A database that is automatically created on the first domain controller in a Windows forest. The global catalog contains a complete replica of all the Active Directory objects on the host domain and a partial replica of the objects on every other domain in the forest. A global catalog enables users to locate network resources in the Active Directory. Users can log on to the network only when the global catalog is available.
a DC that stores a copy of all AD objects in a forest
a domain controller that stores these writable directory partitions, as well as a partial, read-only copy of all other domain directory partitions in the forest
a searchable master index with data about all objects in a forest
A domain controller that contains a partial replica of every domain directory partition in the forest as well as a full replica of its own domain directory partition and the schema and configuration directory partitions. The Global Catalog holds a replica of every object in Active Directory, but each object includes a limited number of its attributes. The attributes in the Global Catalog are those most frequently used in search operations (such as a user's first and last names) and those attributes that are required to locate a full replica of the object. The Global Catalog enables users and applications to find objects in Active Directory given one or more attributes of the target object, without knowing what domain holds the object. The Active Directory replication system builds the Global Catalog automatically. The attributes replicated into the Global Catalog include a base set defined by Microsoft. Administrators can specify additional properties to meet the needs of their installation.
The global catalog contains a replica of all of the directory objects for an entire forest. The global catalog only contains a subset of the attributes for each object.
global catalog - A directory database that applications and clients can query to locate any object in a forest. The global catalog is hosted on one or more domain controllers in the forest. It contains a partial replica of every domain directory partition in the forest. These partial replicas include replicas of every object in the forest, as follows: the attributes most frequently used in search operations and the attributes required to locate a full replica of the object.
An index containing every AD object but only a few attributes of each object. Helps users and applications locate the most commonly used objects and attributes within a forest.
A domain controller that contains a partial replica of every domain in Active Directory. In other words, a global catalog holds a replica of every object in Active Directory, but with a limited number of each object's attributes. The global catalog stores those attributes most frequently used in search operations (such as a user's first and last names) and those attributes required to locate a full replica of the object. The Active Directory replication system builds the global catalog automatically. The attributes replicated into the global catalog include a base set defined by Microsoft. Administrators can specify additional properties to meet the needs of their installation. See also: Active Directory; attribute; domain controller; replication
