best way to implement tiering in AD

Question

hello,

I have a new multi-forest AD architecture Environment. ,How to implement tiering practically in AD . approx 30k users in AD.
what method should applied to implement tiering.

Thanks
Richa

Answer 1

Hello Richa Kumari,

Good day!

In a multi-forest Active Directory (AD) environment, implementing tiering is critical for security and efficient management. Here are the detailed steps to achieve this:

1. Design a multi-forest structure:

First, determine the layout of your multi-forest architecture, including how many forests to create, the purpose of each forest (such as by business unit, geography, or compliance requirements), and the trust relationships between forests. Ensure that forest naming conventions are clear and easily identifiable.

2. Create a hierarchical OU structure:

AD is first organized into a hierarchical structure. Create organizational units (OUs) that represent different levels. For example:

Tier 0 (high-privilege): Contains domain controllers, critical servers, and high-privilege accounts.

Tier 1 (medium privileges): Includes administrative accounts for general server administration.

Tier 2 (Low Privilege): Holds a standard user account.

3. Classify users, computers, and groups:

Determine which users, computers, and groups belong to each tier. Consider their roles, responsibilities and required privileges. Mark them accordingly in the hierarchy.

4. Move the object to the hierarchical OU:

Relocate users, groups, and computers to their respective hierarchical OUs.

5. Create new users in the corresponding layer:

When adding new users, make sure you place them in the correct tier from the start.

Avoid granting too many permissions during user creation.

6. Group member management:

Review group membership regularly.

Add users to appropriate groups based on their roles and responsibilities.

Remove unnecessary memberships.

7. Implement layer-specific Group Policy Objects (GPOs):

Create GPOs specific to each layer.

Configure security settings, access controls, and restrictions based on the layer's requirements.

Apply these GPOs to the corresponding OUs.

Please refer to the link: The Fundamentals of AD tiering — Improsec | improving security

Layering helps isolate high-risk accounts and minimize the impact of a breach. By following these steps, you can enhance security and simplify management in a multi-forest AD environment.

Best Regards,

Yanhong Liu

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