Active Directory Cookbook Blog

More on Sun and Microsoft partnership

"The two companies [Sun and Microsoft] will work together to allow identity information to be shared between Microsoft Active Directory and the Sun Java System Identity Server."

Finally! Maybe we'll actually start to get some decent interop between directory vendors. Read more at source.

# posted by Robbie (4/30/2004 09:34:33 PM)

New Download: Group Policy Settings Reference for Windows XP Professional Service Pack 2 Release Candidate 1

"This spreadsheet lists the full set of Group Policy settings described in Administrative Template (.adm) files shipped with Windows XP Professional Service Pack 2 Release Candidate 1."

# posted by Robbie (4/29/2004 12:37:18 PM)

Article: NT User Base Slowly But Surely Graduating to Active Directory

ENT News | News: NT User Base Slowly But Surely Graduating to Active Directory

# posted by Robbie (4/28/2004 08:33:53 PM)

Buzz from the Summit

There is some buzz coming out of the MVP Summit about some of the new features that are being talked about for Active Directory in the next release or two. All of the cool AD people (like Joe, Rick, Dean, Tony, etc.) were there for it, but I wasn't able to attend due to a prior commitment. I can't divulge any details, but based on the little bit I heard, it sounds like Microsoft will maintain the leadership position in the directory space for the foreseeable future.

# posted by Robbie (4/28/2004 02:58:51 PM)

Article: Meta-Directory Mindset

This article presents a good overview of LDAP, X.500, and meta-directories for the newcomer.

Oh by the way, the directory enabled networks (DEN) initiative as defined by Cisco and Microsoft back in 1997 is dead. Don't ask me why--I thought it was (and still is) a good idea.

# posted by Robbie (4/28/2004 02:49:18 PM)

Article: Time for a Windows Scripting Overhaul

I agree that it is time for a change in the Windows Scripting environment. Actually, I don't have as big of a beef with WSH/VBScript as I do the command shell (cmd.exe). I come from a UNIX background where you get full featured shell interfaces like ksh (my personal fav) and bash. It was real easy to do useful stuff from the command-line and subsequently from a shell script. That's how most admins get started programming.

Fortunately, it looks like Microsoft is ready to finally do the Windows shell (and scripting environment) right with Longhorn. I've been playing around with Monad (MSH)--which can run on XP now. Very cool stuff. Still a long way to go, but they are definitely on the right track. One neat thing I've seen is walking the AD tree like you would a filesystem:

MSH 2 C:/Documents and Settings/rallen>new-provider -Assembly "d:\Program FilesMicrosoft command shell Preview\System.Management.Automation.Commands.Directory.
dll" -Provider AD

name home
---- ----
AD

MSH 3 C:/Documents and Settings/rallen>new-drive -Name rallencorp -Provider AD -Root
LDAP://rallencorp.com

name provider current
---- -------- -------
rallencorp AD

MSH 4 C:/Documents and Settings/rallen>cd rallencorp:
MSH 5 rallencorp:/>
MSH 6 rallencorp:/>dir

Folder: AD::LDAP://adc-rtp-101.rallencorp.com/DC=rallencorp,DC=com

Name ObjectCategory whenCreated
---- -------------- -----------
Builtin CN=Builtin-Domain 8/12/2001 2:40:38 PM
rallencorp Apps CN=Organizational-Unit 8/17/2001 2:00:47 AM
rallencorp Computers CN=Organizational-Unit 8/17/2001 2:00:48 AM
rallencorp Groups CN=Organizational-Unit 8/17/2001 2:00:48 AM
rallencorp Printers CN=Organizational-Unit 8/17/2001 2:00:48 AM
rallencorp Users CN=Organizational-Unit 8/17/2001 2:00:49 AM
Computers CN=Container 8/12/2001 2:40:38 PM
Domain Controllers CN=Organizational-Unit 8/12/2001 2:40:38 PM
ForeignSecurityPrincipals CN=Container 8/12/2001 2:40:38 PM
Infrastructure CN=Infrastructure-Update 8/12/2001 2:40:38 PM
LostAndFound CN=Lost-And-Found 8/12/2001 2:40:38 PM
Microsoft Exchange Syst... CN=ms-Exch-System-Objec... 8/26/2001 11:58:32 AM
System CN=Container 8/12/2001 2:40:38 PM
Users CN=Container 8/12/2001 2:40:38 PM

MSH 7 rallencorp:/>cd Users
MSH 8 rallencorp:/Users>dir

Folder: AD::

Name ObjectCategory whenCreated
---- -------------- -----------
Administrator CN=Person 8/12/2001 2:40:38 PM
AMER$ CN=Person 8/12/2001 4:21:06 PM
Cert Publishers CN=Group 8/12/2001 2:45:30 PM
DnsAdmins CN=Group 8/12/2001 2:50:01 PM
DnsUpdateProxy CN=Group 8/12/2001 2:50:01 PM
Domain Admins CN=Group 8/12/2001 2:45:30 PM
Domain Computers CN=Group 8/12/2001 2:45:29 PM
Domain Controllers CN=Group 8/12/2001 2:45:30 PM
Domain Guests CN=Group 8/12/2001 2:45:30 PM
Domain Users CN=Group 8/12/2001 2:45:30 PM
Enterprise Admins CN=Group 8/12/2001 2:45:30 PM
Exchange Domain Servers CN=Group 8/26/2001 11:58:32 AM
Exchange Enterprise Ser... CN=Group 8/26/2001 11:58:32 AM
Group Policy Creator Ow... CN=Group 8/12/2001 2:45:31 PM
Guest CN=Person 8/12/2001 2:40:38 PM
krbtgt CN=Person 8/12/2001 2:45:29 PM
RAS and IAS Servers CN=Group 8/12/2001 2:45:31 PM
Schema Admins CN=Group 8/12/2001 2:45:30 PM
TelnetClients CN=Group 8/12/2001 2:40:38 PM
TsInternetUser CN=Person 8/12/2001 2:40:38 PM

MSH 9 rallencorp:/Users>get-children -Filter "(objectclass=group)"

Folder: AD::

Name ObjectCategory whenCreated
---- -------------- -----------
Cert Publishers CN=Group 8/12/2001 2:45:30 PM
DnsAdmins CN=Group 8/12/2001 2:50:01 PM
DnsUpdateProxy CN=Group 8/12/2001 2:50:01 PM
Domain Admins CN=Group 8/12/2001 2:45:30 PM
Domain Computers CN=Group 8/12/2001 2:45:29 PM
Domain Controllers CN=Group 8/12/2001 2:45:30 PM
Domain Guests CN=Group 8/12/2001 2:45:30 PM
Domain Users CN=Group 8/12/2001 2:45:30 PM
Enterprise Admins CN=Group 8/12/2001 2:45:30 PM
Exchange Domain Servers CN=Group 8/26/2001 11:58:32 AM
Exchange Enterprise Ser... CN=Group 8/26/2001 11:58:32 AM
Group Policy Creator Ow... CN=Group 8/12/2001 2:45:31 PM
RAS and IAS Servers CN=Group 8/12/2001 2:45:31 PM
Schema Admins CN=Group 8/12/2001 2:45:30 PM
TelnetClients CN=Group 8/12/2001 2:40:38 PM

MSH 10 rallencorp:/Users>

# posted by Robbie (4/28/2004 02:37:25 PM)

Survey of Active Directory Engineers Highlights Active Directory's Critical Role in the Enterprise

Netpro published the results of the survey they did at DEC 2004 in Washington DC. Corporations are starting to rely more heavily on Active Directory (finally). I spoke at DEC and Windows Connections (which was last week) and through my own informal polls, it is apparent that Active Directory deployments are pervasive now. When you ask a roomful of attendees at a Microsoft-related conference if they are running AD, odds are the majority will raise their hands. This can be at least partially attributed to the fact that EOL for Windows NT is Jan 2005, but nevertheless, it appears that AD has finally hit critical mass.

# posted by Robbie (4/11/2004 09:57:44 PM)

New Download: Troubleshooting Kerberos Errors in Windows 2000 and Windows Server 2003 Whitepaper

Troubleshooting Kerberos Errors
"Outlines basic troubleshooting strategies. Summarizes issues that typically cause problems with Kerberos authentication. Lists Kerberos error messages, possible causes, and possible resolutions. Describes tools commonly used to troubleshoot Kerberos authentication problems."

# posted by Robbie (4/05/2004 09:48:59 PM)