In The Essentials Series:  Optimizing Your Windows Server 2008 Active Directory Investment, Microsoft MVP and author Greg Shields discusses the best ways to enhance your investment in Active Directory with the upgrade to Windows Server 2008.  This series starts with the key assessment activities that you must complete prior to any upgrade.  Sometimes that assessment determines that your AD structure is not aligned with your business needs.  In those cases, the second article discusses some of the common issues with AD migrations and restructures.  Once the upgrade is complete, getting the most out of your investment means managing it correctly.  The third article discusses common AD tasks and how best to simplify your management through automation.

Article 1: Assessing your Existing Environment
Before you ever begin clicking buttons to start an upgrade, you must truly understand your environment.  With virtually every component of your Windows infrastructure relying on the functionality of Active Directory, the success of your upgrade is critical to your business operations.  In this article, learn the key health assessment activities you must accomplish before ever starting the upgrade.

Article 2: Migrating to Windows Server 2008 Active Directory
While powerful in its abilities to authenticate and manage your Windows environment, Active Directory is notoriously difficult to modify once nailed in place.  When upgrades are more difficult than a simple “Next, Next, Finish”, you need comprehensive tools to successfully complete a migration and/or restructuring project.  In this article, learn the risks associated with migrations and where effective toolsets ensure zero impact to your users.

Article 3: Integrating Simplified Management & Automation after the Upgrade
Your migration is over.  Now, you’ve got to manage your new infrastructure.  The daily care and feeding of Active Directory works well with native tools, until your needs for customization and administration grow beyond the simple.  Learn in this third article some of the functionality businesses commonly want out of their Active Directory, the ways to get it, and the ways to simplify your management through automation.

Access to this expert publication is offered at no charge to readers. Available articles may be downloaded in PDF format.

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