Ad monitoring

Cloud AD or federation, choose solutions with native Azure AD and SAML integration. Preventive Diagnostics – Prioritize tools providing actionable insights to avert problems before disruption vs. just reporting issues reactively.Security and Compliance – Verify capabilities like baseline policy management, access reviews and reports meet regulatory mandates. Automation Support – Shortlist tools allowing integration with popular RMM/PSAs, SIEM solutions, ITSM platforms for instant resolution.Beyond software selection, following best practices is vital for monitoring effectiveness.Best Practices for AD Health MonitoringHere are key success factors to optimize AD oversight:Set Up Monitoring for Priority AD ServicesInstead of tracking 100s of metrics, define key parameters like DNS latency, DC queues, token requests etc. that offer quick pulse on AD health.Determine Performance Baselines Document bandwidth utilization, replication frequencies, log volumes etc. during normal operations. This quantifies what‘s acceptable vs. problematic. Standardize AD Object Naming ConventionsUse tagging standards for OUs, servers, policies etc. This simplifies search/filtering during analysis.Validate Tool Alerting PoliciesTest threshold-based alerts by intentionally inducing conditions like stopping a DS service. Tune configurations accordingly.Corroborate Monitoring Data proactivelyBefore complaints arise, validate tool-reported issues via complementary logs, sysadmin inputs etc. Institute Common Monitoring HygieneEnsure consistent processes around config backups before changes, monitoring scope review etc. across AD owners.This lays the groundwork for maturing the AD oversight mechanisms over time.ConclusionWith digitalization making AD the gateway for workforce access and security, instituting checks and balances for health monitoring is no longer optional. However, the distributed nature of Active Directory makes keeping up with inter-dependencies complex using native tools alone. Supplementing with purpose-built AD monitoring platforms is key to prevent outages and breaches.Evaluating options based on deployment environment, diagnostics capabilities, compliance needs and more helps pick solutions that align to requirements. Combined with following standard procedures around tuning alerts, validating data and instituting common governance, organizations can make AD monitoring

Check tools enter the picture…How AD Monitoring Solutions HelpAD management tools complement native capabilities for preventive oversight across hybrid environments with: Central console collating AD health data enterprise-wideTracking of distributed DCs, site links and other interdependencies Visibility into replication delays, stale objects, failed DCPromos etc.Proactive alerts on critical performance metrics deviationsReporting on schema changes, permission tweaks, password resets etc.Assured compliance via AD security assessments and access reviewsLeading options include both free and paid tools: Let‘s compare the capabilities of top solutions:Here is an overview of key capabilities across prominent free and paid AD monitoring platforms:ToolsReplication TrackingDNS HealthFailed LoginsChanges AuditSolarWinds (Paid)✅✅✅✅ManageEngine (Paid)✅✅✅✅LepideAuditor (Paid)✅❌❌✅Quest (Paid)✅✅❌❌ADCommander (Free)✅❌❌❌As visible, while free tools like ADCommander offer basic capabilities, paid solutions like SolarWinds cover all aspects of AD health monitoring. Let‘s look at one of leaders – SolarWinds Server & Application Monitor (SAM) in a bit more detail.SolarWinds Server and Application MonitorSolarWinds SAM provides integrated AD infrastructure monitoring starting under $3,000.Some key highlights:Central AD Dashboard – Single visual view of distributed health statuses, replication issues, DNS problems etc.AD Topology Mapping – Visualize all domains, sites, controllers, trusts and object relationships Threshold-based Alerting – Configurable warnings for AD KPI breaches via email, SMS etc.Custom AD Reporting – Schedule reports on security changes, logon history, group policies over desired time range. Azure AD Monitoring – Track cloud AD and synchronizations with on-prem Active DirectoryIn addition to AD oversight, SolarWinds SAM also monitors server hardware, virtual infrastructure, databases and more from one scalable platform.Clearly, capabilities vary across tools. So what aspects should you consider when selecting one? Buying Considerations for AD Monitoring ToolsHere are key considerations when investing in AD health check solutions:Scale of AD deployment – Larger environments need tools that can handle hundreds of domain controllers, remote sites and complex hierarchies.On-prem vs Hybrid AD – If supporting

Common Monitoring Processes: Changes in AD or Group Policies: These tools can monitor changes made to policies, users, machines, etc. Monitor directory replication updates throughout all servers: Keep track of the replication of directories and synchronization of domain controllers. Identify logged out, locked, or deactivated users: The AD monitoring tools can help you find user accounts that have been locked or deactivated. AD User Audits: The audits performed by some of these tools can help you determine the who, what, when, and how. This is helpful to monitor logons. Domain controller Monitoring: Keep track of authentication, the domain controller performance, and the service directories (NTDS files). Here's the Best 15 Active Directory Monitoring Tools and Software of 2020: Below are the top 15 AD monitoring tools. Some of them are free, while others are commercial. Some tools have robust autonomous functionalities, and others are log management with analysis capabilities. Others are comprehensive network monitors that rely on AD add-ons and agents, and others are AD-specific tracking systems. We will talk about each one so that you can find the one that best suits your needs.