Microsoft users get help with Active Directory migration

Two third party software companies have come forward to ease users' migration to Microsoft's Active Directory network administration tool, which will ship as part of Windows 2000.

Microsoft recently admitted that its directory migration tools in Windows 2000 were basic and said it would help other software companies develop domain restructuring and migration tools for Active Directory.

To ease the migration, Fastlane Technologies and Entevo have announced plans to deliver the tools. Entevo is targeting large companies with its Managed Migrations for Windows 2000 solution, bundling it with Directadmin 3.0 with Directmigrate 2000, to automate the Windows NT 4.0 to Windows 2000 migration and directory management process.

The five-step procedure allows administrators to consolidate existing domains, create and test a model of the new environment and manage mixed networks from a single console. Entevo has also signed up Wang Global Services and Compaq's service group to assist companies in modelling, deploying and managing Active Directory in large, heterogeneous networks.

"Customers are recognising that how they manage IT infrastructure will be dramatically different when Windows 2000 is finally introduced, and they need help with that," said Entevo chief executive Amir Hudda.

Fastlane Technologies has just rolled out a major upgrade which includes the release of Fastlane DM/Reporter 2.5 and Fastlane DM/Manager 5.0, two of four applications in the company's DM/Suite of directory management applications. The other applications include Fastlane DM/Administrator and Fastlane DM/Developer.

Included in the Reporter upgrades are Policy Enforcement which allows a network administrator to define specific network policies, and Windows 2000 Preparation Container which provides a set of reports specifically designed for Enterprise preparation for Windows 2000.

Upgrades in the Manager application include a migration mapping technology, which provides the ability to extract data from any directory and data source, including Novell's NDS and Microsoft's Exchange to Active Directory. It also includes support for Microsoft Migration Scenarios, which allow complete domain collapsing.

"Expect Microsoft to continue to reply on third parties for more advanced offerings simply because each migration opportunity is relatively unique and very labour intensive. Microsoft is better at cookie cutter projects," said Rob Enderle, an analyst with Giga Information Group.