Active Directory (AD)

A structure supported by Windows 2000 that lets any object on a network be tracked and located. Active Directory is the directory service used in Windows 2000 Server and provides the foundation for Windows 2000 distributed networks. The directory service that stores information about objects on a network and makes this information available to users and network administrators. Active Directory gives network users access to permitted resources anywhere on the network using a single logon process. It provides network administrators with an intuitive, hierarchical view of the network and a single point of administration for all network objects.