ServersLearn AD in 15 Minutes a Week: Lightweight Directory Access Protocol ...

Learn AD in 15 Minutes a Week: Lightweight Directory Access Protocol Page 4

ServerWatch content and product recommendations are editorially independent. We may make money when you click on links to our partners. Learn More.






Using LDAP to Query Active Directory Objects

To search the Active Directory for
objects you would open the Active Directory Users and
Computers console and choose whichever domain or container
in the console tree you wanted to search and click Find.


You can change the FIND field by
dropping the selection window and choosing from the
different selections given. Also, if you decided that you no
longer wish to search the domain you have chosen but rather
the entire directory, you can change that in the IN field.

The global catalog contains a partial
replica of the entire Active Directory. The local global
catalog server stores all of the information about every
object in the local domain and a partial subset of
information from all objects in every other domain in the tree and forest.
Because the global catalog contains information about every
object, a user can find information regardless of which
domain in the tree or forest contains the data. Active
Directory automatically generates the contents of the global
catalog from the domains that make up the directory.

Below are some of the object types that can be found via
the FIND method


Object Type


Description


User account


Allows a user to log on to
Windows 2000. This object will have other optional
fields that can be filled in as well, usually dealing
with the user. (e.g. phone number, email address, etc.)


Contact


This object will have
information pertaining to the workplace or
organizational, as well as other optional fields. (e.g.
phone number, email address, etc.).


Group


This object is a collection of
user accounts, groups, or computers that you can create
to simplify administration.


Shared folder


This object is a pointer
(think alias or shortcut) to the shared folder on a
computer. The actual shared folders and printers exist
in the registry of a computer. When a shared folder is
published in Active Directory, an object that contains a
pointer to the shared object is created.


Printer


This object is a pointer
(think alias or shortcut) to the shared printer on a
computer. You must manually publish a printer on a
computer that is not in Active Directory, such as
Windows 95, 98 and NT. Microsoft Windows 2000
automatically adds printers that you create on domain
computers to Active Directory.


Computer


The information about a
computer that is a member of the domain.


Domain controllers


This object contains the
information about the domain controllers, their Domain
Name System (DNS) names, its legacy alias, the version
of the operating system it is running, the location, and
the name of the administrator who is responsible for
managing the domain controller.


Organizational Unit (OU)


Contains other objects,
including other OUs. Used to organize Active Directory
objects.

Below are some of the fields and entry
values for searching Active Directory.

Search Data

Description of Field

Find

A list of object
types for which you can search. A custom search builds
the Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) query
or allows you to enter your own LDAP query based on
parameters you enter.

In

Sets the focus
of the search.

Browse

Allows you to
look for a search path or parameter.

Advanced

Allows you to
define specific search criteria to locate objects. When
you choose custom search, the Advanced tab allows you to
type in the query or create a search using one of the
common available attributes, organized by object type on
the Custom Search tab. The Custom Search tab provides
the same elements that are otherwise found on the
Advanced tab.

Field

Located in the
Advanced tab, FIELD allows you to define specific search
criteria to locate objects when you choose custom
search.

Condition

Located in the
Advanced tab, it allows you to further define the search
criteria for an attribute.

Value

Located in the
Advanced tab, VALUE allows you to enter the value for
the condition of the field (attribute) that you are
using to search the Directory.

Search Criteria

Located in the
Advanced tab, this box lists each search criteria that
you have defined. To define a search criterion you use
the Field list, Condition list, and Value box, then
click Add. To remove search criteria, select the
criteria, then click Remove. You can add or remove
search criteria to broaden or narrow your search.

 

Using LDP.EXE to Perform Active
Directory Searches


In the Windows 2000 Resource Kit there is the LDP.EXE
utility, which is a GUI-based tool that can be used to
perform LDAP searches. This also allows administrators to
query data that might not otherwise be visible through
the Administrative tools, such as objects stored in Active
Directory along with their metadata, security descriptors
and replication metadata. LDP.EXE is found in
Support Tools kit under
supporttools.

In-depth information on this tool and its use can be found
in the Microsoft Knowledgebase article –

Using Ldp.exe to Find Data in the Active Directory (Q224543)

 

Well, that wraps up this section
of Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP). I hope you found it informative and
will return for the next installment of Learn Active
Directory Design and Administration in 15 Minutes a Week.

If you have any questions, comments or
even constructive criticism, please feel free to drop me a
note.

I want to write good, solid technical
articles that appeal to a large range of readers and skill
levels and I can only be sure of that through your feedback.

Until then, best of luck in your
studies.

Jason Zandri
Jason@Zandri.net

www.2000trainers.com

Get the Free Newsletter!

Subscribe to Daily Tech Insider for top news, trends & analysis

Latest Posts

Related Stories