Services

Directory Services

Active Directory tree Mercurion Systems' experience with Active Directory is considerable. We've designed numerous Active Directory structures, from single-domain/single-site implementations to multi-domain/multi-site trees spanning North America and Europe. Our implementations have included designs with integrated DNS namespaces (the same DNS namespace, e.g., company.com, both internally and externally) as well as split DNS namespaces (i.e., company.com on the outside and company.net on the inside). UNIX DNS servers instead of Windows 2000/2003 DNS servers? Not a problem.

Active Directory site topology And our experience isn't just with new installations, either. We've also planned and led many migrations from existing Windows NT 4.0-based domain structures to Active Directory trees. These migrations have ranged from in-place upgrades of existing domains, to complete rebuilds with parallel Active Directory trees, to various combinations of both approaches. In some cases, we helped customers reduce the number of domains they were managing, easing their administrative burden and simplifying the complexity of their network. In other cases, we assisted the users in moving all their existing domains to Active Directory and unifying them into a single tree.

Many of these NT-to-Active Directory migrations also involved migrations to directory-enabled applications such as Exchange 2000/2003. (For example, a migration from Exchange 5.5 to Exchange 2000/2003 during a NT-to-Active Directory migration is very typical.)

Although every Active Directory implementation is different and unique to that particular customer, the keys to a successful Active Directory migration or deployment are always the same. They are:

Discovery: It's impossible to say what your Active Directory should look like after the implementation is complete without first understanding what's in place right now. A thorough discovery process (and the resulting documentation) are critical in a successful design and deployment.
Collaborative Design: No one understands your business better than you. Far be it from Mercurion Systems to tell you how your network, which helps run your business, should be built. We work with you to collaboratively build an Active Directory design that parallels your business structure.
Planning: Planning is paramount. Every step in an Active Directory deployment must be mapped out, and the implications and dependencies understood.
Methodical Implementation: Once the discovery, design, and planning stages are complete, it is time for a methodical implementation that puts into reality your new Active Directory infrastructure.

We integrate these steps into our collaborative, consultative approach, so that your Active Directory implementation is tailored and configured for your business and your needs.

In summary, we have the experience and the expertise to handle your Active Directory implementation. Give us a call, or send us an e-mail via our Contact page to find out how our experience with Active Directory can help you.