Administer Active Directory - MCSA Windows Server 2012 R2: Installation and Configuration Study Guide - page 246

In previous chapters, you learned how to install Domain Name
System (DNS) and Active Directory, but you still haven't been
introduced to the lower-level objects that exist in Active Directory.
In this chapter, you will look at the structure of the various components within a
domain. You'll see how an organization's business structure can be mirrored within Active
Directory through the use of organizational units for ease of use and to create a seam-
less look and feel. Because the concepts related to organizational units are quite simple,
some system administrators may underestimate their importance and not plan to use them
accordingly. Make no mistake: one of the fundamental components of a successful Active
Directory installation is the proper design and deployment of organizational units.
You'll also see in this chapter the actual steps you need to take to create common Active
Directory objects and then learn how to configure and manage them. Finally, you'll look at
ways to publish resources and methods for creating user accounts automatically.
An Overview of OUs
An organizational unit (OU) is a logical group of Active Directory objects, just as the name
implies. OUs serve as containers within which Active Directory objects can be created, but
they do not form part of the DNS namespace. They are used solely to create organization
within a domain.
OUs can contain the following types of Active Directory objects:
■ Users
■ Groups
■ Computers
■ Shared Folder objects
■ Contacts
■ Printers
■ InetOrgPerson objects
■ Microsoft Message Queuing (MSMQ) Queue aliases
■ Other OUs
Perhaps the most useful feature of OUs is that they can contain other OU objects. As a
result, system administrators can hierarchically group resources and objects according to