<P> Active Directory (AD) is a directory service that Microsoft developed for the Windows domain networks . It is included in most Windows Server operating systems as a set of processes and services . Initially, Active Directory was only in charge of centralized domain management . Starting with Windows Server 2008, however, Active Directory became an umbrella title for a broad range of directory - based identity - related services . </P> <P> A server running Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS) is called a domain controller . It authenticates and authorizes all users and computers in a Windows domain type network--assigning and enforcing security policies for all computers and installing or updating software . For example, when a user logs into a computer that is part of a Windows domain, Active Directory checks the submitted password and determines whether the user is a system administrator or normal user . Also, it allows management and storage of information, provides authentication and authorization mechanisms, and establishes a framework to deploy other related services: Certificate Services, Active_Directory_Federation_Services, Lightweight Directory Services and Rights Management Services . </P>

What type of server does active director run on