8.2 Where to Start

Before you sit down to make your design, you will need to obtain some important pieces of information. You will need a copy of your organizational structure. This is effectively the document that explains how your organization's business units fit together in the hierarchy. Next you will need a copy of the geographical layout of your company. This includes the large-scale picture in continents and countries and also the individual states, counties, or areas in which you have business units. Third, you will need a copy of the network diagram, indicating the speeds of connection between the various sites. Finally, you need a copy of any diagrams and information on any systems that will need to interface to Active Directory, such as existing X.500 directories, so that you can take them into account. Once you've gathered the information, you can sit down and plan your design.