Paid Tool from Microsoft: System Center Operations Manager (SCOM)įor more in-depth insight than the free tools provide, Microsoft offers System Center Operations Manager for an additional licensing fee. Windows Group Policy can be used to create policies to audit activity.DCDiag is a command-line tool for checking domain controller health and performance, including services and replication status.Windows PowerShell can be used to write scripts to automate various AD monitoring tasks.Windows Performance Monitor helps admins track server CPU usage, memory utilization and other performance metrics.Note that the volume of logs can make manual review overwhelming.

Windows Event Viewer enables administrators to review logs of significant events, such as user logins, account lockouts, changes to AD objects and AD-related errors.

Microsoft Windows Server includes multiple tools for Active Directory monitoring, including the following: This document provides a brief guide to the best AD monitoring tools in all these categories.Īctive Directory Security Tools from Netwrixįree Solutions from Windows: Tools from Microsoft When it comes to Active Directory monitoring tools, you have several options: free tools from Microsoft, a paid solution from Microsoft and solutions from third-party vendors. Indeed, a single improper change to DC configuration or the installation of unwanted software could put both business continuity and security at risk. In particular, monitoring domain controller (DC) performance and replication activity helps administrators ensure that users can authenticate and be authorized to access the IT resources they need to do their jobs. Moreover, monitoring Active Directory is crucial for user productivity and smooth operations. It empowers administrators to spot suspicious activity, including improper changes to AD objects like user accounts and Group Policy objects (GPOs), in time to avoid data breaches or minimize their impact. Effective Active Directory (AD) monitoring is a cornerstone for security and compliance.

Netwrix user activity audit