What is the purpose of an Organizational Unit?

[jefferj54]

If someone could properly articulate what the purpose is, for an Organizational Unit, say in Windows 2008 Server, this would be appreciated immensely. I need plain english nuts and bolts explanation. Thanks.

joe.

 

[Hefemeister]

Crash Course in Active Directory Organizational Unit Design :: Windows Server 2008 :: Articles & Tutorials :: WindowsNetworking.com

 

[phoboss1983]

Hi Joe,

An OU is basically a group in active directory. Could be PC's, could be Users. You can create an OU for example for Laptops and one for Desktops to help you organise the way you look at them.

Furthermore, you can link specific Group Policy Objects (GPOs) to different OUs. For example you can enable Desktop Redirection for Desktop machines only, and not for laptops.

Hope it helps a bit.

Chris

 

[jefferj54]

Hi Joe,

An OU is basically a group in active directory. Could be PC's, could be Users. You can create an OU for example for Laptops and one for Desktops to help you organise the way you look at them.

Furthermore, you can link specific Group Policy Objects (GPOs) to different OUs. For example you can enable Desktop Redirection for Desktop machines only, and not for laptops.

Hope it helps a bit.

Chris

Hi Chris,

Thank you. I understand somewhat Group Policy, but I am still struggling to understand the purpose of OU's. For example, if I wanted to create a file server, how would that work in conjunction with an OU?

joe.

 

[Hefemeister]

For a file server, it would allow you to give certain rights to share folders to specific groups.

You have 3 file shares.
1) super important management stuff.
2) accounting and payroll information.
3) general group share

You have 4 OU's
1) Management with access to all files 1, 2 and3.
2) Accounting with access to 2 and 3.
3) Reg employes with access to 3.
4) guests with access to no files.

Depending upon which group you assign a user to, they will get rights to access certain file shares.

 

[jefferj54]

For a file server, it would allow you to give certain rights to share folders to specific groups.

You have 3 file shares.
1) super important management stuff.
2) accounting and payroll information.
3) general group share

You have 4 OU's
1) Management with access to all files 1, 2 and3.
2) Accounting with access to 2 and 3.
3) Reg employes with access to 3.
4) guests with access to no files.

Depending upon which group you assign a user to, they will get rights to access certain file shares.

Thank you. So, does that mean with my setting up of permissions within the O.U., that I would not HAVE to set up permissions for the files and folders on the file server?

joe.

 

[Hefemeister]

Take a look at the article I linked for a quick overview.

OUs primarily will be used to organize the following objects:

User accounts
Group accounts
Computers
Yes, OUs can also be used to organize shared folders and printers, but control of these objects within an OU is not all that common or useful for that matter.

 

[jefferj54]

For a file server, it would allow you to give certain rights to share folders to specific groups.

You have 3 file shares.
1) super important management stuff.
2) accounting and payroll information.
3) general group share

You have 4 OU's
1) Management with access to all files 1, 2 and3.
2) Accounting with access to 2 and 3.
3) Reg employes with access to 3.
4) guests with access to no files.

Depending upon which group you assign a user to, they will get rights to access certain file shares.

..So If I set up the permissions in the OU, I would not have to then have to individualy setup the same permissions on the files and folders on the file server?
The OU permissions would automatically setup the permissions for those files and folders within the file server?

 

[jefferj54]

Okay, I get it now. Excuse me for being a little slow, L.O.L. Thank You everyone, for all of the answers everyone else made so difficult.

joe.