I use Microsoft Active Directory as the first line in the LDAP directory. You can use the solution to manage computer accounts, user accounts, and other objects. You can also use Microsoft Active Directory to build roles and permissions.
Senior Architect Active Directory at a tech services company with 1,001-5,000 employees
Can be used to manage computer accounts and build roles and permissions
Pros and Cons
- "The solution is easy to install and has good reliability."
- "The solution could be made more safe by using authentication mechanisms."
What is our primary use case?
What is most valuable?
The solution is widely used in Microsoft environments, where you use computers with the Microsoft OS. The solution is easy to install and has good reliability. With Microsoft Active Directory, you won't have any problems if one of the domain controllers is damaged. The tools you use to maintain and manage Microsoft Active Directory are not complicated.
What needs improvement?
The solution could be made more safe by using authentication mechanisms. We often have to deal with security issues.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Microsoft Active Directory for 20 years.
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What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The solution has some bugs, but from my point of view, they are not really important.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
More than 1,00,000 users are using the solution in our organization.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
Microsoft Active Directory is not an expensive solution. You have to buy the Windows OS licenses, but you don't have to pay any additional product licenses for Active Directory.
What other advice do I have?
You have to build an environment after considering all your requirements. It is really important to consider your organizational structure and the possibilities of the tools you use to authenticate against Active Directory. Microsoft Active Directory is so easy to install. You can promote the domain controller and then have an Active Directory.
Overall, I rate the solution an eight out of ten.
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.
Senior System Administrator at Mongolian Mining Corporation
An easy-to-use tool that allows one to control multiple users while offering a good scalability option
Pros and Cons
- "The most valuable feature of the solution is that it is an easy-to-use tool."
- "The cloud service of Microsoft Active Directory is an area with certain shortcomings that need improvement."
What is our primary use case?
My company uses Microsoft Active Directory to control multiple users.
What is most valuable?
The most valuable feature of the solution is that it is an easy-to-use tool.
What needs improvement?
The cloud service of Microsoft Active Directory is an area with certain shortcomings that need improvement.
Microsoft Active Directory's stability can be improved.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have experience with Microsoft Active Directory. I use the solution's basic version.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Stability-wise, I rate the solution an eight or nine out of ten.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
It is a scalable solution.
Microsoft Active Directory is used by 150 employees in our company.
My company does plan to increase the use of Microsoft Active Directory in the future.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup of Microsoft Active Directory is complex.
The deployment of Microsoft Active Directory took maybe half a year.
Including managers, engineers, and developers, there is a need for ten people to manage the solution's deployment and maintenance.
What about the implementation team?
The installation phase of Microsoft Active Directory was carried out with the help of a consultant.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
My company makes payments every quarter towards the licensing costs of the product. I feel Microsoft Active Directory is an affordable product.
What other advice do I have?
I would tell those planning to use the solution that it is a very easy-to-use product.
I rate the overall solution a ten out of ten.
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
Buyer's Guide
Microsoft Active Directory
July 2026
Learn what your peers think about Microsoft Active Directory. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: July 2026.
908,800 professionals have used our research since 2012.
IT Manager at Groupement Berkine
Easy-to-configure product with efficient scalability
Pros and Cons
- "It is easy to understand all the components."
- "The product's premium support services could be less expensive."
What is our primary use case?
We use Microsoft Active Directory to manage users, computers, servers, and group policies.
What is most valuable?
It is easy to use and configure. It is easy to understand all the components as well.
What needs improvement?
The product's premium support services are expensive. It could be better.
For how long have I used the solution?
We have been using Microsoft Active Directory since 2008.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
We didn’t encounter stability-related issues with architecture.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
It is a scalable product. We have 20 administrators to manage multiple sites and 3000 users for Microsoft Active Directory.
How are customer service and support?
We used Microsoft premium support earlier. It was expensive, and we had to pay extra for a complex issue. Now, we take help from local support partners with access to different areas.
What about the implementation team?
We receive help from Microsoft partners for installation.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
Microsoft Active Directory is the product that is most used around the world. So we follow that. We are a joint venture between national companies and international companies. They already use Microsoft; thus, we opted for the product.
What other advice do I have?
I recommend Microsoft Active Directory to others and rate it an eight out of ten.
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.
Identity and Access Management Manager at a retailer with 10,001+ employees
User-friendly solution with essential access control features
Pros and Cons
- "It is a stable solution."
- "The solution's price could be better."
What is our primary use case?
We use the solution as a user repository for window servers and platforms. Also, we have Line App platforms, actively using Line Asset Align to host our account and claim access based on active directory code.
What is most valuable?
The solution's most valuable feature is its ability to plan and manage different policies and functionalities.
What needs improvement?
The solution's price could be better.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using the solution for more than ten years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The solution is relatively stable. There are no issues of stability right now.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The solution is easy to scale. Our entire enterprise uses it.
How are customer service and support?
The solution's technical support is good if you purchase the premium service.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Positive
How was the initial setup?
Microsoft Active Directory is quick and easy to install. As for the deployment, it is a matter of a few hours. It takes about one or two engineers to deploy. Also, as for maintenance, one person is enough. The patching can be configured automatically.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
We purchase the license for the solution on a yearly basis. However, they have converted the licensing model into a subscription. But it is worth the money.
What other advice do I have?
There are no issues in terms of the performance and configuration of the solution. It is user-friendly and has a lot of UI features. Also, they are about to deploy new AI-based features.
Microsoft offers higher licenses as well. Thus, I advise others to select the licenses that fit their company's requirements. Otherwise, they will end up paying more.
I rate the solution a nine out of ten.
If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
Systems and Infrastructures - IT Dept. at TWINSET
I like that you can sync cloud and on-prem users and groups
Pros and Cons
- "One advantage of Active Directory is that you can sync it with Microsoft Office 365, so you can manage on-premise and cloud operations, which can have different requirements. The flexibility of a hybrid management solution is valuable."
- "Active Directory's user experience is a little dated. Group policy management should be more customizable."
What is our primary use case?
We use Active Directory for domain and infrastructure management.
What is most valuable?
One advantage of Active Directory is that you can sync it with Microsoft Office 365, so you can manage on-premise and cloud operations, which can have different requirements. The flexibility of a hybrid management solution is valuable.
What needs improvement?
Active Directory's user experience is a little dated. Group policy management should be more customizable.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have used Active Directory for a year and a half.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I rate Active Directory nine out of 10 for stability.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
I rate Active Directory eight out of 10 for scalability.
How are customer service and support?
I primarily go to the Microsoft knowledge base for support. It's fairly comprehensive.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Positive
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
I rate Active Directory seven out of 10 for affordability.
What other advice do I have?
I rate Microsoft Active Directory nine out of 10.
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
Head of IT department at a consultancy with 501-1,000 employees
Useful group policy management, scales well, and high availability
Pros and Cons
- "The most valuable features of Microsoft Active Directory are the management of user and group policies."
- "The DNS services could improve in Microsoft Active Directory."
What is our primary use case?
I use Microsoft Active Directory for user and computer management.
How has it helped my organization?
Microsoft Active Directory implementation allows us to save time for user management. Single sign-on with enterprise applications improves our security.
What is most valuable?
The most valuable features of Microsoft Active Directory are the management of user and group policies.
What needs improvement?
The DNS services could improve in Microsoft Active Directory.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Microsoft Active Directory for approximately 18 years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Microsoft Active Directory is highly stable.
I rate the scalability of Microsoft Active Directory a ten out of ten.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The solution is scalable.
We have approximately 700 people in 90 countries using the solution in my company.
We create user accounts and policies using the solution. We do not touch it often.
I rate the scalability of Microsoft Active Directory a ten out of ten.
How are customer service and support?
We have our own expertise and did not communicate with customer service about this solution.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I did not use another similar solution to Microsoft Active Directory.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup of the solution is easy but needs good planning, sometimes the environment can cause challenges. The full process takes a few hours.
The migration from workgroups to the current infrastructure took approximately six months.
The number of steps taken to implement the solution depends on the environment of the deployment. For example, how the users work, and how many offices can determine the difficulty and steps taken for the implementation.
I rate the initial setup of Microsoft Active Directory a nine out of ten.
What about the implementation team?
We did the implementation of the solution in-house with three administrators.
What was our ROI?
We do not calculate the ROI but think it is worth the money.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The price of Microsoft Active Directory could improve. We pay annually for the solution.
I rate the price of Microsoft Active Directory a seven out of ten.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
We evaluated other options before choosing Microsoft Active Directory, such as Linux-based solutions. I was familiar with Microsoft Active Directory and comfortable and this is why we are using it.
What other advice do I have?
We use three administrators for the maintenance of all infrastructure including the solution.
I rate Microsoft Active Directory an eight out of ten.
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.
Lead Desktop Support Technician at a healthcare company with 10,001+ employees
Useful search options, useful graphical user interface, and high availability
Pros and Cons
- "The most valuable feature of Microsoft Active Directory is the ability to search for computers and users. While I do not have administrative privileges to reset passwords, I can view user information such as department, and communicate with someone who can make the changes."
- "There has been a change in the layout of the user information. Previously, I had to go to properties to view the information, but now it is displayed directly below the search results. It takes some time to get used to."
What is our primary use case?
I am using Microsoft Active Directory for tracking PCs on the domain, enabling them when they drop off, changing the PCs, and moving them into the organizational unit depending on the department and location.
What is most valuable?
The most valuable feature of Microsoft Active Directory is the ability to search for computers and users. While I do not have administrative privileges to reset passwords, I can view user information such as department, and communicate with someone who can make the changes.
What needs improvement?
There has been a change in the layout of the user information. Previously, I had to go to properties to view the information, but now it is displayed directly below the search results. It takes some time to get used to.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Microsoft Active Directory for approximately four years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The solution is highly scalable.
I rate the stability of Microsoft Active Directory a ten out of ten.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The solution is scalable. You install it on any regular PC. It doesn't have to be a server, it can be a client. As I downloaded it or added it as a feature, I can use it right away.
I use the solution often.
How are customer service and support?
I have not needed to use the support from Microsoft Active Directory.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup of Microsoft Active Directory is straightforward. I appreciate the graphical user interface (GUI) that is provided. There are two methods for setting it up, one is downloading it from the Microsoft website, and the other is adding it as a feature through the "Programs and Features" menu. I prefer the GUI as it is more visually appealing and easy to navigate, compared to the other method which is more text-based.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
Active Directory is built-in into Microsoft Windows 10. I'm not an administrator and would not be involved in purchasing decisions for new versions of the software. I have only used the client portion of it, I do not know if there is a cost to using the solution.
What other advice do I have?
My suggestion to others is they should learn what they need to use Active Directory for. I have experience in creating users in the past, but my role here is different and I don't handle that task. However, I still use Active Directory to communicate with other groups about what a user requires. It is a versatile tool and you can accomplish many tasks with it. It is best to figure out what you need and proceed accordingly.
I rate Microsoft Active Directory a ten out of ten.
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
Enterprise Technical Support at a government with 10,001+ employees
A solution with great audit, authentication and authorization features
Pros and Cons
- "Audit, authentication and authorization are the best features."
- "There is room for improvement."
What is our primary use case?
We use Active Directory as a single sign-on when integrating it into applications.
What is most valuable?
Audit, authentication and authorization are the best features.
What needs improvement?
There is room for improvement. Microsoft is always working to improve their solutions and features.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
It is a stable solution. Microsoft Active Directory is the bread and butter for Microsoft, so they're always working on improvements.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
It is a scalable solution. Our organization has more than 45,000 users and nearly 300 users in our IT sector. We have a dedicated team for maintenance and segregate responsibilities into different departments.
How are customer service and support?
We always use tech support from Microsoft. If we can solve it internally by ourselves, we do, but if there are other issues related to Active Directory, we create a ticker and reach out to them. I rate the technical support an eight out of ten.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Positive
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is not complex but depends on the organization's policies.
What other advice do I have?
I rate this solution an eight out of ten.
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
Enterprise Systems Specialist at KCB Bank Group
Offers its users to use its authentication and authorization capabilities
Pros and Cons
- "The solution's technical support is good."
- "Microsoft Active Directory fails to provide MFA. MFA, which is also known as multi-factor authentication on top of the password and username, is what I would like to see in the product's future releases."
What is our primary use case?
My company uses Microsoft Active Directory as an identity and access management solution. The tool is used for its authentication capabilities in my company.
What is most valuable?
The most valuable features of the solution are its capabilities in areas like authentication and authorization, which include aspects like configuring permissions on folders and assigning permissions to security groups configured in Microsoft Active Directory.
What needs improvement?
I feel that Microsoft Active Directory is a superior solution to the other products available in the market.
Microsoft Active Directory fails to provide MFA. MFA, which is also known as multi-factor authentication on top of the password and username, is what I would like to see in the product's future releases.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Microsoft Active Directory for more than ten years.
How are customer service and support?
The solution's technical support is good.
How was the initial setup?
The product's initial setup phase was straightforward as it can be done within the operating system, after which you can take care of the configuration part to complete the setup process.
The solution is deployed on a hybrid cloud model.
What other advice do I have?
Microsoft Active Directory is an excellent product.
I rate the overall tool a ten out of ten.
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
Information Technology Executive at Akums Drugs & Pharmaceuticals Ltd.
A scalable solution with high stability and multiple features
Pros and Cons
- "The most valuable feature is the configured appliance system in Hypervisor."
- "The technical support team does not give prompt responses."
What is our primary use case?
We only use Active Directory in my location for login purposes. We give permissions to file servers.
What is most valuable?
The most valuable feature is the configured appliance system in Hypervisor. We find Active Directory to be simple and effective. We mainly use it for file servers and user security. We don't utilize many advanced features.
What needs improvement?
The initial setup should be easier. It's complex and has replication and synchronization issues.
The technical support team does not give prompt responses.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using the solution for the last four years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
It is a stable solution as there are no crashes or downtime. I rate it a ten out of ten. It is very good performance-wise.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
It is a scalable solution. In my location, we have a total of 46 users. I rate it a ten out of ten.
How are customer service and support?
The technical support team is not good as they do not provide prompt support. I rate them a five out of ten.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Neutral
How was the initial setup?
Active Directory's initial setup is complex because, for some parts, like replications or synchronization, there are some problems that need to be verified.
There is an expert-level requirement, and we are not experts. So we speak to Microsoft's support, but they are also not capable.
Role deployments will take two to three hours. But fresh installation, if we are installing and configuring it, takes one to two hours.
What about the implementation team?
Our team configured it and performed the installation and configuration.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The pricing model differs for India and other countries. Our procurement was based in India for a Microsoft license. The branch in our location is responsible for providing us with the software and licenses. They have an IT team that takes care of all the software-related matters.
What other advice do I have?
Since we started to use it and configured it with our server, we haven't experienced any downtime, instability, or crashes. I have had a good experience with this solution and with Microsoft.
I rate the solution a ten out of ten.
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
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Updated: July 2026
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