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ShameerAli - PeerSpot reviewer
Cybersecurity Consultant at a tech vendor with 10,001+ employees
Real User
A scalable solution with good management capability
Pros and Cons
  • "The solution’s management capability is very good. The tool is also very scalable. You can add any number of users that you want to operate. Moreover, you can easily organize the solution."
  • "I would like to see improvements in the solution’s security filtering feature. It can include machines and filter some users. There is no option to exclude a particular user or system."

What is most valuable?

The solution’s management capability is very good. The tool is also very scalable. You can add any number of users that you want to operate. Moreover, you can easily organize the solution.

What needs improvement?

I would like to see improvements in the solution’s security filtering feature. It can include machines and filter some users. There is no option to exclude a particular user or system.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The solution is very scalable. The solution works from a single server. Hence, the usage is as per company and not per user.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is neither too easy nor difficult. You need to have some skills or knowledge in Microsoft Active Directory to implement it.

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May 2025
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What other advice do I have?

I would rate the solution a nine out of ten. I recommend this solution to anyone who is willing to use it. I have no knowledge of other alternatives that can do the same job as Microsoft Active Directory.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
PeerSpot user
Director at a tech services company with 51-200 employees
Real User
Reliable with good support and useful group policies
Pros and Cons
  • "Technical support is helpful."
  • "There are no reporting features."

What is our primary use case?

We usually provide the solution to clients. The customers typically use the solution for security and to deploy and manage their policies on Windows.

How has it helped my organization?

Centrally manage clients using active directory and provide integrated authentication for on-premises applications and SaaS applications such as O365.

What is most valuable?

The group policy is very useful. 

It is quite stable.

Technical support is helpful. 

What needs improvement?

There are no reporting features. Reporting needs to be added to Active Directory.

The installation can be a bit complex. You need to be knowledgeable. 

For how long have I used the solution?

I've used the solution for over 20 years. I've used the solution for a very long time. 

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The solution is stable and reliable. There are no bugs or glitches. It doesn't crash or freeze. I'd rate stability eight out of ten. 

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

This solution is not highly scalable. I'd rate the solution's scalability six out of ten.

Many of our clients are enterprises. 

How was the initial setup?

The solution is somewhat straightforward to set up. It is not overly complex. An engineer would find the process very simple. 

I'd rate the ease of setup six out of ten. 

There are a few different options that you need to choose from when you do the installation. Therefore, an engineer should have some prior knowledge about the options.

We have about ten people handling the Active Directory design and installation process. They are system engineers. 

We have five members that can handle maintenance tasks, and they are systems engineers as well. 

What about the implementation team?

We are able to implement the solution for clients. 

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

The pricing is moderate. I'd rate the affordability five out of ten. We have a perpetual license for the product.

What other advice do I have?

We are Microsoft gold partners.

We are using the latest version of the solution. 

I'd advise others to be careful when they deploy group policies to end users. 

I would rate the solution eight out of ten. 

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

Hybrid Cloud

If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?

Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Iqpad (https://www.iqpad.com) in Korea has been a Microsoft Gold Partner since 2007.
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Buyer's Guide
Microsoft Active Directory
May 2025
Learn what your peers think about Microsoft Active Directory. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: May 2025.
857,028 professionals have used our research since 2012.
Support at Za irery
Real User
Top 5Leaderboard
It's a good solution for managing users and groups, but there are some stability issues
Pros and Cons
  • "I can use Active Directory to block a user's internet access and monitor how an employee is using the internet."
  • "It could be more stable."

What is our primary use case?

I am using Active Directory at home to learn the features. It's a solution for managing users and groups. 

What is most valuable?

I can use Active Directory to block a user's internet access and monitor how an employee is using the internet. 

What needs improvement?

It could be more stable. 

How was the initial setup?

Setting up Active Directory isn't hard if you follow all the tutorials. I was able to set it up using some YouTube tutorials and Microsoft documentation. 

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

I pay a monthly license. 

What other advice do I have?

I rate Microsoft Active Directory a seven out of ten.

Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
PeerSpot user
Domain Architect at a tech services company with 1,001-5,000 employees
Real User
Enables the ability for a single sign-on for applications
Pros and Cons
  • "The ability for a single sign-on for applications."
  • "Could use more structure in the cloud version."

What is our primary use case?

The solution enables people to log on to computers and applications. I'm a domain architect. 

What is most valuable?

The most valuable feature is the ability for a single sign-on for applications.

What needs improvement?

We've found Active Directory difficult to restore. I'd also like to see more structure in the cloud version.

For how long have I used the solution?

We've been using this solution for 15 years. 

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The solution is stable.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

Active Directory is scalable, we have around 7,000 users.

How are customer service and support?

We've escalated to technical support many times. They provide good service.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Positive

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is very straightforward but Active Directory is hard to restore. Deployment is just a matter of downloading from Microsoft. There's no maintenance required. 

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

It requires a license but the product is bundled in with other functions, so it doesn't have a separate cost. There's a fixed price per user for the suite. 

What other advice do I have?

I think structure and internal guidelines are extremely important and almost never there from the beginning. 

I rate this product nine out of 10.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

Hybrid Cloud
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
PeerSpot user
salesmanager at CEW
Real User
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: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
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: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
PeerSpot user
Real User
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: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
PeerSpot user
Consultant at NETI
Real User
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: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
PeerSpot user
Buyer's Guide
Download our free Microsoft Active Directory Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.
Updated: May 2025
Buyer's Guide
Download our free Microsoft Active Directory Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.