Find out here. By default Windows 2000 Server installs as a member server, if you want to upgrade the server to a domain controller you must install Active Directory. The installation of Active Directory is simple, but you need to keep in mind some important considerations prior to installing. Designing your application to take advantage of the Active Directory multi-master replication model. For a glimpse at what we mean, check out this article on Directory Enabled Networks from Cisco.
Network management is about to take a big leap forward.
Get Active - Windows 2000 Magazine article with a general overview of Directory Services and specific mention of Active Directory. With the release of Win2K, analysts expect the directory-services market to mature and become an active area of contention among the major software vendors developing on the Win2K platform. This Windows 2000 Magazine article will get you up to speed. Interesting article from ent Online covering possible maximum size of Active Directory. Windows 2000 ships later this month, and one of the biggest challenges for enterprises moving to the operating system will be planning for Active Directory.