RE: [ActiveDir] OT: Gauging AD experience

[Bernard, Aric]

Gil’s thoughts match with mine as well.  AD is a critical infrastructure component and designing it properly is important.  However, the real complexities of AD come into play as the ancillary systems leveraging the directory increase and as multiple directories need to be integrated in some fashion to support a great IdM need.   One of the things that I would encourage you to do is determine what your goals are.  As Gil alluded to, if your goals are to be able to design large AD deployments, you may be locking yourself into an undesirable path.  On the other hand, if you want to become an expert at managing, operating and diagnosing AD you will have a longer career life, but even that will become less important as the various tools improve – that said, working in this role will likely give you greater exposure to those ancillary systems.   In general I would encourage you to have a look at and understand Microsoft DSI and determine where in that mix your interest lies.  Conceptually DSI is the way forward regardless of what you call it (Adaptive Enterprise, On Demand, etc.) or what technologies are supporting it (MS or non-MS).  Finding a sweet spot in that mix will certainly prove to be valuable over the next 7 – 10 years.  Also, you might look at the Microsoft Certified Architect program and understand its competencies and direction – I believe that this role in an organization is becoming more valuable and will continue to increase over the next couple of years.     Regards,   Aric Bernard   From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Gil Kirkpatrick Sent: Wednesday, January 18, 2006 9:17 AM To: ActiveDir@mail.activedir.org Subject: RE: [ActiveDir] OT: Gauging AD experience   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)