RE: [ActiveDir] OT: Gauging AD experience

[Gil Kirkpatrick]

Hiring on with an IT services company that does large Windows projects would probably be the best way to develop the experience you're looking for. That way you get exposure to many different environments, requirements, people, and projects.   HP, Internosis, LogicaCMG, and Microsoft Consulting Services are some examples, and there are tens or hundreds of others.   Some smaller consulting companies like Oxford Computer Group focus on IdM projects and will sometimes get pulled into AD projects in an advisory capacity.   From a career standpoint, I would look more to the broader IdM technologies. AD expertise is rapidly becoming comoditized, and in larger enterprise environments, AD is but one component of the IdM and security infrastructure. Moving forward, MIIS and ADFS are going to take center stage in the WIndows environment, and AD is going to be pushed more into the background. AD will still be a critical component, and there will always be a need for architects who can design large AD infrastructures. But AD won't be where the action is.   -gil From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Douglas M. Long Sent: Wednesday, January 18, 2006 9:49 AM To: ActiveDir@mail.activedir.org Subject: [ActiveDir] OT: Gauging AD experience I am trying to figure out how one gauges their AD experience. For example, I have designed, implemented and maintained an AD/Exchange environment of 5000 users with 1000 workstations from the ground up, alone. The environment is only 3 sites, with little complexity. I now work for a company maintaining a directory of about 150 users and 150 workstations. And the more local AD people I talk to, the more confident I am that I know quite a bit about AD compared to them (only talking about the people I have met…not generalizing the entire industry).   Although I am not a guru like some on this list, I would like to get myself to the place where I can say “yeah, I can design your 50,000 user / 15 site infrastructure.” Or is that even possible? Is a project of that size several directory experts working together?   I honestly believe that I could perform such a task, but knowing that I would make some mistakes that a VERY experienced person would not.   So, I guess my question is:   How do I get to where I want to be? Consult? Try to get a job with the biggest company I can?   There may be no real answer, but I thought it was worth asking because I have been thinking about it for a couple of months and don’t know where to start to move forward, and this is the only place I know that has people that I consider AD gurus (or gods even)