Kniga orientirovana na kvalifitsirovannykh administratorov, rabotayuschikh s domenami Windows 2000, i ne poteryaet svoej aktual'nosti pri poyavlenii sleduyuschej versii sistemy - Windows .NET Server (Whistler). Rassmatrivayutsya bazovye kontseptsii i ustanovka sluzhby katalogov Active Directory, opisyvayutsya osnovnye voprosy administrirovaniya i sistemnye utility (v tom chisle iz paketa Windows 2000 Resource Kit), neobkhodimye dlya obnaruzheniya i ustraneniya neispravnostej v Active Directory. Takzhe dany osnovy API-interfejsa Active Directory Services Interfaces (ADSI) i privodyatsya primery stsenariev, kotorye sistemnye administratory mogut shiroko ispol'zovat' v povsednevnoj rabote.