What is the primary advantage of using a centralized authentication service like Microsoft Active Directory over individual local user databases on different systems?

Question

Options

• ASimplified user management through a single interface.
• BEnhanced security due to the use of two-factor authentication.
• CReduced network traffic as authentication requests are processed locally.
• DIncreased reliability and availability of user authentication services.

• A
  90% (36)
• B
  5% (2)
• C
  3% (1)
• D
  3% (1)

Explanation

Using a centralized authentication service like Active Directory lets administrators create, modify, or remove user accounts in one place, instantly affecting access across all connected systems - eliminating the need to update credentials on each machine separately. Option B is wrong because two-factor authentication is a feature that can be added to either centralized or local systems; it's not inherent to or exclusive to centralized services. Option C is wrong because centralized authentication actually increases network traffic, since each login request must travel to the central server rather than being handled locally. Option D is wrong because a centralized service introduces a single point of failure - if the AD server goes down, authentication across all systems can fail, which reduces availability compared to independent local databases.

Memory tip: Think of Active Directory like a master keychain - one ring holds keys for every door, so you only need to add or remove a key once rather than visiting every door individually. "Single interface = simplified management."

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