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Logon Script to Enforce Self Service Password Reset Enrollment

One of the most common complaints about Active Directory self service password reset is how hard it is to get users to enroll.  They just don’t want to be bothered.  Why would you when it’s so easy to call the helpdesk? In fact, when we first released Password Center, we soon found that most of…

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Do You Really Want An Active Directory Web Interface?

No.  And yes. Of course, those are both lame answers but there is no good answer to the broad question of having an Active Directory web interface.  Because you very rarely want to have full admin rights to Active Directory available to anyone other than, say, full admins.  And they are probably happy with ADUC.…

Distribution Group Vs. Mail enabled Security Group

Distribution Groups or Mail Enabled Security Groups?

When we talk about Active Directory groups, we are usually talking about two kinds of groups: Distribution Groups and Security Groups. Managing distribution lists and security groups is a mission-critical task for just about any IT organization. Active Directory distribution groups work with your email client to define who is included on group messages, while…

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Top Line Results from Active Directory Management

I recently read an interesting article about how the CFO feels about IT.  (Hint: not good)  The article was based on a survey of 344 CFOs.  The survey showed that CFOs, “Are inclined to invest in technologies where competitive advantage can be demonstrated, analysis and decision-making is assisted, or efficiencies and cost reduction are achieved.”…

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Active Directory User Provisioning Made Easy

I am constantly reminded by prospects and customers how complex identity management projects are.  They have complex requirements, complex visio diagrams, complex regression analysis on ROI, complex sounding project names, and complex acronyms for everything. All in the name of making sure that an employee can sign on to his/her computer in the morning and…

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The Best Active Directory Password

We recently received a support email about how Password Center handles a 72 character Active Directory password.  I read it in disbelief.  Seventy-two characters?  That’s the alphabet 2, almost 3, times over.  How does anyone remember a 72 character password? Turns out, pretty darned easily.  Because the best Active Directory password isn’t a word at all…it’s a…

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Managing a Franchise’s Active Directory

As a franchisor, one of the biggest issues is controlling access to systems required by your franchisees.  It’s easy to control using Active Directory but it’s hard to get your franchisee employees into Active Directory. Think about it, you have 300 franchisees, each with 20 employees needing varied levels of access to the milkshake recipe wiki. …

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Navigating the Cloud with Active Directory

There has been a lot of talk among our customers and prospects about the new world that is cloud computing and how Active Directory fits into it.  When I think about navigating clouds, I can’t help but think about my friends and family (and Imanami’s CEO) who are pilots.  Talk to any pilot about flying…

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Active Directory History’s Uses for End-Users

One of the great features of GroupID 6 is Active Directory history.  It’s not exactly auditing, it’s a bit more useful than that; history allows administrators and users to easily see changes to the AD objects that they care about. For administrators, the use cases are simple.  You come into the office and the help…