Top 10 Active Directory Management Tools

Spiceworks is more than just an Active Directory management tool. The solution also comes with functionality for IT inventory management and help desk organisation. However, Spiceworks also stands out as a great provider of convenient AD software support. Setup and installation are straightforward; you integrate your network and help desk inventory with Active Directory to gain more personalised insights into your employees. 

The free Active Directory management tool from Spiceworks makes it easy to update account properties, add devices to user profiles, and manage software remotely. Furthermore, you can use it to reset passwords, disable user accounts from a distance, or prompt your team members to act.

Anturis is a digital innovator, offering products that range from server, network, and website monitoring, to dedicated application evaluation. With Anturis, you can get a more comprehensive look at various parts of your IT stack. However, the Active Directory monitoring service is one of the more popular tools. 

This cloud-based platform comes with various features, such as access to immediate updates about network activity and voice call notifications. The service supports teams in identifying potential trends before they create significant issues and bottlenecks. It also provides a convenient way to keep track of workplace performance through Active Directory.

Another company that offers a wide selection of IT management tools, SolarWinds has a dedicated admin bundle specifically for Active Directory. The Admin Bundle for Active Directory makes it easy to diagnose replication problems, examine domain controller, and discover remote sites. You can also track passwords and login information too. 

The key features of SolarWinds' admin bundle for Active Directory include multi-vendor monitoring, automated capacity, customisable topology, dynamic network maps, consultant and services-free deployment, packet capture and analysis, and more. Businesses can also consider using the full server and application monitoring solution from SolarWinds too, which goes far beyond Active Directory features. 

One of the most popular tools for Active Directory on the market today, Windows PowerShell is a compelling command-line shell with a scripting language for your business operations. There’s no graphical interface included here, but this shouldn't pose a problem for anyone that doesn't have much of a background in scripts. 

This is because PowerShell is straightforward to get to grips with. Once you know how to use it to your advantage, you can access the service for a range of things. There’s the option to enable and disable user accounts, unlock and delete accounts, and even find various empty groups, among other things. 

Made to support administrators managing the more complex aspects of Microsoft Active Directory, Quest Active Administrator is an excellent all-in-one tool. The software allows admins to avoid using the native tools with Active Directory and gives them the freedom to experiment with automated recovery, backup, streamlined group policies, and more. 

The Active Administrator supports professionals looking to take a more proactive part in their AD management strategy. Instead of waiting for issues to arise, the Active Administrator service helps companies to stay one step ahead of the competition when they’re dealing with everything from Azure support to DNS issues. 

With BeyondTrust's Active Directory Bridge, you can extend Active Directory's authentication, single sign-on capabilities, and Group Policy configuration management to Unix and Linux environments. In doing so, you can centralise configuration management, which reduces the risk and complexity of managing a heterogeneous environment.

BeyondTrust promises to improve efficiency, make compliance easier, and enhance security. In fact, its capabilities of managing group policies centrally makes it an especially good offering for those who want peace of mind when it comes to audits.

Providing real-time auditing support for the Active Directory landscape, ManageEngine offers ADAudit Plus. This powerful product gives you all of the essentials you need for excellent AD management, including authorisation editing and cybersecurity alerts. Of course, the bonus is that you also get some amazing auditing features too. 

The AdAudit Plus product merges regularly updated alerts, preconfigured reports, and advanced tracking functionality to help you enhance your network around the clock. ADAudit Plus also comes with tools to help you track insider threats, such as real-time warnings.

The LDAP Administrator product from Softerra makes it easy to transform your LDAP directory visually and intuitively without using command-line utilities. You can easily access all the benefits of Active Directory, Oracle Internet Directory, Netscape, and many other locations in one place; all while maintaining the advantages of a Windows GUI. 

This popular directory management solution is packed full of excellent features to discover, including automated object changes and multiple object attribute modifications. There’s a fantastic search engine included which supports you in finding AD objects as quickly as possible. You can also export information into various formats with this tool. 

Netwrix is a popular company in the directory management environment. One of the most impressive tools that this company offers is the Netwrix Lockout Examiner. This solution helps to resolve one of the most common issues with Active Directory: lockouts. With the free service, you can identify the causes of a lockout with a single touch of your keys. 

Netwrix also makes it easier to determine what makes an account lock repeatedly, and there’s no need to dig through endless event logs either. All you need to do is enter the username that suits you and click the button to get started. You can quickly unlock accounts and reset passwords with this solution too.

Designed by CENTREL Solutions, XIA Automation is a highly configurable solution for user provisioning and directory management. This simple and straightforward service gives you access to things like automations for AD accounts and groups, as well as time-saving tools like bulk provisioning accounts to AD, Office 365, and more. 

XIA Automation also provides a convenient way to save IT teams crucial time. You can reset your passwords from a mobile device or have non-admin users do the work themselves. There’s also the option to design custom plugins to suit any specific needs you might have with Active Directory.