Active Directory Domain Services Role

Applies To: Windows Server 2008

Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS) in the Windows Server® 2008 operating system stores information about users, computers, and other devices on the network. AD DS helps administrators securely manage this information and facilitates resource sharing and collaboration between users. AD DS is also required to be installed on the network in order to install directory-enabled applications such as Microsoft® Exchange Server and for applying other Windows Server technologies such as Group Policy.

The following topics describe changes in AD DS functionality available in this release:

• AD DS: Auditing

• AD DS: Fine-Grained Password Policies

• AD DS: Read-Only Domain Controllers

• AD DS: Restartable Active Directory Domain Services

• AD DS: Database Mounting Tool (Snapshot Viewer or Snapshot Browser)

• AD DS: User Interface Improvements