The Active Directory Administrative Center is Microsoft’s new GUI tool for managing Active Directory. ADAC is built on top of Windows PowerShell. ADAC use PowerShell for any operations. PowerShell cmdlets in turn connect to the Active Directory Web Service (ADWS).

Start ADAC: go to Administrative tools then click Active Directory Administrative Center.

PowerShell History:

New to ADAC in Windows Server 2012 is the ability to review the Windows PowerShell commands ADAC executes as you use the console.

The following figure reflects the deletion of group named Test1.

You can use the copy button to copy the command and use it in a script later.

The Show All button will show you the full history of your operations.

 Global Search:

The global search functionality in ADAC provides a way to search Active Directory and see the LDAP search syntax. To add criteria use the Add criteria button.

Once you have created the search, you can view the LDAP syntax by clicking the Convert LDAP radio button.

You can also choose the research scope.

And save the save the query for later use.

Multiple domains:

ADAC supports multiple domains. To add a domain, click manage, and then click Add Navigation Nodes. In add Navigation Nodes screen, click the link Connect to other domains then enter the fully qualified domain name.

How to manage a domain using logon credentials that are different from the current set of logon credentials:

To open Active Directory Administrative Center, at a command prompt, type the following command, and then press enter:

Runas /user:<domain\user> dsac

Where <domain\user> is the set of credentials that you want to open Active Directory Administrative Center with and dsac is the Active Directory Administrative Center executable file name (dsac.exe).

For example, type the following command, and then press enter:

Runas /user:frenchitguy\administrator dsac

When Active Directory Administrative Center is open, browse through the navigation pane to view or manage your Active Directory domain.