[...]... that the only way to create a directory structure that mirrors the organization of your company is to create multiple domains However, in many companies, a single domain is all that’s needed .To organize Active Directory objects within this single domain, organizational units can be used Organizational units (OUs) are containers that allow you to store users, computers, groups, and other OUs By placing... to create additional domains, and split users, computers, groups, and other objects among them As we’ll discuss later in this chapter, Active Directory resides on domain controllers, which are used to manage AD and control access to network resources .To ensure that each domain controller has an identical copy of the directory database, Active Directory information is replicated to every DC within a. .. will have to be replicated among domain controllers in each country, or (if no DCs reside in those locations) users will need to log onto a DC in another country Rather than replicating directory information across a WAN, and having to manage disparate parts of the network, you could break the network into several domains For example, you might create one domain for each country Creating separate domains... organizational units, you can design the layout of Active Directory to take the same shape as your company’s logical structure, without creating separate domains As shown in Figure 1.4, you can create OUs for different areas of your business, such as departments, functions, or locations.The users, computers, and groups relating to each area can then be stored inside the OU, so that you can find and manage... wiser to change the Active Directory and file structures so that they don’t exactly match the company’s organizational chart For example, police departments have Internal Affairs units that monitor the actions of officers and investigate complaints made about them Because such investigations could involve members at any level in the police department, it is important that others can’t access files dealing... the design stages WARNING It is important to pay attention to the flow of information, especially in relation to the purpose of the organization For example, if the organization is a chain of retail stores, the critical flow of information may be the real-time transfer of inventory data between individual stores and a central warehousing operation www.syngress.com The Assessment Stage • Chapter 1 The... up -to- date information for the company In other instances, the limitations you identify could be there for specific reasons Laws may restrict how data is accessed, or certain departments may require an autonomy that isn’t there for obvious reasons.These may exist due to reasons that are unique to the organization, and need to be discovered before changes are made to AD or the network infrastructure Cheat. .. easily create a design that works with the existing model used by the company Figure 1.5 Organizational Charts Depict the Administrative Model CEO Vice-President Administration Information Techology Sales Marketing Shipping Finance Accounts Receivable Accounts Payable Payroll In looking at the organizational chart, you can get an idea of how communication and information flows through the company A member... find and manage them as a single unit Organizational units are the smallest Active Directory unit to which you can delegate administrative authority When you delegate authority, you give specific users or groups the ability to manage the users and resources in an OU For example, you can give the manager of a department the ability to administer users within that department, thereby alleviating the need... Limitations In assessing information about the administrative model of the company and how it relates to AD and the network infrastructure, it is common to find limitations Such discoveries aren’t necessarily a bad thing A company might have business processes that have become outdated or can be improved upon.Through the process of designing Active Directory and the network infrastructure, these limitations . Hingham Street Rockland, MA 02370 How to Cheat at Designing a Windows Server 2003 Active Directory Infrastructure Copyright © 2006 by Syngress Publishing, Inc.All rights reserved. Printed in Canada daughters, Rebecca and Jennifer, in Philadelphia, PA. Paul M. Summitt (MCSE, CCNA, MCP+I, MCP) has a master’s degree in mass communication. Paul has served as network, Exchange, and database administrator. He has contributed to several Windows and Active Directory related publi- cations in both technical editor and authoring roles. Neil would like to dedicate his work to his wife, Deanne, and children,