Active Directory Reports

This blog describes moving of Active Directory database file, Ntds.dit, and the Active Directory log files to different drives to improve performance. Following are the steps to move a Database or Log File.

• Restart the domain controller.

• Press F8 at the Startup menu, and then click Directory Services Restore Mode.

• Select the appropriate installation if more than one exists, and then log on as an administrator at the logon prompt.

• Start a command prompt, and then type ntdsutil.exe.

• At Ntdsutil prompt, type files.

• At the File Maintenance prompt, use one or both of the following procedures:

• To move a database, type move db to %s, where %s is the drive and folder where you want the database moved.

• To move log files, type move logs to %s, where %s is the drive and folder where you want the log files moved.

• To view the log files or database, type info. To verify the integrity of the database at its new location, type integrity.

• Type quit, and then type quit to return to a command prompt.

• Restart the computer in Normal mode.

Now you are done with moving of Active Directory Reports file. If you want to make your administrative take easy and controllable, then take help of Active Directory Reports software, which has simplified managing various objects of Active Directory.

There are various useful new directory service command-line tools available with Windows Server 2003 suite for managing various types of objects in Active Directory and to perform queries against the directory according to specified criteria. These command-line tools are located in %SystemRoot%\System32 folder.

The command-line tools can be installed and run on computers that are running Windows XP Service Pack 1 and Windows Server 2003 Server. It’s recommended not to install these tools on a Windows 2000-based computer.

All of the command-line tools can operate on a variety of objects in the directory. These tools can modify objects locally as the logged-on user or they can specify the server, domain, user name, and password that you want to use when you run the command either remotely or locally. Some of the most used command-line tools for Active Directory are as follows:

• Dsadd.exe – This tool adds a computer, contact, group, organization unit, or user to a directory.

• Dsget.exe – This tool displays the selected attributes of a computer, contact, group, organizational unit, server, or user in a directory.

• Dsmod.exe – This tool modifies an existing user, computer, contact, group, or organizational units in a directory.

• Dsmove.exe – This tool moves any object from its current location in the directory to a new location (provided that the move can be accommodated in a single domain controller) and renames an object without moving it in the directory tree.

• Dsquery.exe – This tool queries and finds a list of computers, groups, organizational units, servers, or users in the directory by using specified search criterion.

• Dsrm.exe – This tool deletes an object of a specific type or any general object from the directory.

• Csvde.exe – This utility can import and export Active Directory data by using a comma-separated format.

• Ldifde.exe – This utility can create, modify, and delete directory objects. This utility can also be used to extend the schema, export Active Directory user and group information to other programs or services.

Professional Chily Active Directory Reports tool is considered an apt choice for smoothly managing domains, computers, users, groups, printers, and other Active Directory objects and resources.

Active Directory reports arm an administrator with required information to efficiently manage Active Directory infrastructure and objects. Collecting latest information, such as total number of users available in Active Directory, password expired users, users whose accounts are recently modified, users whose accounts are locked out, users that cannot change their password, and total number of computers added in Active Directory on a regular basis is the most difficult task for the administrator. In addition knowing details of the computer designated as domain controller, computers designated as server, confirming users logon status, GPO activities, etc. is another time-consuming task for the system administrator.

The administrator / help desk staff needs to manually visit every computer within the domain to collect the required information. All collected information is either manually recorded in a register or in an excel sheet on computer. Whether the information is recorded in the register or in excel sheet, performing the same task on regular basis consumes a lot of time, which if saved can be used in some other administrative tasks. The administrator needs to generate a separate report pertaining every different activity. For example, two reports cannot be merged in a single one; therefore, based on the requirements and Active Directory objects and their activities, the administrator may need to create more than 50 reports. Imagine creating such a large number of reports manually and on a regular basis.

Chily Active Directory Self Service Management and Reporting simplifies these complex tasks of the system administrator / help desk technician. The software encompasses a built-in Active Directory reports generating tool, which automatically generates more than 65 customizable reports. All of the reports are generated in real-time and are customizable. Using the information presented in Active Directory reports, the administrator can take required steps to streamline the management of Windows Active Directory infrastructure and its objects.

Chily Active Directory Management and Reporting generates reports in both tabular and graphics formats that are easily printable. Categories under which the software generates Active Directory reports are – “Users,” “groups,” “Password,” “Computer,” “Organizational Units,” “GPOs Reports,” “Accounts,” “Logon Reports,” and “Other Reports.” The software also provides options to save Active Directory reports in formats, such as HTML, RTF, TXT, CSV, and PDF.