-Active Directory is the brain of the Microsoft windows Server Network. -It’s a database that keeps track of huge amount of stuffs and gives us a centralized way to manage all our network machines, users and resources.

-A Domain Controller is a Windows Server Machine that runs Active Directory Domain Services (ADDS). -Think of it as the Boss of your Network. -You may have multiple Domain controllers that all have copies of the same Active Directory database.

-A Windows Server Domain is a logical group of computers running versions of the Microsoft Windows Operating System that share a central directory database. -The machines are all named with part of a Domain name like “microtech.com” (also called as suffix) and are registered in the Active Directory Database so that they can be managed.

FOREST: A forest is comprised of all the domains in your enterprise. microtech.com (forest root) pkr.microtech.com

-Server needs a job too. -A server role is a major job that a server can perform. -Its recommended that a server not have too may roles. # A Domain Controller usually has two roles: 1. Active Directory Domain Services (ADDS) 2. DNS

- DNS is a service provided by a Server that allows you to find other computers in your network - DNS allows you to type in a friendly name of a machine instead of its IP Address, allowing in your clients to get the IP Address from the DNS server and go find the resources. - Without DNS, Active Directory will not work. - In Server 2008, its recommended that you integrate DNS with Active Directory.

- Define briefly what an Active Directory is - Describe what three primary objects that Active Directory Provides. - Describes what happens when you log in to an Active Directory Network. - Define what a Domain Controller is. - Describe a forest. - Describe a domain. - Define what a server role is.