Active Directory Logical Structure

Active Directory^™, the directory service that is included with Microsoft® Windows® 2000, stores information about network objects and also implements the services that make this information available and usable to users, computers, and applications. The Domain Name System (DNS) hierarchical naming system and Windows 2000 trust relationships provide a consistent, logical structure that facilitates the organization of domains and domain resources in a predictable and useful way.

In This Chapter

Active Directory Domain Hierarchy

Active Directory Domain Names

Active Directory and DNS

Tree and Forest Structure

Active Directory Objects

Related Information in the Resource Kit

For more information about Active Directory architecture and physical storage, see "Active Directory Data Storage" in this book.
For more information about planning the DNS namespace, domain hierarchy, and organizational unit structure, see "Designing the Active Directory Structure" in the Microsoft® Windows® 2000 Server Resource Kit Deployment Planning Guide.
For more information about standard DNS concepts and using Windows 2000 DNS server, see "Introduction to DNS" and "Windows 2000 DNS" in the Microsoft® Windows® 2000 Server Resource Kit TCP/IP Core Networking Guide.