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Active Directory

What is Active Directory?

Active Directory is a database of users and network resources that Tier 1's can use to manage security and other functions in a networked computing environment.

What will Active Directory do for my unit?

Active Directory allows you, as a Tier 1, to centrally assign policies and deploy software (such as Microsoft Office) to workstations in your organizational unit.  If fully utilized, Active Directory will eliminate much of the need to go from  workstation to workstation when performing these tasks. Additionally, you can use Active Directory in conjunction with a Windows Update Server to ensure all of the workstations in your organizational unit receive patches and updates for Windows operating systems.

How do I migrate my organizational unit to Active Directory?

You will need to set up the workstations within your organizational unit to use Active Directory. To get started:

  1. Register for training.  Training is optional.  Training sessions are not scheduled yet for the Fall semester. 
  2. Review the recommended workstation naming convention.
  3. Send an email to samminis@gwise.louisville.edu and include the following information:
    • All Tier 1's in your organizational unit
    • The level of access to grant each Tier 1 in your organizational unit
    • Your unit's workstation naming convention
  4. Read the Active Directory migration instructions.
  5. Migrate the workstations in your unit to Active Directory using the migration tool.  NOTE: Do not migrate your workstations until you have received confirmation of your unit's workstation naming convention from IT.
  6. Send an email to samminis@gwise.louisville.edu when you have migrated all workstations.

Presentation to Tier I staff on Tuesday, June 9, 2009: 

Frequently Asked Questions

Why have my desktop icons changed?

This will occur if a migrated user tries to login to their local account.  Ensure that the user is logging into their domain account.

Why is Novell Single signon is requiring a new set of challenge questions?

After a user’s profile has been migrated over this is completely normal.  Single signon caches a local copy of the user’s password to be used in form filling applications.  The cache file is encrypted and can only be read by the account that created it, in this case the user’s local account.  By reentering your challenge questions a new cache file is created and the user’s domain account can use the single signon application.

Why have I lost my File/Folder Permissions?

Occasionally when migrating a user into their domain profile some files and folders will not have the correct permissions applied to a user’s new domain account.  Most commonly this occurs when the permissions to the files and folders were assigned to specific users and not groups.  To correct this select the affected files and folders and manually assign the proper permission via the security tab.

Why am I still getting prompted for my password when logging into SharePoint?  My computer is already a member in AD.

Usually this is caused by a user still logging into their local account.  Ensure that the user is logging into their domain account.  You will also want to ensure that you have the appropriate group policy client side extensions (KB943729) update installed on the machine.

Why can I no longer open files that I encrypted using windows EFS?

This is because as far as windows is concerned you are now logging into a new windows account that does not have permission to these encrypted files.  The simplest solution to this problem is to log back in as your local account, decrypt the files then re-encrypt them under your AD account.

Why am I having trouble logging into my AD account on Vista using the Novell client?

Some older versions of the Novell Client are known to conflict with the AD login process.  It is recommended that you upgrade your client to SP1, which can be downloaded here.

How do I manage my groups and/or group policies?

On a Vista Machine: You will need to install the Remote Server Administration Tools found here. 

On a XP Machine: You will need both the Group Policy Management Console found here and the Server 2003 Administration Tools Pack found here.

Once install you would use the Active directory Users and Computers MSC snap in to manage groups and the Group Policy Management snap in to manage GPOs.

It is strongly recommended that you use the vista version as it has more functionality then its XP counterpart

 

When I click a link to send an email from within SharePoint GroupWise fails to load.

 This is a known issue with older versions of GroupWise, obtain and install the latest version available from the IT express store.

When I click the “move profile” button within the ADMigrate utility nothing happens.

Ensure that the “secondary logon” service is running on the local machine.

What if I have other questions concerning the migration process?

Contact IT's Directory Service team at INFDSIT@LISTSERV.LOUISVILLE.EDU

Are there demos or videos I can watch that might help me during the migration process?

Yes, we have put together a few videos that will walk you through some of the more commonly required tasks to preform during the migration process.  The videos can be found at http://dsmessages.louisville.edu/help/

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