Project Part 1: Active Directory Recommendations Scen 859252

Project Part 1 Active Directory Recommendations scenarioassume You Are

Assume you are an entry-level security administrator working for Always Fresh. You have been asked to evaluate the option of adding Active Directory to the company’s network. Create a summary report to management that answers the following questions to satisfy the key points of interest regarding the addition of Active Directory to the network:

1. System administrators currently create users on each computer where users need access. In Active Directory, where will system administrators create users?
2. How will the procedures for making changes to the user accounts, such as password changes, be different in Active Directory?
3. What action should administrators take for the existing workgroup user accounts after converting to Active Directory?
4. How will the administrators resolve differences between user accounts defined on different computers? In other words, if user accounts have different settings on different computers, how will Active Directory address that issue? (Hint: Consider security identifiers [SIDs].)

Paper For Above instruction

Implementing Active Directory (AD) within an organizational network represents a significant enhancement over traditional workgroup setups. For Always Fresh, transitioning to AD offers centralized management, improved security, and streamlined administrative procedures. This report evaluates key aspects of such a transition, addressing specific questions that outline the operational changes and benefits associated with adopting Active Directory.

Location of User Creation in Active Directory

In the current workgroup environment, system administrators manually create user accounts on each individual computer. This decentralized approach results in configuration inconsistencies and administrative overhead. Conversely, in a Windows Server environment with Active Directory, administrators create and manage user accounts centrally within the Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS). Within AD, user accounts are established in the domain's directory database under the Users organizational unit (OU) or other designated OUs. This centralized repository allows for streamlined management, ensuring that users are uniformly recognized across all connected network resources.

Procedural Differences for Making Changes to User Accounts

Currently, password updates and other modifications require direct access to each user's local account on individual computers, often making the process time-consuming and error-prone. With Active Directory, user account modifications—such as password resets, group membership changes, or profile updates—are performed centrally via administrative tools like Active Directory Users and Computers (ADUC). When a change is made in AD, it automatically propagates across the network, enabling users to access resources with their updated credentials seamlessly. This centralized approach simplifies administrative tasks, reduces redundancy, and enhances security by enforcing uniform policies.

Actions for Existing Workgroup User Accounts

Prior to integrating into Active Directory, workgroup user accounts are locally stored on individual machines. After establishing AD, administrators need to migrate these local accounts into the domain environment. This process involves creating new AD user accounts that correspond to existing local ones and migrating data and settings where feasible. For users with profiles stored locally, administrators may utilize tools like User State Migration Tool (USMT) or manually transfer data. It is crucial to inform users of the change, and in some cases, reconfigure access permissions to align with the centralized security policies.

Resolving Discrepancies Between User Accounts on Different Computers

Differences in user account settings across different computers typically arise due to local configuration and security policies. Active Directory addresses this challenge through the use of Security Identifiers (SIDs), which uniquely identify user accounts across the domain. When a user logs onto any machine within the domain, their SID is used to match permissions and profile data. By assigning permissions and policies at the domain level and linking them to user accounts via group policies, AD ensures consistent application of security settings, user profiles, and access rights, regardless of the endpoint device. This approach eliminates discrepancies caused by local account differences and provides a unified, manageable environment.

Conclusion

The transition to Active Directory from a workgroup environment introduces substantial management efficiencies, enhanced security, and consistency in user account handling. Centralized creation and management of user accounts, streamlined modification procedures, effective migration strategies, and a robust framework for resolving account differences all contribute to a more secure and manageable network infrastructure. For Always Fresh, adopting AD will facilitate better resource management, improve operational security, and position the organization for scalable growth.

References

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