Active Directory Student’s Name Institution Affiliation Date
Over time, the security and arrangement of data have been the leading cause of distress for many companies about their data. Companies have always looked for different ways to store and secure their data and make the most out of their resources. Active Directory was first introduced to the world in 1999 to organize and manage computer users, computers, and information in a network (Bala, 2019). Active Directory was developed to provide security and sophistication to the information of users in a network and has been incorporated in several technology companies to ensure that their data is secure and for maximum productivity. Active directory. Active Directory is a product from Microsoft that was created to manage the access and permissions to networked resources in a network. The directory consists of various services that run on Windows servers to manage computers and other devices that are connected to a network. An active directory controls the interaction of devices that are connected in a particular network. Active directory allows the administrators of a network to manage the data about the resources from a network and the application data in a controlled database. Roles of Active Directory. Active directory was generally created by Microsoft to manage the control people have in a network. The directory was designed to keep the network users from crucial information in a network (Bala, 2019). The roles of the active directory are to offer domain services, certificate services, lightweight directory services, rights management, and directory federation services. Provision of Domain Services. One of the primary roles of the Active Directory is to provide several domain services. The AD ensures that centralized information is stored effectively and safely. It is also responsible for managing the communication between the users in a network and the domains (Binduf et al., 2018). The AD ensures this perfect communication between the users and domains by authenticating the login credentials and ensuring that the searching function is working correctly. These actions are done by the AD to ensure that the domain services are running as expected. Offering Certificate Services. An Active Directory is responsible for creating, distributing, and managing secure certificates. Certificates are the files that are installed on secure web servers to identify the website. The digital certificate will act as a beacon from which users can trust that the website or network is secure (Binduf et al., 2018). They portray the authenticity and identity of the brand of the network, in which third parties can verify the legitimacy of the network. Lightweight Directory Services. Active Directories are also designed to provide flexible support for directory-enabled applications. The Ads are expected to perform these tasks without any liabilities or domain-related restrictions of Active Directory Domain Services. They support the applications that are enabled through directories by incorporating open protocols in the networks (Bala, 2019). The Active Directory mostly uses the Lightweight Directory Access Protocol as its open protocol, for making the directory data available on the networks. Directory Federation Services. The AD provides single-sign-on to establish the authenticity of a user who is using many applications in a single session in the network (Bala, 2019). Since it is a component of Windows Server operating systems, it gives the users of a network authenticated access to applications incapable of incorporating Integrated Windows Authentication in their functions. Through this vital function, a user only has to sign in once in a network, and their credentials and information will always be remembered and presented the next time they log in to the network. Rights Management. The Active Directory also prevents unauthorized use and distribution of digital content, thereby protecting copywriter information. The Active Directory has several programs that prevent illegal access of data from unauthorized personnel. The AD aims to protect the data of its users and the copyrights as well to prevent any losses in the network. Importance of Active Directory in Application Security. Mobile and computer applications are designed and released daily, and with the world connected virtually through the internet, it is crucial to ensure the security of these applications. Users have to ensure that the applications will not act as Trojan horses in their devices while the developers have to secure their applications so that they are not used by hackers and other internet criminals for their gains. Active directory has been used by several application companies to ensure the security of their applications on the internet. One of the leading roles of Active Directory is to offer certificate services to the users. These certificates are used to show the authenticity of applications n websites in the country. One of the critical objectives of application security is to ensure that the users, their customers, know their product and can prove its authenticity. By using Active Directory, the application provides the users with certificates that prove the authenticity and originality of their application (Binduf et al., 2018). The ADs help the application company instill trust in its consumers and a sense of security in their product. One of the major threats that face the security of the application is the loss of confidential information that belongs to the consumer. Most consumers complain about how their information has not been kept secure by some application programs, and they express the fear that it may be released or leaked (Binduf et al., 2018). One impact of incorporating the Active Directory is that it has directory federation services and rights management services. These roles ensure that the information in the application is secure. It is the purpose of the Active Directory to ensure that the information, whether it is copyright information or the users’ data, is kept secure. When an application is developed with an Active Directory, the data of the users on the internet will be kept secure. Thirdly, having AD incorporated in an application will ensure that there is better communication from the users of the application and the developers.AD ensures that there is proper communication between users and domain in a network, and the same phenomenon stands when it comes to the application users and the developers (Binduf et al., 2018). Proper communication will aid in the case where the application malfunctions, and the users can inform the developers before any hackers can take advantage of the situation. Having an active communication channel will ensure that users report a problem, and the developers respond immediately, securing the application and the network. Azure Active Directory Azure Active Directory is a cloud service, developed by Microsoft, to provide the administrators in a network the ability to manage their access privileges and end-user abilities (Johansson & Brandwine, 2017). The service gives the administrators a platform to decide on which data will remain in the cloud, who can access the data, the services, and applications that have access to the information and the end-users who have access to the information. In general, it is an AD that regulates the data stored in the cloud and its access. Roles of Azure AD. Manage applications. One of the primary roles of this AD is to manage and run an application in the cloud. Azure Cloud services allow users to manage and run several open applications without worrying whether or not they can manage the servers themselves (Bertocci, 2015). This role means that the AD acts as a server for the applications by running internet information services. The Azure AD ensures that the applications can run smoothly, and their users’ information will be stored in the cloud without them checking every time. Manage the credentials of users in a network. Another role of the Azure AD is to manage the information of the users in the network by safeguarding the information stored in the cloud. By delegating its roles to the administrators, the Azure AD has the purpose of ensuring that the users’ data is remembered, safeguarded, and retrievable at any moment. Since the information of the users is stored in the cloud, Azure AD has to ensure that the user can access their information at any time and that their data is well protected (Mayank & Garg, 2019). The AD changes passwords for users and administrators. Management of Online Accounts. The Azure AD gives the administrators of the network permission to access the Azure account center (Bertocci, 2015). By granting this permission, the AD gives them the right to manage the billing in their accounts. Azure Active Directory can change the subscription or billing for any online account, create or cancel subscriptions, or even change the service administrators. The AD gives the administrator the role of doing these tasks so that they can manage the billings and subscriptions of the users and themselves at their own time. The impact that AAD has on an organization. One of the positive things about AAD is that it provides the users with a chance of connecting to a network from anywhere. Through its self-service model, Azure AD gives the employees of an organization a better platform to access their Active Directory form any place as long as they have internet access (Mayank & Garg, 2019). The use of Azure AD has been very profitable companies which have most pf their employees moving around, are mobile. These employees only need a smartphone or a computer to access the organization’s data thanks to Azure Active Directory. AAD is also vital for the administrators as it assists them in setting up restrictive access policies that ensure only the compliant devices can access the corporate applications and services in the cloud (Copeland et al., 2015). With AAD incorporated in their systems, administrators can enable joining Azure AD during the out-of-box experience stage of the creation of a new device. They can also allow users to join Azure AD from an already used device. This feature gives the administrators in a company more power to do their work in an instant despite being geographically apart from their employees. Improving Security. Another significant impact of using AAD in a company is that it improves productivity and security. Azure AD generates automatic responses for unusual behavior in the system the ‘just in time’ administrative access to the Microsoft services (Copeland et al., 2015). Having these features means that the companies should feel very secure and that their resources are safe. AAD is designed to tackle every possible unusual activity, and due to its remote access to several Microsoft features, it tackles the issues and protects the information. Single Sign-on for multiple applications. Through this feature, AAD makes it simpler for the new employees to be integrated into the system, do away with the dismissed ones and implement their access to these services (Copeland et al., 2015). The sign-on features make the admission of new users into a system easier and also make sure that dismissed employees cannot steal or vandalize any data once they are dismissed. In conclusion, active directory is a feature that was developed to change the life of network users by providing more sophistication and security for their data. The Azure AD is a directory that has influenced the lives of many individuals in the world, even without their knowledge. In social media, AAD has been used to hide crucial information about people that they may not want to be exposed to. It has also been incorporated such that the passwords are remembered by the systems and devices as well. Organizations, however, are the biggest beneficiaries of these programs. They have had boosts in the security of the data, reduced the numerous signing in for the employees, and have made the integration of the new employees into a new company faster and more efficient.
References Bala, C. (2019). Installation and Implementation of Active Directory. Bertocci, V. (2015). Modern authentication with Azure Active Directory for web applications. Microsoft Press. Binduf, A., Alamoudi, H. O., Balahmar, H., Alshamrani, S., Al-Omar, H., & Nagy, N. (2018, April). Active Directory and Related Aspects of Security. In 2018 21st Saudi Computer Society National Computer Conference (NCC) (pp. 4474-4479). IEEE. Copeland, M., Soh, J., Puca, A., Manning, M., & Gollob, D. (2015). Identity Management with Azure Active Directory. In Microsoft Azure (pp. 235-280). Apress, Berkeley, CA. Johansson, J. M., & Brandwine, E. J. (2017). U.S. Patent No. 9,591,003. Washington, DC: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Mayank, M., & Garg, M. (2019). Introduction to Azure Active Directory. In Developing Applications with Azure Active Directory (pp. 1-16). Apress, Berkeley, CA.
Active Directory
Student’s Name
Institution Affiliation
Date
Over time, the security and arrangement of data have been the leading cause of distress for many companies about their data. Companies have always looked for different ways to store and secure their data and make the most out of their resources. Active Directory was first introduced to the world in 1999 to organize and manage computer users, computers, and information in a network (Bala, 2019). Active Directory was developed to provide security and sophistication to the information of users in a network and has been incorporated in several technology companies to ensure that their data is secure and for maximum productivity.
*Active directory.*
Active Directory is a product from Microsoft that was created to manage the access and permissions to networked resources in a network. The directory consists of various services that run on Windows servers to manage computers and other devices that are connected to a network. An active directory controls the interaction of devices that are connected in a particular network. Active directory allows the administrators of a network to manage the data about the resources from a network and the application data in a controlled database.
*Roles of Active Directory.*
Active directory was generally created by Microsoft to manage the control people have in a network. The directory was designed to keep the network users from crucial information in a network (Bala, 2019). The roles of the active directory are to offer domain services, certificate services, lightweight directory services, rights management, and directory federation services.
*Provision of Domain Services. *One of the primary roles of the Active Directory is to provide several domain services. The AD ensures that centralized information is stored effectively and safely. It is also responsible for managing the communication between the users in a network and the domains (Binduf et al., 2018). The AD ensures this perfect communication between the users and domains by authenticating the login credentials and ensuring that the searching function is working correctly. These actions are done by the AD to ensure that the domain services are running as expected.
*Offering Certificate Services.* An Active Directory is responsible for creating, distributing, and managing secure certificates. Certificates are the files that are installed on secure web servers to identify the website. The digital certificate will act as a beacon from which users can trust that the website or network is secure (Binduf et al., 2018). They portray the authenticity and identity of the brand of the network, in which third parties can verify the legitimacy of the network.
*Lightweight Directory Services. * Active Directories are also designed to provide flexible support for directory-enabled applications. The Ads are expected to perform these tasks without any liabilities or domain-related restrictions of Active Directory Domain Services. They support the applications that are enabled through directories by incorporating open protocols in the networks (Bala, 2019). The Active Directory mostly uses the Lightweight Directory Access Protocol as its open protocol, for making the directory data available on the networks.
*Directory Federation Services*. The AD provides single-sign-on to establish the authenticity of a user who is using many applications in a single session in the network (Bala, 2019). Since it is a component of Windows Server operating systems, it gives the users of a network authenticated access to applications incapable of incorporating Integrated Windows Authentication in their functions. Through this vital function, a user only has to sign in once in a network, and their credentials and information will always be remembered and presented the next time they log in to the network.
*Rights Management*. The Active Directory also prevents unauthorized use and distribution of digital content, thereby protecting copywriter information. The Active Directory has several programs that prevent illegal access of data from unauthorized personnel. The AD aims to protect the data of its users and the copyrights as well to prevent any losses in the network.
*Importance of Active Directory in Application Security.*
Mobile and computer applications are designed and released daily, and with the world connected virtually through the internet, it is crucial to ensure the security of these applications. Users have to ensure that the applications will not act as Trojan horses in their devices while the developers have to secure their applications so that they are not used by hackers and other internet criminals for their gains. Active directory has been used by several application companies to ensure the security of their applications on the internet.
One of the leading roles of Active Directory is to offer certificate services to the users. These certificates are used to show the authenticity of applications n websites in the country. One of the critical objectives of application security is to ensure that the users, their customers, know their product and can prove its authenticity. By using Active Directory, the application provides the users with certificates that prove the authenticity and originality of their application (Binduf et al., 2018). The ADs help the application company instill trust in its consumers and a sense of security in their product.
One of the major threats that face the security of the application is the loss of confidential information that belongs to the consumer. Most consumers complain about how their information has not been kept secure by some application programs, and they express the fear that it may be released or leaked (Binduf et al., 2018). One impact of incorporating the Active Directory is that it has directory federation services and rights management services. These roles ensure that the information in the application is secure. It is the purpose of the Active Directory to ensure that the information, whether it is copyright information or the users’ data, is kept secure. When an application is developed with an Active Directory, the data of the users on the internet will be kept secure.
Thirdly, having AD incorporated in an application will ensure that there is better communication from the users of the application and the developers.AD ensures that there is proper communication between users and domain in a network, and the same phenomenon stands when it comes to the application users and the developers (Binduf et al., 2018). Proper communication will aid in the case where the application malfunctions, and the users can inform the developers before any hackers can take advantage of the situation. Having an active communication channel will ensure that users report a problem, and the developers respond immediately, securing the application and the network.
*Azure Active Directory*
Azure Active Directory is a cloud service, developed by Microsoft, to provide the administrators in a network the ability to manage their access privileges and end-user abilities (Johansson & Brandwine, 2017). The service gives the administrators a platform to decide on which data will remain in the cloud, who can access the data, the services, and applications that have access to the information and the end-users who have access to the information. In general, it is an AD that regulates the data stored in the cloud and its access.
*Roles of Azure AD.*
* Manage applications. *One of the primary roles of this AD is to manage and run an application in the cloud. Azure Cloud services allow users to manage and run several open applications without worrying whether or not they can manage the servers themselves (Bertocci, 2015). This role means that the AD acts as a server for the applications by running internet information services. The Azure AD ensures that the applications can run smoothly, and their users’ information will be stored in the cloud without them checking every time.
*Manage the credentials of users in a network. *Another role of the Azure AD is to manage the information of the users in the network by safeguarding the information stored in the cloud. By delegating its roles to the administrators, the Azure AD has the purpose of ensuring that the users’ data is remembered, safeguarded, and retrievable at any moment. Since the information of the users is stored in the cloud, Azure AD has to ensure that the user can access their information at any time and that their data is well protected (Mayank & Garg, 2019). The AD changes passwords for users and administrators.
*Management of Online Accounts. *The Azure AD gives the administrators of the network permission to access the Azure account center (Bertocci, 2015). By granting this permission, the AD gives them the right to manage the billing in their accounts. Azure Active Directory can change the subscription or billing for any online account, create or cancel subscriptions, or even change the service administrators. The AD gives the administrator the role of doing these tasks so that they can manage the billings and subscriptions of the users and themselves at their own time.
*The impact that AAD has on an organization.*
One of the positive things about AAD is that it provides the users with a chance of connecting to a network from anywhere. Through its self-service model, Azure AD gives the employees of an organization a better platform to access their Active Directory form any place as long as they have internet access (Mayank & Garg, 2019). The use of Azure AD has been very profitable companies which have most pf their employees moving around, are mobile. These employees only need a smartphone or a computer to access the organization’s data thanks to Azure Active Directory.
AAD is also vital for the administrators as it assists them in setting up restrictive access policies that ensure only the compliant devices can access the corporate applications and services in the cloud (Copeland et al., 2015). With AAD incorporated in their systems, administrators can enable joining Azure AD during the out-of-box experience stage of the creation of a new device. They can also allow users to join Azure AD from an already used device. This feature gives the administrators in a company more power to do their work in an instant despite being geographically apart from their employees.
*Improving Security. *Another significant impact of using AAD in a company is that it improves productivity and security. Azure AD generates automatic responses for unusual behavior in the system the ‘just in time’ administrative access to the Microsoft services (Copeland et al., 2015). Having these features means that the companies should feel very secure and that their resources are safe. AAD is designed to tackle every possible unusual activity, and due to its remote access to several Microsoft features, it tackles the issues and protects the information.
*Single Sign-on for multiple applications. *Through this feature, AAD makes it simpler for the new employees to be integrated into the system, do away with the dismissed ones and implement their access to these services (Copeland et al., 2015). The sign-on features make the admission of new users into a system easier and also make sure that dismissed employees cannot steal or vandalize any data once they are dismissed.
In conclusion, active directory is a feature that was developed to change the life of network users by providing more sophistication and security for their data. The Azure AD is a directory that has influenced the lives of many individuals in the world, even without their knowledge. In social media, AAD has been used to hide crucial information about people that they may not want to be exposed to. It has also been incorporated such that the passwords are remembered by the systems and devices as well. Organizations, however, are the biggest beneficiaries of these programs. They have had boosts in the security of the data, reduced the numerous signing in for the employees, and have made the integration of the new employees into a new company faster and more efficient.
*References*
Bala, C. (2019). Installation and Implementation of Active Directory.
Bertocci, V. (2015). *Modern authentication with Azure Active Directory for web applications*. Microsoft Press.
Binduf, A., Alamoudi, H. O., Balahmar, H., Alshamrani, S., Al-Omar, H., & Nagy, N. (2018, April). Active Directory and Related Aspects of Security. In *2018 21st Saudi Computer Society National Computer Conference (NCC)* (pp. 4474-4479). IEEE.
Copeland, M., Soh, J., Puca, A., Manning, M., & Gollob, D. (2015). Identity Management with Azure Active Directory. In *Microsoft Azure* (pp. 235-280). Apress, Berkeley, CA.
Johansson, J. M., & Brandwine, E. J. (2017). *U.S. Patent No. 9,591,003*. Washington, DC: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
Mayank, M., & Garg, M. (2019). Introduction to Azure Active Directory. In *Developing Applications with Azure Active Directory* (pp. 1-16). Apress, Berkeley, CA.
