Exporting Active Directory Information

 

Exporter Pro can be used to export information easy and quickly from Active Directory using customized directory 'queries'.  Exporter Pro includes a number of pre-defined queries for exporting Active Directory user, group, computer, organizational unit (OU), group members, and user group assignments.  Active Directory queries will only be executed when exporting information from Windows 2000/2003 domains or container/organizational unit objects.

To add a new Active Directory query or enable an existing query in an export configuration, select Configuration Properties->Properties->Active Directory to display the Active Directory Export Queries dialog:

To enable (allow exporting) an existing query, simply click on the checkbox next to the query name.  Use the New... or Properties... buttons to enable creating a new query or modifying an existing query.   Use the Delete button to permanently remove a query definition.

Query Properties

Selecting New... or Properties... will display the Directory Query Properties dialog:

To use the Directory Query Properties dialog:

Enabled - If checked, the query is active for the current export.  This is the same as selecting the checkbox next to the query name on the main Active Directory Query dialog.

Query Name - Specify a name for the query.

Output File Name - Enter the path and name of the output file to write the directory information into.  If the path is not specified, the current application directory will be used.

Scope - Specify whether to use the current level of the directory object or all subtree levels.  For Active Directory domains, generally the All Directory Levels scope is most useful, as this scope will search all containers in the domain for the desired object type.  For container/organizational unit (OU) objects, set the scope depending upon whether you want only the active container/OU, or all sub-containers as well.

Object Type Filter - Set the type of Active Directory object to apply the query to.

Set Options - If the Object Type Filter is set to any user or group-type of query, the Set Options... button will be displayed.  For group queries, the option to export group members can be specified.  For user queries, options to export user group memberships, as well as user logon-related information can be set.  For more information on exporting logon information, including last logon, see the Last Logon Exporting topic.

Assigning Query Attributes

Active Directory uses attributes to describe elements in the directory for a given directory object.  Attributes are similar to field names in a database.  To make selection of attributes easier, Exporter Pro groups attributes into categories, which can be selected in the Attribute Category field.  To add attributes to a query:

  1. Select an Attribute Category.

  2. Select one or more Attributes.

  3. Click Add.

  4. Use the Up, Down, or Delete buttons to modify the Query Attributes listing.

  5. Use the Other field to manually enter directory attributes which are not listed in the Attributes list.  Click Add to add any manually entered attributes to the Query Attributes listing.

Active Directory attribute names can be difficult to understand.  Searching Microsoft's web site for the term "Mappings for the Active Directory Users and Computers" will bring up results for the following reference page:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/netdir/ad/mappings_for_the_active_directory_users_and_computers_snap-in.asp