Admin Tips
- Windows Server 2008/2003/2000/XP/NT Administrator Knowledge Base
  - Windows 2003
    - Admin Tips
      - Active Directory
        Prevent accidental deletion of OUs

Section(s): Active Directory
Published on Dec 12, 2007.
Last Modified on Dec 12, 2007.
Last Modified by Mitch Tulloch.
Rated 5 out of 5 based on 2 votes.

Trying to prevent accidental deletion of OUs

Someone asked me if you could prevent admins from accidentally deleting OUs in Active Directory as the consequences of doing so could be very bad indeed. The answer of course is that No, you can't prevent admins from doing anything because they're admins! You need to train your admins properly and ensure you hire people who are careful and responsible.

However, one small but very nice feature of Active Directory in Windows Server 2008 (formerly called Longhorn) is that when you try and delete an OU you are prompted with an Are You Sure warning message. For more information about Active Directory in Windows Server 2008, see my book Introducing Windows Server 2008.

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Mitch Tulloch is lead author for the Windows Vista Resource Kit from Microsoft Press, which is THE book for IT pros who want to deploy, maintain and support Windows Vista in mid- and large-sized network environments. Mitch is also the author of Introducing Windows Server 2008, the first book from Microsoft Press about the exciting new server platform. For more information on these and other books written by Mitch, see www.mtit.com.

About Mitch Tulloch

Mitch Tulloch is a widely recognized expert on Windows administration, networking, and security. He has been repeatedly awarded Most Valuable Professional (MVP) status by Microsoft for his outstanding contributions in supporting users who deploy and use Microsoft platforms, products and solutions. Mitch has published over two hundred articles on different IT websites and magazines, and he has written or contributed to almost two dozen books and is lead author for the Windows 7 Resource Kit from Microsoft Press. For more information, see www.mtit.com .