Active Directory Features in Different Versions of Windows Server

This topic covers the Active Directory features that are provided by different versions of Windows Server, beginning with Windows Server 2003. Except where noted, these features are available on the domain controllers that run the corresponding version of Windows Server regardless of the functional level of the domain or forest. There are additional features that are available at various functional levels. For more information about functional levels, see Understanding Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS) Functional Levels.

Windows Server version	Features
Windows Server 2012 R2	Protected Users Security Group Authentication Policy and Authentication Policy Silos
Windows Server 2012	Virtualization safeguards and Virtualized domain controller cloning Improved upgrade preparation and installation Dynamic Access Control DirectAccess Offline Domain Join AD FS built in as a server role Windows PowerShell History Viewer Fine-grained password Policy UI Active Directory Recycle Bin UI Active Directory Replication and Topology Windows PowerShell cmdlets Active Directory-based Activation Group Managed Service Accounts RID Improvements Deferred Index Creation Kerberos enhancements
Windows Server 2008 R2	Active Directory Recycle Bin (requires Windows Server 2008 R2 forest functional level) Active Directory module for Windows PowerShell and Windows PowerShell cmdlets Active Directory Best Practices Analyzer Active Directory Web Services Active Directory Administrative Center Authentication mechanism assurance Offline domain join Managed Service Accounts New logic for bridgehead server selection
Windows Server 2008	Auditing Improvements Fine-grained password policies (requires Windows Server 2008 domain functional level) Read-only domain controllers (requires Windows Server 2003 functional level) Restartable Active Directory AD database mounting tool UI improvements Owner rights DFSR replication of SYSVOL (requires Windows Server 2008 domain functional level) DSRM password sync Active Directory Application Mode (ADAM) rebranded as Active Directory Lightweight Directory Service (AD LDS) and included in Windows Server 2008 as a server role.
Windows Server 2003	Multiple selection of user objects Drag and drop functionality Efficient search capabilities Saved queries New Active Directory command-line tools, such as adprep.exe InetOrgPerson class Application directory partitions Ability to add additional domain controllers by using backup media Universal group membership caching Secure Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) traffic Partial synchronization of the global catalog Active Directory quotas