Active Directory Overview Flashcards
What is Active Directory?
It’s a directory service used to manage Windows domain networks that stores information related to objects such as computers, users, printers, etc. Users can authenticate accross this network with a username and password.
What is a domain controller?
It’s a server with the AD DS server role installed. It manages all the information stored in the AD system.
What are some of the most important features of a domain controller?
- Host the AD DS directory store
- Provide authentication and authorization
- Replicate updates to other domain controllers
- Allow administrative access to manage users and network resources.
What is a data store?
It’s a component that contains database files and processes that store and manage directory information for users, services and applications.
What is the most important file that a Data Store holds? What does this file contain?
The Ntds.dit file. A very sensitive file that contain the password hashes for all the users in the system and information about AD data.
What is a schema?
It’s a logical component that defines every type of object that can be created and stored in the directory. It’s a blueprint or rulebook for object creation and configuration.
What are the two types of objects that we can have in an Active Directory Schema?
- Class Objects: What objects can be created in the directory.
- Attribute objects: Information that can be attached to an object.
What is a domain?
It’s a logical component used to group and manage objects in an organization. It defines the following boundaries:
* Administrative boundary for applying policies to a group of objects.
* Replication boundary for replicating data between domain controllers.
* Authentication and authorization boundary to provide a way to limit the scope of access to resources.
What is a tree?
Is a group of domains that follow a hierarchy. The domains within a tree share the namespace and trust between them.
What is a forest?
It’s a collection of trees.
What is an organizational unit?
It’s a container for objects. Used to manage objects in a consistent way.
What is trust in the Active Directory?
It’s how we have access between resources. A mechanism for users to gain access to resources in another domain.
What are the types of trust?
- Directional: One domain trusts another one. So the trusted domain is allowed to access the one that trusts him.
- Transitive: One domain trusts another one and this relation is extended to include all the other domains that the trusted one trusts.
What following roles are carried out by the Domain Controller? (multiple choice)
a) Provide authentication and authorization.
b) Allow administrative acces to manage user accounts.
c) Monitors the network for intrusions.
a) and b).
