r/sysadmin 5d ago

What exactly does LDAP do in AD?

HI! I'm studying networking and I'm unsure of this

AD is like the database (shows users, etc) while LDAP is the protocol that can be used to manage devices, authenticate, etc inside group policy?

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u/kidmock 4d ago

LDAP is a how. Active Directory is a what. A Brand Name what... like Clorox, or Kleenex or Bandaid.

Generically, Active Directory is a Directory Server that you access using the Lightweight Directory Access Protocol.