Can I view multiple domains in one AD Users and Computers Window?

Our organization has three domains and I sometimes have to manage computers
and other objects in more than one of them. I have tried to find a way to see
all three domains in one Active Directory Users and Computers (ADU&C) window
but have not been able to figure out how to do this. I can run three
instances of ADU&C with each one showing one of the domains but this is
inconvenient. I'd prefer to have all three in one ADU&C window, then collapse
and expand them as needed.

Thanks,
Don Anderson

2008 R2 will give this capability to you, until then it is not possible.

--
Paul Bergson
MVP - Directory Services
MCTS, MCT, MCSE, MCSA, Security+, BS CSci
2008, 2003, 2000 (Early Achiever), NT4
Microsoft's Thrive IT Pro of the Month - June 2009

http://www.pbbergs.com

Please no e-mails, any questions should be posted in the NewsGroup This
posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.

"Don Anderson" <DonAnderson@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:9DD61E2F-0960-4A05-A5B2-152D1C4AB0AC@microsoft.com...
> Our organization has three domains and I sometimes have to manage
> computers
> and other objects in more than one of them. I have tried to find a way to
> see
> all three domains in one Active Directory Users and Computers (ADU&C)
> window
> but have not been able to figure out how to do this. I can run three
> instances of ADU&C with each one showing one of the domains but this is
> inconvenient. I'd prefer to have all three in one ADU&C window, then
> collapse
> and expand them as needed.
>
> Thanks,
> Don Anderson

Hi Gents

I use ADExplorer from SYSINTERNALS (Now owned by Microsoft). It's Free, and
you can even add individual partitions from and AD 2000 to 2008.

Great Tool, it also allows me to run snapshots of the domains and this helps
when re-animating deleted user objects, you can load this snapshot and see
the group memberships before the user was deleted which saves alot of time

Regards
--
Garry Starck
MCITP Enterprise Administrator, MCTS AD, MCSE 2003 Messaging, MCDBA


"Paul Bergson [MVP-DS]" wrote:

> 2008 R2 will give this capability to you, until then it is not possible.
>
> --
> Paul Bergson
> MVP - Directory Services
> MCTS, MCT, MCSE, MCSA, Security+, BS CSci
> 2008, 2003, 2000 (Early Achiever), NT4
> Microsoft's Thrive IT Pro of the Month - June 2009
>
> http://www.pbbergs.com
>
> Please no e-mails, any questions should be posted in the NewsGroup This
> posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.
>
> "Don Anderson" <DonAnderson@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:9DD61E2F-0960-4A05-A5B2-152D1C4AB0AC@microsoft.com...
> > Our organization has three domains and I sometimes have to manage
> > computers
> > and other objects in more than one of them. I have tried to find a way to
> > see
> > all three domains in one Active Directory Users and Computers (ADU&C)
> > window
> > but have not been able to figure out how to do this. I can run three
> > instances of ADU&C with each one showing one of the domains but this is
> > inconvenient. I'd prefer to have all three in one ADU&C window, then
> > collapse
> > and expand them as needed.
> >
> > Thanks,
> > Don Anderson
>
>
>

Hi Don

I suppose you are clear that you need to have trust relationships between
domains from different forests. Another option that you can use is the Active
Directory Management from adminpack package. From that console you can switch
from one domain to another. Is no the best option, but at least it can work
for you, because it let you administer AD users & computers from your
computer. I have used it in my place of work.

Here is a link for the recommendation of Paul:
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/l...8WS.10%29.aspx

Regards
Anderson Lacruz

"Don Anderson" wrote:

> Our organization has three domains and I sometimes have to manage computers
> and other objects in more than one of them. I have tried to find a way to see
> all three domains in one Active Directory Users and Computers (ADU&C) window
> but have not been able to figure out how to do this. I can run three
> instances of ADU&C with each one showing one of the domains but this is
> inconvenient. I'd prefer to have all three in one ADU&C window, then collapse
> and expand them as needed.
>
> Thanks,
> Don Anderson

Hi All

Just to clear up, AD Explorer does not require any of the domains of forests
to have trusts, it works on a username and password for each added instance

Regards
--
Garry Starck
MCITP Enterprise Administrator, MCTS AD, MCSE 2003 Messaging, MCDBA


"Anderson Lacruz" wrote:

> Hi Don
>
> I suppose you are clear that you need to have trust relationships between
> domains from different forests. Another option that you can use is the Active
> Directory Management from adminpack package. From that console you can switch
> from one domain to another. Is no the best option, but at least it can work
> for you, because it let you administer AD users & computers from your
> computer. I have used it in my place of work.
>
> Here is a link for the recommendation of Paul:
> http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/l...8WS.10%29.aspx
>
> Regards
> Anderson Lacruz
>
> "Don Anderson" wrote:
>
> > Our organization has three domains and I sometimes have to manage computers
> > and other objects in more than one of them. I have tried to find a way to see
> > all three domains in one Active Directory Users and Computers (ADU&C) window
> > but have not been able to figure out how to do this. I can run three
> > instances of ADU&C with each one showing one of the domains but this is
> > inconvenient. I'd prefer to have all three in one ADU&C window, then collapse
> > and expand them as needed.
> >
> > Thanks,
> > Don Anderson

Hi
You don't have to run 3 separeted instances od ADUC, you can create one
instance and change Domain/and/DC as needed or you can create a custom MMC
console with the 3 ADUC for each domain.

--
I hope that the information above helps you.
Have a Nice day.

Jorge Silva
MVP Directory Services
"Don Anderson" <DonAnderson@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:9DD61E2F-0960-4A05-A5B2-152D1C4AB0AC@microsoft.com...
> Our organization has three domains and I sometimes have to manage
> computers
> and other objects in more than one of them. I have tried to find a way to
> see
> all three domains in one Active Directory Users and Computers (ADU&C)
> window
> but have not been able to figure out how to do this. I can run three
> instances of ADU&C with each one showing one of the domains but this is
> inconvenient. I'd prefer to have all three in one ADU&C window, then
> collapse
> and expand them as needed.
>
> Thanks,
> Don Anderson