Assignment:
Active directory
Active directory is a network technology that provides a variety of network services. The services include:-
• Directory services: - these services provide every user with a home directory. The user can store his/her files on it, can install softwares etc. Each user's directory will be protected by a user name and password.
• Authentication services: - Active directory comes with Kerberos based authentication services. These services can be used for checking of various user name and passwords for various applications.
• Domain naming: - This particular service allows a page to be accessed via a domain name. DNS servers store the domain names and the pages address.
Since active directory uses a same database, it allows the administrators to assign policies, assign policies, deploy software, and apply critical updates to an organization. Active Directory stores information and settings in a central database.
Riordan manufacturing has offices at four different countries. Each office is a network of servers, printers, computers etc. Each office has the following departments :- Finance & Accounting, Sales & Marketing, Human Resources, Operations, Legal, Information Technology. Each department has a number of users and devices. We try to match the hierarchy of the company with the hierarchy of active directory.
Hierarchy of active directory: -
Objects: - An object is a basic entity of active directory, any computer, server, printer or any other resource. Services and users are also
objects in active directory.
Site: - In terms of active directory, a site is a geographic location that contains a single network or a group of networks.
Trees: - A tree is a group of objects, arranged in a hierarchal manner. A tree might contain domains linked in a transitive-trust hierarchy.
Domain: - A domain is a collection of organizational units. Each domain is identified by a DNS entry, i.e. a domain name. All the domain names constitute the namespace.
Organizational units: - OU's are containers of objects. Objects are classified within a domain as OU's. For an active directory it is preferable to use lesser domains and more organizational units.
Forests:- A forest is a collection of trees in an active directory. The trees are also linked by transitive-trust hierarchy. A transitive trust hierarchy is based on trust, i.e. we can trust other users from different domains, trees or forests and share our files and data with them.
Design for Riordan manufacturing:-
Sites: -The Company contains 4 sites, so the active directory will also consist of four sites, with the central server at one of these sites. This is because each physical location is represented as a site in active directory.
Forests: - There would be a total of four forests in the active directory, one forest for each site. Each forest will have a domain name.
Trees: - Each department of the company would be a tree. i.e. there would be at least 5 trees at each site or forest. Each tree will have a sub-domain name. The trees may also contain sub trees depending on the number and classification of users.
Domains and organizational units: - there would be only 4 domains, one for each country. Each domain will have a domain name. The domain name would contain the name of the company and the country. Each domain will consist of 5 organizational units, each organizational unit represent one department and will have a sub-domain name.
Key placements: - The central server will be placed at one of the four sites or at a separate site at the middle of four locations. The server will consist of one authenticating server to allow access to various users. It would also consist of other applications. There would be minimum of four DNS servers one placed at each site. This server allow user to reach the central server or other servers by telling them the path to the next server. If each site is scattered across cities, then a DNS server must be placed at each city. Even in one city multiple DNS servers could be placed, but that would increase the cost of the design but will decrease the response time of a website. So a decision between cost and quality has to be made.