Active Directory Integration

Team Foundation Server can integrate with the user and group management capabilities of Active Directory to manage users and groups. Smaller organizations might use workgroups to manage users, but larger organizations should use Active Directory to manage the users and groups working on projects in Team Foundation Server.

Active Directory and Team Foundation Server

Active Directory stores information about objects on the network and makes this information easy for administrators and users to find and use. Active Directory uses a structured data store as the basis for a logical, hierarchical organization of directory information. Because the information about users and groups is available across the network, you can add previously configured Active Directory groups and users as project-level users or groups to Team Foundation Server, or as Team Foundation server-level users or groups.

In addition to the user management benefits of Active Directory, your Team Foundation Server deployment can also benefit from the secure directory environment Active Directory provides. Active Directory uses built-in logon authentication and user authorization, which are core features of the Local Security Authority (LSA). Logon authentication and user authorization are available by default and provide immediate protection for network access and network resources, such as your Team Foundation servers.

Limitations

Team Foundation Server has specific Active Directory domain requirements. For more information about supported Active Directory functional levels and domain requirements, see Domain Requirements for Team Foundation Server.

See Also

Concepts

Supported Topologies for Team Foundation Server

Other Resources

Managing Team Foundation Server in an Active Directory Domain