Platform SDK: Active Directory, ADSI, and Directory Services

Scope

The scope of Active Directory is large. It can include every single object (printer, file, or user), every server, and every domain in a single wide area network. It can also include several wide area networks combined. Some of the following terms apply to more than a single network, so it is important to keep in mind that Active Directory can scale from a single computer, to a single computer network, to many computer networks combined.