Active Directory topologies supported by Skype for Business Server User Management
Skype for Business Server User Management supports the following Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS) topologies:
Single forest topology for Skype for Business Server User Management
A single forest Active Directory topology assumes that the login-enabled user accounts managed by Active Roles are defined in the Active Directory forest in which Skype for Business Server is deployed.
To perform Skype for Business Server user management tasks on a given user account, Active Roles makes changes to the attributes of that use account. Then, based on the attribute changes, the Skype for Business Server User Management policy requests the Skype for Business Server remote shell to update the user account accordingly.
For example, when creating a new Skype for Business Server user, Active Roles sets a virtual attribute on that user account directing the policy to invoke the remote shell command for enabling the new user for Skype for Business Server. When making changes to an existing Skype for Business Server user, Active Roles populates the attributes of the user account with the desired changes, causing the policy to apply those changes via the remote shell.
Resource forest topology for Skype for Business Server User Management
The resource forest topology refers to a multi-forest environment where a separate forest (in this case, the Skype for Business Server forest) hosts servers running Skype for Business Server, but does not host any login-enabled user accounts.
Outside the Skype for Business Server forest, user forests host login-enabled user accounts but no servers running Skype for Business Server. When creating a Skype for Business Server account for a user from an external forest, Active Roles:
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Creates an inactive user account in the Skype for Business Server forest.
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Establishes a link between the user account in the user forest (master account) and the inactive user account in the Skype for Business Server forest (shadow account).
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Enables the shadow account for Skype for Business Server.
The Master Account Management policy then ensures that the attributes of the shadow account are synchronized with the attributes of the master account, so that Skype for Business Server user properties can be administered on the master account via Active Roles. In the Skype for Business Server forest, the User Management policy detects the attribute changes replicated from the master account to the shadow account, and translates them to remote shell commands on Skype for Business Server, similarly to the case of single forests, as described in Single forest topology for Skype for Business Server User Management.
Central forest topology for Skype for Business Server User Management
The central forest topology refers to a multi-forest environment where a separate forest (in this case, a Skype for Business Server forest) hosts servers running Skype for Business Server and may also host login-enabled accounts. Outside the Skype for Business Server forest, user forests host login-enabled user accounts but no servers running Skype for Business Server.
With the Skype for Business Server User Management policy applied to login-enabled user accounts in the Skype for Business Server forest, Active Roles can enable and administer those user accounts for Skype for Business Server in the same way as in case of single forests, as described in as described in Single forest topology for Skype for Business Server User Management.
When creating a Skype for Business Server account for a user from an external forest, Active Roles:
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Creates a contact in the Skype for Business Server forest.
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Establishes a link between the user account in the user forest (master account) and the contact in the Skype for Business Server forest (shadow account).
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Enables that contact for Skype for Business Server.
The Master Account Management policy then ensures that the attributes of the contact are synchronized with the attributes of the user account, so that Skype for Business Server user properties can be administered on the user account via Active Roles. In the Skype for Business Server forest, the User Management policy detects the attribute changes replicated from the user account to the contact, and translates them to remote shell commands on Skype for Business Server, similarly to the case of single forests, as described in Single forest topology for Skype for Business Server User Management.