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The technical support experts ask: How is your Active Directory?
What is Active Directory?
Most businesses will have heard of Active Directory but many might think that it just controls logins. The truth is that Active Directory is far more complex and far more integral to your business than that, and it may not be getting the attention it deserves to work effectively. Switch2IT is here to make sure that your Active Directory is in excellent working order.
Active Directory is a directory service created by Microsoft for Windows domain networks and comes as standard with most Windows Server operating systems. It is a special-purpose database, which serves as a central location for network administration and security. Your Active Directory stores data such as printer queue information and contact details. It is also responsible for authenticating and authorizing all users and computers within a network, assigning and enforcing security policies for all computers within a network and installing or updating software on network computers.
You would have started using Active Directory when your business IT equipment was first set-up and it is still there ticking away in the background, supporting your IT systems. But who checks the running and stability of your Active Directory, given the ongoing changes to your business, such as new staff and policies?
Why does your Active Directory need attention?
Many of our clients have recently talked to us about their uncertainly with regard to the security of their core Windows infrastructure. The critical component of this infrastructure is their Active Directory - the central repository for identity and policy - the maturity of which defines the strength and stability of the entire Windows infrastructure.
Without professional technical support assistance it is difficult to be certain of the Active Directory maturity, in the same way that only an external penetration test provides any certainty of the strength of a firewall installation. You do not want to neglect your Active Directory because under-optimisation causes visible symptoms like slow logons and inconsistent user interfaces.
In addition there are the less visible symptoms that could interfere with your business such as:
In-effective security and audit controls (normally you will only notice these after a breach)
Insufficient documentation that will inhibit DR processes and administrative handover
Low resistance to uncontrolled change (which you will otherwise only discover after a junior administrator breaks the company email or mission critical database)
Switch2IT, the technical support experts, can offer their assistance with this in the form of a specialised Active Directory Optimisation Audit carried out by one of our trusted partners. This expert audit will provide deep insight into the current state of your internal security and outline where best to focus your efforts, should improvements be needed.
We can guarantee a low cost optimisation audit and you can have peace of mind that your Active Directory is robust and secure. Are you interested to find out more? Give us a call on 0800 0833416.