This design methodology began life as simple handbook for a specific audience, me! I neededit so that I could access and employ a consistent method to approach and execute ActiveDirectory design projects, as a Lead Consultant within a leading IT consultancy firm.As a MCT trainer in a previous life, I understood and acknowledged that there was asignificant gap between knowledge and design. I would often ponder for hours on how toapproach a design, and I would download and scour hundreds of whitepapers and articles for the elusive “best practice” approaches.However, all of the information I read on Microsoft Windows 2000 and Windows Server 2003Active Directory was all

about

the technology, and nothing on how to design the technologyfor implementation and management.So, rather than continue as “one of the flock”, I thought I would develop my own set of approaches and hence I began this design methodology. I started work on this designmethodology over 18 months ago, in calendar quarter 4 of 2002, when Windows Server 2003was known as “Windows.Net Server”, and was in Beta / RC stage.I missed several personal deadlines, namely the release to manufacturer of Windows Server 2003, due to my professional work commitments. This hence meant I could only work on thisdesign methodology during my evenings and weekends, and in airport lounges, on trains, ontrain platforms, and so on.However, here it is! I hope that it is as useful to you as it is to me, as I personally use it for every professional engagement I undertake, which has anything to do with Active Directory,from design and quality review / assurance, to responding to invitations to tender, and so on.Please ensure that you read and understand the first chapter before the use of this designmethodology, as it not the usual “read me first” section, but contains very importantinformation.Page 2 of 22Last printed 28/5/2004 11:48 a5/p5

2.How to Use this Design Methodology

Prior to the use of this design methodology, it is imperative that the reader understand thefollowing concepts and prerequisites to its use:1.The objectives of this design methodology2.The scope of this design methodology3.Background information on the design methodology4.How to use this design methodologyThis chapter provides the reader with the above information.

2.1.

Design Methodology Objectives

It is possible to interpret the objectives of this design methodology from the following twoperspectives:1.The perspective of the reader and user of this design methodology, and2.The perspective of the author of this design methodologyFrom the perspective of the reader and user of this design methodology, the objective of thisdesign methodology is to assist administrators and / or IT consultants for an organisation, inthe generation of a verifiable and justifiable design for an entire Windows Server 2003 ActiveDirectory infrastructure.This design methodology achieves this objective via the provision of detailed methods andapproaches to execute specific analysis and design activities associated with Windows Server 2003 Active Directory.It is possible for consultants to use the approaches contained within this design methodologyfor Windows Server 2003 Active Directory in the following contexts:

•

During pre-sales engagements, such as meetings, workshops, responding to invitations totender for Active Directory design work, and so on.

•

During post-sales engagements, to assist in the generation of a design for a WindowsServer 2003 Active Directory infrastructureFrom the perspective of the author of this design methodology, the primary objectives for thisdesign methodology are as follows:

•

To bridge the gap between knowledge and design

•

To provide a standard and consistent approach towards the design of a Windows Server 2003 Active Directory infrastructureAlmost all authoritative sources of information on Windows Server 2003 Active Directory, evenfrom Microsoft, have one thing in common. They all provide

facts

about the technology andfeatures within Windows Server 2003 Active Directory.These sources of information will all tell you what to do to implement the feature, how toconfigure the feature, how to troubleshoot the feature, and so on. However, there is very little,if any, information on how to generate a design for the implementation of the feature.Hence, consider this design methodology as the bridge between knowledge and design. Thisobjective naturally implies the following:

•