What is Active Directory?

Active Directory (AD) is a directory service developed by Microsoft for Windows domain networks. It is included in most Windows Server operating systems as a set of processes and services. AD is used to manage and store information about network resources and application-specific data from distributed databases. It facilitates user and resource management by providing a central point for administration.

Do you need an Active Directory for such an office?

Yes, you need Active Directory for such an office.

Use of Active Directory in this circumstance:

1. Centralized User Management:
   • AD allows for centralized management of user accounts and passwords. Employees can use a single set of credentials to log into any computer within their department.
2. Access Control:
   • Through Group Policy and Organizational Units (OUs), AD can enforce security policies, deploy software, and configure user and computer settings across the network, ensuring consistent access control and security settings.
3. File Access:
   • AD integrates with file servers to provide network-based access to user files and folders. When an employee logs into any computer within their department, AD authenticates the user and provides access to their personal files stored on the server.
4. Resource Management:
   • Printers, shared folders, and other resources can be easily managed and assigned to specific users or departments.
5. Scalability:
   • AD can easily scale to manage additional users, computers, and resources as the company grows.

b. Subnets

What is a subnet?

A subnet, or subnetwork, is a segmented piece of a larger network. Subnetting is the practice of dividing a network into two or more smaller networks. The primary purpose is to enhance performance and security.

Benefits of using subnets for this office:

1. Improved Network Performance:
   • Subnetting reduces network congestion by limiting broadcast traffic within each subnet. Each department can be assigned its own subnet, isolating their broadcast traffic from other departments.
2. Enhanced Security:
   • By segmenting the network into subnets, you can implement access control lists (ACLs) and firewall rules to restrict communication between subnets, providing an additional layer of security.
3. Efficient IP Address Management:
   • Subnetting allows for better organization and allocation of IP addresses. It ensures that each department has a dedicated range of IP addresses, simplifying network management and troubleshooting.
4. Scalability:
   • As the company grows, additional subnets can be easily created to accommodate new departments or groups without reconfiguring the entire network.
5. Simplified Network Administration:
   • Managing a network divided into subnets can make it easier to identify and resolve issues. Network traffic analysis becomes more straightforward, and it is easier to pinpoint problems to specific segments of the network.

Implementing Subnets:

In this scenario, each department could be assigned its own subnet. For example, if the company's IP address range is 192.168.1.0/24, it could be divided into smaller subnets such as:

• Department A: 192.168.1.0/26 (64 addresses)
• Department B: 192.168.1.64/26 (64 addresses)
• Department C: 192.168.1.128/26 (64 addresses)

This setup ensures that each department has its own dedicated subnet, enhancing both performance and security.