Active Directory consolidation under way 

Friday, February 5, 2010
  

In order to meet the June 30 deadline President McDavis set for IT consolidation, OIT and departmental IT staff will work together to join every university-owned computer to the university's main Active Directory.

As individuals' computers are connected to this central resource, they will receive access to:

  • Personal network storage space
  • File and printer sharing for those departments that need it
  • Automated security updates
  • Automatic downloads of the latest versions of programs like Office and Outlook
  • Faster troubleshooting when calling the Service Desk - computer users can allow the tech on the other end to see what they are seeing on their screen during a support call
At it's most fundamental level, Active Directory is a database that keeps track of all the shared resources on our network. This allows computers to find the network drives, shared printers, and the applications they need automatically. For example, if a department or college adds a shared printer, that resource will show up automatically on the appropriate computers in that department or college.

Active Directory aligns with the President's directive on IT consolidation by eliminating 70 servers across campus while at the same time improving service. With departments no longer needing to maintain their own Active Directory servers, College IT staff can devote less time to digital housekeeping and more time to addressing academic needs.




Related Links

Active Directory home page 
Frequently Asked Questions