Defining Active Directory management tools

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I see the term Active Directory management tools used everywhere from provisioning to SSO to reporting to auditing.  I see it used for managing users, groups, GPOs, and everything in between.  It seems to be a broad term meaning software that fills in the holes that Microsoft left in AD.

It also seems that "tools" are perceived as less valuable than "solutions".  Think about it, a "solution" solves a problem.  Solutions are big and cost a lot of money.  But Active Directory has created an interesting dynamic; it is a great product that left a lot of holes for independent software vendors to fill.  Active Directory is a great solution that needs a bunch of different tools for it to reach its full potential.

Don't get me wrong, Imanami's GroupID is a "solution"; from beginning to end, we solve a real world business problem (getting users active with the ability to work securely).  But we also made GroupID into modules so that you can buy just what you need...I think that makes our modules Active Directory management tools.  That seems to be the fairest way to present it to the market, a solution as a bunch of tools that can be purchased independently.

GroupID's tools (making up the magnificent solution) are:

• Synchronize: Provision and depprovision users in AD from any source(s).  Synchronize attributes to and from any source(s).  Basically, keeping all your identity data happy and accurate.
• Automate: Based on having happy, accurate identity data, automate the membership in all of your distribution and security groups.  As important as putting users in the correct AD groups is taking them out of the incorrect ones.
• Self-Service: What you can't automate, delegate.  If something in AD can't be synchronized, have the user update it.  If AD and any other data source can't definitively say Joe needs to be in a group, have a group owner manage it (with workflow if needed).  Also, AD history and group lifecycle to make it even more exciting!
• Password Center: The most common AD problem (and cause of over a third of help desk calls) is the forgotten password.  Give users the ability to reset their own forgotten password without bugging IT.
• Reports: Probably the biggest hole in AD is the inability to know what the heck is going on with all the objects in it.  This free "tool" tells you everything you need to know.  And it's free.

Imanami is just one example of the tools needed to make Active Directory run properly.  But if any of these are interesting to you, let us know and we can help you "solve" your business and IT problems with them.