News

Microsoft Posts Stand-Alone Active Directory

Microsoft has posted the bits for its stand-alone Active Directory, an out-of-band component of Windows Server 2003 that greatly expands the flexibility of Microsoft's directory services.

Active Directory in Application Mode, or AD/AM, unties Active Directory from the server operating system and the domain structure -- addressing one of the big criticisms of Active Directory in the Windows 2000 release.

Key differences between AD/AM and the regular Active Directory are that AD/AM runs as an independent service instead of an operating system service, it is not required to run on a domain controller, it can be run in multiple instances on a single server and it will run on Windows XP for development and testing purposes.

Microsoft has identified several usage scenarios for AD/AM:

  • To deploy an application-specific directory.
  • For use by application developers.
  • For extranet access management.
  • For migrations.

    The bits are available here..

    • About the Author

    Scott Bekker is editor in chief of Redmond Channel Partner magazine.

    Featured

    • Closeup of the new Copilot keyboard key

      Microsoft Updates Copilot To Add Context-Sensitive Agents to Teams, SharePoint

      Microsoft has rolled out a new public preview for collaborative "always on" agents in Microsoft 365 Copilot, bringing enhanced, context-aware tools into Teams channels, meetings, SharePoint sites, Planner workstreams and Viva Engage communities.

    • Windows 365 Cloud Apps Now Available for Public Preview

      Microsoft announced this week that Windows 365 Cloud Apps are now available for public preview. This aims to allow IT administrators to stream individual Windows applications from the cloud, removing the need to assign Cloud PCs to every user.

    • Report: Security Initiatives Can't Keep Pace with Cloud, AI Boom

      The increasingly fast adoption of hybrid, multicloud, and AI systems is easily outgrowing existing security measures, according to a recent global survey by the Cloud Security Alliance (CSA) and exposure management firm Tenable.

    • World Map Image

      Microsoft Taps Nebius in $17B AI Infrastructure Deal To Alleviate Cloud Strain

      Microsoft has signed a five-year, $17.4 billion agreement with Amsterdam-based Nebius Group to expand its AI computing capabilities through third-party GPU infrastructure.

    Most   Popular