Is it really that critical to have Active Directory Management Software?
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by: jamesshepherd
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Word Count: 597
Date: Mon, 9 Jan 2012 Time: 3:14 AM
Since Microsoft has introduced Windows NT in the market its native security structure has remained essentially unchanged. The most interesting point that we need to understand is that after Windows NT was introduced in the global market it gained tremendous ground as a departmental or small business file. In addition, its security system was considered to be very much well equipped to work well. However, talking in context of present scenario, things have changed drastically. Today businesses and every next organization are expecting more from Windows’ security.
However, it is very unfortunate that nowadays organizations are putting their expensive and limited IT administration resources to manage low-level identity administration. In general, IT has to do almost everything in Active Directory: reset passwords, generate user accounts and administer group memberships and different additional activities. Now, each one of them is a time-consuming task. In fact, now IT administrators have more roles to play. They have become responsible for managing permissions in general, provisioning and de-provisioning users. Adding to this, they have to ensure that employees have right and equal access to only those resources that they actually require. But in reality, the condition that we witness in current scenario is quite different.
In many cases, it has been observed that IT administrator doesn’t even have the proper information required to determine whether or not a change should be made. Besides this, the key problem is that Windows’ security is largely managed by a set of manual procedures. There is a very little scope of automation as administrators have to open dialog boxes, click through checkboxes, and so forth. Apart from that the manually-based processes used to keep Active Directory “up to date” most of the time has resulted in missing of vital information, as well as inaccurate information.
Today’s businesses need to meet the terms with an increasing array of external security and compliance requirements, imposed both by legislation and different industry rules. Besides this, Microsoft has also not provided administrators any facility or proper platform that could help them -
Keep track of who’s accessing or even making any sort of attempt to access sensitive resources
Keep track of who has right to use what
Exercise complete control over the management of security principals
Microsoft Active Directory tools are provided to administrators so that the entire active directory service can be managed with efficiency, but it has its own limitations. Active Directory technology is based on standard Internet protocols that help you design the exact structure of your network. The logical structures help you arrange the AD objects and handle their network accounts along with the shared resources. But, there are many administrators who don’t know how to use active directory properly and manage it well. Nevertheless, you don’t have to worry because you can manage active directory more effectively with the usage of third party active directory tool. Perhaps, the most effective option that you can opt is the usage of third party tool like Lepide Active Directory Management and Reporting software. This is one such software that facilitates user with one centralized single platform to effectively manage network-wide organization units, users, computers, groups, shares etc. What’s more unique aspect about this tool is it also lets you go beyond the typical Active Directory and manage Event Logs, Registry, Domains, Services and much more. This utility provides you with much needed advantage of dedicated reporting console that further assists in generating reports on various AD objects including Groups, Users, OUs, GPOs, accounts and logon.
About the Author
The author of this article is an IT expert and has written many articles on Microsoft active directory tools. In fact, most of his articles have helped many readers understand how to use active directory auditingtool effectively and get the desired result.
