Building an Enterprise Active Directory (It-Notes from the Field) Microsoft Corporation

Active Directory is probably the single most attractive feature of the Windows 2000 family of operating systems, so it's not surprising it's being implemented by lots of Windows 2000 adopters. Building Enterprise Active Directory Services: Notes from the Field takes a practical, consultant's-eye view of designing and implementing a reliable Active Directory system to fit business needs. In absolute terms, it tells you what you need to know, and how to work with that knowledge to create a system to please customers. Traffic metrics, cost issues, migration from Windows NT 4, and integration with other systems (notably Microsoft Exchange Server and Novell NetWare NDS) are all covered in this book. This is the best Active Directory book to date.

Perhaps most valuable for most readers is a true-life case study involving Compaq Corporation, which (as an advance user of Windows 2000) implemented a company-wide Active Directory system spanning what used to be three large Windows NT 4 environments. The case study details Compaq's needs, and then explains how the company chose its Active Directory topology, established network links among geographically separate sites, and organized its domains. It's a fascinating read, and essential material for anyone working on a project of similar scope. --David Wall

Topics covered: Windows 2000 and its Active Directory feature, geared toward consultants, system administrators, and other professionals charged with making big Active Directory systems work. To this end, the book covers topology design, traffic planning, tree-and-forest relationships, migration, integration, and security. A factual case study about Compaq's implementation includes lots of practical details.