Best Active Directory Practices

Active Directory (AD) is a directory service developed by Microsoft for Windows domain networks. It is used to store information and manage access to resources on a network.

Best practices for Active Directory include:

1. Regularly back up the AD database to protect against data loss.
2. Use Group Policy Objects (GPOs) to apply consistent security settings and configurations to multiple computers.
3. Use strong, unique passwords and enable account lockout policies to prevent unauthorized access.
4. Use Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS) to create a hierarchical structure of organizational units (OUs) and groups to efficiently manage and delegate administration.
5. Use Microsoft’s Security Compliance Manager (SCM) to create and manage security baselines for AD and other Microsoft products.
6. Regularly review and monitor security logs for any suspicious activity.
7. Keep the Active Directory and all related systems and software up to date with the latest security patches and updates.
8. Use Active Directory Federation Services (AD FS) to enable single sign-on (SSO) for users across multiple systems and applications.
9. Use the Active Directory Recycle Bin feature to recover deleted AD objects without restoring from backup.
10. Regularly review and test your disaster recovery plan to ensure that you can quickly and effectively restore Active Directory in the event of an outage.