuration and Schema partitions, as well as RootDSE

To learn more about these tools, see the following articles:

• ADSI Edit (adsiedit.msc)
• Working with Active Directory Users and Computers

In the next series, I’ll begin to show some of the command-line utilities used to administer Active Directory. 

Until then…