Unit 9 Assignment 2 Task 3B – D2

Active Directory

Advantages

• Users can login with the same details that are used somewhere else
• No need to create or maintain single user accounts on workstations
• It is easy to manage and control
• Easy to setup and use
• More secure

Disadvantages

• Can only be used with Windows server
• It has high maintenance costs
• May be incompatible with current hardware or software
• Have to pay for licences

Improvements

• Reduce maintenance costs
• Reduce licence costs
• Make it compatible with a wider range of software and hardware
• Allow it for use with other operating systems, not just windows

Unit 9 Assignment 2 Task 3 – P5

Active Directory

Active directory is used to determine whether a user is an administrator or normal user. It does this by checking the username and password submitted by who is logging in. Active directory uses DNS (Domain Name System). When someone tries to login a database containing the login details of all of the users is checked. If the details match what is stored on the database then the user is logged into their profile. If the details are incorrect then access is denied. It can only be used on windows servers and it was created by Microsoft. It can install and update software on all computers connected to the server. It enforces security policies on these computers.

 

Telecommunications Services

An example of telecommunications service is email. Email is commonly used and has several different uses. It can be used for simple communications but it can be used to send data and documents. An internet connection doesn’t need to be maintained for a long time to use email services, only long enough for the emails to get received or sent.
Remote desktop allows users to access their personal files on several computers. This means they only need an internet connection to access their files. It uses protocols such as VNC (Virtual Network Computing) and RDP (Remote Desktop Protocol).

 

File Services

File services are used to transfer and share files with other users. You can send any files as long as they aren’t too big. Popular choices for many types of files are Skydrive, DropBox and iCloud. Google Docs is the most popular choice for normal documents as it is very fast and is quick to use. They all have limits on how much you can store. You can also use these services to access your uploaded files on different computers. FTP (File Transfer Protocol) is an efficient way of transferring files using an internet connection. File sharing is possible in several ways such as via email or using a removable device such as an external hard drive.

 

Application Services

An SQL database (structured query language) is a special purpose language used in programming. It can insert, modify, delete and update data stored in a database. This allows multiple users to access the database at the same time.

Shared and personal, centralised storage space – On a network there is a choice of personal or shared storage. Shared drives allow users to access files that are stored on the network. Personal storage such as ‘My Documents’ is used to store personal documents that can only be accessed by themselves and administrators. Shared and personal storage is usually used by schools, colleges and businesses.

 

VoIP

The Voice over Internet Protocol is becoming more popular. It is a technology that allows phone calls to be made over computer networks. It sends voice in small packets which is then put back together at the destination. It is connected with Ethernet cables. It turns voice signals into digital data that can be used. You don’t need a telephone line so you only have to pay for the internet.

 

Mobile Working

Remote access is used by technicians to fix problems without having to actually be at the workstation. This means they don’t have to travel to diagnose or solve the problem. If there is a hardware problem they won’t be able to fix it remotely. TeamViewer is popular software for this use as it is free and simple to use.

 

Authentication

An example of authentication is Windows Logon Service. The login you need to enter a valid username and password. These details are stored in a database. When the details are entered by a user the database is checked to see if the username and password match. If they don’t match anything in the database then they are denied access. If the details entered are correct they are then logged in on their profile. Once the details have been checked the permissions are also checked. This says whether the user is an administrator or normal user and what permissions they are granted.

Active Directory Advantages and Disadvantages

Advantages

• Enables users to sign in using usernames and passwords that are used elsewhere.
• Creating and maintaining user accounts is no longer needed.
• Computer policies can be created to automatically update and secure workstations.
• Sharing resources such as files and printers is easier all users have access to set permissions.
• No longer need to provide a username and password for Outlook emails.
• It is more secure than other directory services (Logon Authentication).
• It is easy to manage, administrate and control.
• Increased scalability.
• The speed of which it is able to provide domain names.
• Simple identity management as you can view all user information.
• Lets you manage your network from one point.
• It is also easy to set up and use.

 

Disadvantages

• It can be expensive as you will need Windows Server 2000 licences and you may need to upgrade the hardware on the server so it can run Windows Server 2000.
• Active directory is OS dependent meaning that it will only work with Windows server software.
• High maintenance costs.
• If the Active Directory goes down so does your network.
• If it is set up wrong it can take time and money to remove it and set it up again.
• It is prone to being hacked.
• Cost of the infrastructure can be high.
• You need to have good planning to set it u properly.
• It also has a complex infrastructure for the user.

Improvements

You could improve Active Directory by:

• Making it more secure from hackers.
• Making it compatible with other operating systems other than Windows.
• Making the installation and setup process simpler.

These are the only major improvements I could think that would make Active Directory better for the users.

Active DirectoryActive directory is used to determine whether

Active Directory

Active directory is used to determine whether a user is an administrator or normal user. It does this by checking the username and password submitted by who is logging in. When someone tries to login a database containing the login details of all of the users is checked. If the details match what is stored on the database then the user is logged into their profile. If the details are incorrect then access is denied. It can only be used on windows servers and it was created by Microsoft. It can install and update software on all computers connected to the server. It enforces security policies on these computers.

Telecommunications Services

An example of telecommunications service is email. Email is commonly used and has several different uses. It can be used for simple communications but it can be used to send data and documents. An internet connection doesn’t need to be maintained for a long time to use email services, only long enough for the emails to get received or sent.
Remote desktop allows users to access their personal files on several computers. This means they only need an internet connection to access their files. It uses protocols such as VNC (Virtual Network Computing) and RDP (Remote Desktop Protocol).

File Services

File services are used to transfer and share files with other users. You can send any files as long as they aren’t too big. Popular choices for many types of files are Skydrive, DropBox and iCloud. Google Docs is the most popular choice for normal documents as it is very fast and is quick to use. They all have limits on how much you can store. You can also use these services to access your uploaded files on different computers. FTP (File Transfer Protocol) is an efficient way of transferring files using an internet connection. File sharing is possible in several ways such as via email or using a removable device such as an external hard drive.

Application Services

An SQL database (structured query language) is a special purpose language used in programming. It can insert, modify, delete and update data stored in a database. This allows multiple users to access the database at the same time.

Shared and personal, centralised storage space – On a network there is a choice of personal or shared storage. If you keep your files in the shared folder it means anyone connected to the network can access them. When you store them on the personal drive it means that only your account can access the files.

VoIP

The Voice over Internet Protocol is becoming more popular. It is a technology that allows phone calls to be made over computer networks. It sends voice in small packets which is then put back together at the destination. It is connected with Ethernet cables. It turns voice signals into digital data that can be used. You don’t need a telephone line so you only have to pay for the internet.

Mobile Working

Remote access is used by technicians to fix problems without having to actually be at the workstation. This means they don’t have to travel to diagnose or solve the problem. If there is a hardware problem they won’t be able to fix it remotely. TeamViewer is popular software for this use as it is free and simple to use.

Authentication

An example of authentication is Windows Logon Service. The login you need to enter a valid username and password. These details are stored in a database. When the details are entered by a user the database is checked to see if the username and password match. If they don’t match anything in the database then they are denied access. If the details entered are correct they are then logged in on their profile. Once the details have been checked the permissions are also checked. This says whether the user is an administrator or normal user and what permissions they are granted.

Blog

A Directory Services (Active Directory)

The Active Directory is used to store all the user accounts and passwords in one location and improves your security. It also keeps track of the user accounts and passwords. The Active Directory is divided into one or more domains; the domain controller manages all of the user accounts and passwords for a domain. The active directory also stores and shows the printer queue data and user contact details (date of birth, phone number and address). It also authenticates and authorises the user accounts and computers that are on the network. The Active Directory stores the user’s password and then determines whether the user is an administrator or a normal user, and is also responsible for installing and updating software. The active directory stores the user accounts in partitions on the hard drive.

Telecommunications Services 

Email (known as Electronic Mail) – this will allow users on the network to have their own personal email. The users will also be able to send emails to other people on the network and people that are not. Users will be able to send messages with text and files attached to the email to other users. Email works by sending the message to the email server, through the network, which will then send it to the specific user’s mail server through the internet.

Remote Desktop – this allows users to access their personal computer on a different computer (at home or elsewhere) without having to connect to the network. This will mean that they will be able to access files, such as pictures, documents, sound files or video, that is stored on the network without having to be at their actual workstation (desktop or laptop). A technician may also be allowed to use remote desktop to fix problems for customers that are not hardware related without having to leave the office which will mean they will be able to fix more problems than if they had to leave every time they had to fix a problem.

File Services (Sharing and Transferring Files)

Sharing Files – On the network you will be able to share your files with other users on the network if they are saved onto the shared drive. This is useful as you won’t have to email each user with the file or give it to them using an external hard drive.

Transferring Files – You will also be able to transfer files to other workstations or computers. Doing this will mean that you will be able access your files from a different location (e.g. from a home computer), but other users will not be able to access the file over the internet.

Application Services

Shared Applications (SQL Database) – SQL stands for Structured Query Language. It is used to request information from a database. This allows multiple users to access the same database at one time without any problems. This is used to update data on a database, or retrieve data from a database.

Shared and Personal, Centralised Storage Space – on the network users will be able to choose to store files on either shared or personal storage. If the users store it on a shared storage space, it means that other users on the network will be able to access the file and make changes to it. This can be useful if each user on the network needs a copy of a certain file. If the file is stored on their personal storage space only they will be able to access the file and make changes to it. This is an ideal place to store confidential files or files you don’t wish to be changed. An example of centralised storage space is a server or the Q drive where everyone can access the data stored on it. You can also manage your storage by performing a defragmentation to create more space on you hard drive and also make partitions to store different files in.

VOIP (Voice over IP) – this allows user to send voice data using the internet in packets. This means that you won’t have to pay for it like email, as it only uses the internet that you are paying for. This means that you won’t have to pay for telephone line as well as the internet. This converts your voice into small packets and is sent to the client using the internet. When the packets reach the client it converts the packets back to sound.

Mobile Working (Remote Access) – this will allow users on the network to access it using a smart phone or a tablet from a remote location. For example, using Team viewer on an Apple IPad from home to look at your workstation on the network. Team viewer has to be installed on the tablet and computer. You will then have to enter a user name and password to enable you to see the workstations screen.

Authentication (Windows Logon Service) – this is used to identify users on the network and will check the authenticity of the users profile (user name and password). It also determines the granted access rights and privileges of users on the network. When the user name and password is entered it will check the server to make sure the user name exists and if the password matches the user name, if not it will deny access. When the user name and password has been confirmed it will then check the privileges and rights you have on your account.