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Winston Lewis - PeerSpot reviewer
Assistant Manager - IT and Innovation at a financial services firm with 51-200 employees
Real User
Top 5
Essential solution with excellent log-on service
Pros and Cons
  • "The solution's initial setup is straightforward."
  • "They should improve the solution's old computer cleanup tool."

What is our primary use case?

We use the solution to log in to our systems.

How has it helped my organization?

It has proved to be an essential solution for our organization.

What is most valuable?

The solution's most valuable feature is its log-on service.

What needs improvement?

They should improve the solution's old computer cleanup tool.

Buyer's Guide
Microsoft Active Directory
October 2024
Learn what your peers think about Microsoft Active Directory. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: October 2024.
814,649 professionals have used our research since 2012.

For how long have I used the solution?

We have been using the solution for a few years. 

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

I rate the solution's stability as a ten.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

I rate the solution's scalability as an eight. We have around 70 users of the solution at our organization. We plan to add 20 more users.

How was the initial setup?

The solution's initial setup is straightforward.

What was our ROI?

The solution's ROI is worth it.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

The solution's price is reasonable.

What other advice do I have?

I advise others to keep the solution up to date. For example, if they use Windows Server 2018, the domain should match the level. If not, it could introduce a risk to their systems.

I rate the solution as a nine.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Senior Technical Project Lead at a computer software company with 51-200 employees
Real User
Top 20
Useful for for FSMO, policies, and customized user registrations
Pros and Cons
  • "We use the tool for FSMO, policies, and customized user registrations."
  • "I expect additional features like maximizing user flow, improving the branding of the UI, and enabling non-interactive login. Customizing the login page is limited to changing the background and logo, and adding terms and conditions during registration requires JavaScript."

What is our primary use case?

We use the tool for FSMO, policies, and customized user registrations. 

What needs improvement?

I expect additional features like maximizing user flow, improving the branding of the UI, and enabling non-interactive login. Customizing the login page is limited to changing the background and logo, and adding terms and conditions during registration requires JavaScript.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The tool is stable. 

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

Microsoft Active Directory is scalable.

How are customer service and support?

The tool's support is good in some areas but not so much in others. It depends on the kind of support we request and the product type. For some things, they are pretty good. For other services, they are responsive but might not provide any solution.

What other advice do I have?

We already have experience integrating Microsoft Active Directory with other Microsoft Azure products, so it doesn't need to be checked. Third-party integrations are mainly for use cases related to external needs.

From my experience, I would rate Microsoft Active Directory around seven or eight out of ten. I never rate anything a ten out of ten, but my experience has been positive overall. I haven't chosen IBM Active Directory or other third-party solutions for core use cases.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
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PeerSpot user
Buyer's Guide
Microsoft Active Directory
October 2024
Learn what your peers think about Microsoft Active Directory. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: October 2024.
814,649 professionals have used our research since 2012.
salesmanager at CEW
Real User
Top 10
Everything became easier for us after we started using it in our environment
Pros and Cons
  • "Active Directory makes managing user policies easier, like when a user wants to share files. We also use it to create and manage our email accounts."
  • "It could be more scalable. We still need another software solution to monitor the network in addition to Active Directory and OpManager, our domain controller. We use SolarWinds."

What is our primary use case?

Active Directory helps you manage users and policies. We have around 400 users, and we plan in the new year to increase the user base so that every employee has their own user account. 

What is most valuable?

Active Directory makes managing user policies easier, like when a user wants to share files. We also use it to create and manage our email accounts. 

For how long have I used the solution?

I started using Active Directory nine years ago.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

Active Directory is stable. 

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

I rate Active Directory eight out of 10. It could be more scalable. We still need another software solution to monitor the network in addition to Active Directory and OpManager, our domain controller. We use SolarWinds.

How are customer service and support?

When I have a problem, I contact them via email, and they solve my issue. 

How was the initial setup?

Setting up Active Directory isn't complex. It's easy to configure new rules or install new features in Windows Server. It took us three months to deploy and configure Active Directory. After that, we make changes as we go. We started by deploying the operating system and configuring the domain controller. Then, we created group policies and roles for each department. 

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

We pay for a yearly license per user for the Microsoft operating system and Office plus costs for other products like Kaspersky antivirus. 

What other advice do I have?

I rate Microsoft Active Directory nine out of 10. It helps us manage users and resource usage on the network. Everything became easier for us after we started using it in our environment. I recommend it.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

Public Cloud
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
System Managre at Aligarh Institute of Technology
Real User
A solution with a valuable user interface and very user-friendly
Pros and Cons
  • "It is very user-friendly."
  • "The security features could be improved."

What is our primary use case?

Our primary use case for this solution is domain creation.

What is most valuable?

We find the user interface valuable as it is very user-friendly.

What needs improvement?

The product could be improved in the area of security. For example, they can release a patch every week or every month and release the security patches.

For how long have I used the solution?

We have been using the solution for 20 years and are currently using Microsoft Active Advance Server 2016.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The solution is stable. Approximately 400 people are using the solution in our organization.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The solution is scalable.

How are customer service and support?

We have had a good experience with customer service and support.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup was straightforward and took approximately two hours.

What about the implementation team?

We implemented it in-house.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

For the educational sector, we are getting free licenses from Microsoft because it comes in the HEC program for the Pakistani Government and Higher Education Commission. So we get licenses from the HEC and don't pay any license fees for Microsoft products.

What other advice do I have?

I rate the solution an eight out of ten. The solution is good and user-friendly, but the security features could be improved.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Real User
Top 5
It provides us with excellent order to our systems
Pros and Cons
  • "It's useful in bringing order to the system."
  • "UI is not very user-friendly."

What is our primary use case?

I'm the head of IT and we are users of Active Directory.

What is most valuable?

It brings an order to the system that is very useful. 

What needs improvement?

The user interface is not friendly for a regular user. Configuration is more complicated than it needs to be. It normally requires an expert technician and deployment takes two to three weeks. 

For how long have I used the solution?

I've been using this solution for 10 years. 

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The solution is scalable. 

How are customer service and support?

The customer service is good. 

How was the initial setup?

Maybe you can have an app in in one week, but correctly on good configured, you need at least three weeks. Three weeks.

What other advice do I have?

I rate this solution 10 out of 10. 

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Consultant at NETI
Real User
Top 10
A stable and flexible product that integrates with other solutions
Pros and Cons
  • "The product is very stable and flexible. You can also integrate the solution with other products like mail solutions."
  • "I did not have a good experience with the product's tech support. First-level support takes a lot of time since they ask many questions."

What is most valuable?

The product is very stable and flexible. You can also integrate the solution with other products like mail solutions. 

What needs improvement?

I did not have a good experience with the product's tech support. First-level support takes a lot of time since they ask many questions. 

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been working with the product for more than 15 years. 

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The tool is stable. 

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The solution is scalable. 

How are customer service and support?

The tool's last level of support is good since they resolve queries in 15-30 minutes. Support will help you but it takes a lot of time to find the right person. I have 10 tickets per year. Every ticket after the 10th one will cost extra. 

How would you rate customer service and support?

Neutral

How was the initial setup?

The tool's deployment is not easy but not complex either. You need to understand what you need to implement. Also, you need to understand the needs of the customer. If you understand their needs, then the deployment is straightforward. 

What other advice do I have?

I would rate the product a nine out of ten. 

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
salesmanager at CEW
Real User
Top 10
It's more flexible and feature-rich than competing open-source solutions
Pros and Cons
  • "Active Directory is more flexible and feature-rich than Apache."

    What is our primary use case?

    We use Active Directory in IIS, our fleet management system, for monitoring our fleet of vehicles. 

    What is most valuable?

    Active Directory is more flexible and feature-rich than Apache.

    For how long have I used the solution?

    I have used Active Directory since 2006.

    How was the initial setup?

    Setting up Active Directory is easy because there is an installation guide that walks you through every step. It takes about a week to fully deploy and configure it, set roles, etc. 

    Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

    On-premises
    Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
    PeerSpot user
    Buyer's Guide
    Download our free Microsoft Active Directory Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.
    Updated: October 2024
    Buyer's Guide
    Download our free Microsoft Active Directory Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.