I. Purpose The purpose of this paper is to define and explain the core components of the Windows Server Networking operating system. The following components will be explained: Active Directory, Domain Controller, Tree, Forest, Distinguished Name, Client Services for Netware, Gateway Services for Netware, Microsoft Management Console, Striped Set, Scheme, Global Catalog Server, Native Mode, DHCP, Default Gateway, Emergency Repair Disk, hardware Disk, hardware Compatibility List, Resource Kit, and IP sec.
II. Scope of Work This paper discusses the definitions of core components of Windows Server Networking operating system. III. Windows Terminology
A. Active Domain The Active Directory is a directory service designed by Microsoft that acts as a universal distributed information service point from which all network objects, including users, processes, configurations and services can be utilized at any entry point to the network.
B. Schema The Schema is the formal set of definitions for all object classes and their attributes contained in the Active Directory. Microsoft designed the Schema to be programmable, allowing the system administrator to create new object types and their attributes and modify attributes of existing objects.
C. Domain, Tree and Forest The Active Directory structure is comprised of several different levels: the domain, the tree and the forest. The domain consists of the rational grouping of computers operating Microsoft Windows that share a central directory database—the Active Directory. The tree of the Active Directory is defined as the collection of one or more domains that share a common DNS name, arranged hierarchically. Windows makes it possible to create another parent domain in Active Directory, similar in form to neighboring domain trees. The combination of domain trees is called a forest. A forest is a collection of trees that share a common directory schema, configuration, logical structure and global catalog. The forest represents the security border, which governs the accessibility of users, computers, groups, and other objects.
D. Global Catalog Server The global catalog is a distributed data repository that contains a searchable, partial representation of every object in every domain in the Active Directory .The global catalog is located on domain controllers that have been assigned as global catalog servers. Searches that are directed to the global catalog are executed quickly because they do not involve switching to different domain controllers. The GC also enables the system to find an object without knowing in which domain it resides, because the GC holds a subset of all the objects of all domains in a forest. For example, a domain member tells you that he or she is unable to log on to the domain. When you search the domain, you find no object that represents this user’s name or logon attributes. You can then search the GC to determine whether the user has perhaps been assigned to another domain, an account has not yet been created, or it is disabled.
E. DHCP The commonly used TCP/IP protocol, which is required for Internet connectivity, is structured so that each node on the network has a unique IP address. IP addresses can be assigned as static or dynamic. You also can assign IP addresses dynamically through the Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) allows for dynamic assignment automatically at startup. Dynamic assignment means that IP addresses for network nodes often change each time the node is initiated. Dynamic assignment enables the system administrator to manage a pool of IP addresses more effectively to avoid address conflicts