Active Directory Question?? Silly

Silly question. I want to ask all you MSA MCSE Professionals here. Is Active Directory in Windows XP Professional. I know it started with Windows 2000 and now in Windows Server 2003, but was curious if it is evident in XP Professional. I should know this. I have not supported
2003, much of XP yet, only Windows 2000.

And Can Windows XP be used as a server based environment? I think only 2000 and Server 2003? Am I right?
Thanks for your comments guys.

JDog29

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Comments

mobri09

No, Xp does not have Active Directory, only Server 2000 and Server 2003 have active directory entact in the OS. But Xp can take part in Active Directory Domains. Any Computer can be used a server in specific ways, but Xp does not have the credentials to act as a true server to support and implement polocies, users, computers, etc from that standpoint. Hope this helps...NO question is silly

Ricka182

This may not answer your actual question, but it helps to remember, we're all learning, everyday. So, the only silly question, is the question you don't ask.

Chivalry1

No XP does not have Active Directory. What it does have, which you may be refering to, is that of Group Policy. XP "Professional" supports group policy. Although XP can be used as a server, typically you would wont to purchase Server 2003 or 2000.

keatron

XP has a localized version of group policy.

Active Directory is a central store for information, computers, users, groups, etc. Therotically, any computer can "use" active directory, but an active directory can only exist on a windows 2000 server or later network. So in short xp can participate in and be a part of an active directory, while a 2000 or 2003 server actually runs and stores an active directory (and participates). To run active directory successfully, three things are required.

1. A domain (which you can't have without a domain contoller ie a server).

2. A DNS server (again the key word here is server). Active Directory uses DNS name resolution.

3. A domain controller. I wouldn't reccommend it unless it's a very small installation but, you can actually have one server performing all three of these rolls.

jdog29

Cool... Thanks guys for all the input. Makes more sense to me now. I thought XP has Active Directory attributes. I think I was thinking of mostly group policy. Thanks for clearing that up. And yes I think it is best to stay with Server 2000 or 2003 for server OS. Good Day.

JDog29

rossonieri#1

jdog29 wrote:

Cool... Thanks guys for all the input. Makes more sense to me now. I thought XP has Active Directory attributes. I think I was thinking of mostly group policy. Thanks for clearing that up. And yes I think it is best to stay with Server 2000 or 2003 for server OS. Good Day.

JDog29

your XP also has many active directory attributes (your computer name, your username, your locations, etc...).
the concept of an active directory is about grouping computers into a logical manageable hierarchy (just like any other concept of computer networking such as peer to peer, workgroup etc.) - which need 1 or more server to be Domain Controller to handle the active directory schema etc....
so it is not only about the platform what your computer use such as workstation or server.