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What Is an Organizational Unit in Windows Server Operating Systems?

This Tutorial addresses:
  • Windows Server
  • Operating Systems
Basic Introduction

When any Windows server operating system is installed on a computer, by default it is not configured to function as a full-fledged server. On the contrary, it is installed just like any other client operating system with all the basic features that any COS has. In such case the server is technically referred to as standalone server.

When the same Windows server operating system is promoted as a domain controller by installing the Active Directory Domain Services, it automatically adds several other tools, features, roles and objects that are otherwise not available in any client operating system, or even in the network operating system when the Active Directory Domain Services are not installed.

About Organizational Unit (OU)

Organizational Unit is a specific container type that the Windows server operating systems have after they have been promoted to the domain controllers. An Organizational Unit is used exactly the way any folder or other container in Windows operating system is used. As you create folders in Windows to store the objects of similar types, the Organizational Unit in any domain controller is also used to store the domain groups, domain user accounts, or other such objects of same type at a single location.

As discussed above, although an Organizational Unit works exactly the way any other folder in the operating system does, the major difference between a normal folder/container and an Organizational Unit is that the administrators can link the group policy objects (GPOs) to the organizational units. This is not the case with common folders.

The Organizational Unit can also contain other Organizational Unit in them. With the help of nested Organizational Unit, it becomes easier for the administrators to group up the domain objects of similar types, categories, etc. on the basis of their geographical locations or department types.

When an Organizational Unit is created within another Organizational Unit, it is called a child Organizational Unit. On the other hand, the Organizational Unit in which another Organizational Unit is created is called the parent OU.



Group Policy Implementation, Inheritance, and Application

When a group policy object with certain group policies is configured and is linked with a parent Organizational Unit, all the settings that the group policy has automatically become applicable on the parent Organizational Unit as well as all the child Organizational Unit that the parent OU may have. However, if administrators want, they can block the inheritance of the group policy settings on the child OUs. In such situations, i.e. if the group policy inheritance is blocked on the child OUs, the administrators must link individual and separate group policy objects to the child OUs in order to maintain the security and integrity of the network.


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