Next version of Active Directory will allow schemas to be deleted. To answer IT executives' demands for advanced features in Active Directory, Microsoft is enhancing its single highest administrative privilege so users can better manage the directory. With the Beta 3 version of Windows 2002 Server, set for release later this year, Microsoft will introduce the ability to delete schemas from the directory. The feature, called Schema Delete, is not in Beta 2, released in March, but is scheduled to be included in Windows 2002 when it ships early next year. The news comes on the heels of Microsoft's announcement that it is starting to enable Active Directory for use on the Web.
Schemas are the heart of the directory.
They define the objects in Active Directory and the attributes associated with those objects. Objects represent users and applications, and they are made up of a set of attributes, such as user name, address and phone number. But modifying the schemas can be tricky. It is the most guarded administrative privilege in the directory - because if done incorrectly it can disable a server or an entire network. But Enck says it is better late than never.