CREST Practitioner Security Analyst (CPSA) Practice

What is the location of the Active Directory default storage?

1. C:\Windows\SYSVOL

2. C:\Windows\NTDS

3. C:\Program Files\Active Directory

4. C:\Users\Admin\AD Storage

The correct answer is: C:\Windows\NTDS

The default storage location for Active Directory data is indeed located at C:\Windows\NTDS. This directory contains the database files for Active Directory, including the NTDS.dit file where directory information is stored. Active Directory relies on this database for operations such as authentication, directory services, and managing the information about the users, computers, and other objects within the network. Additionally, the NTDS folder is essential for the proper functioning of Active Directory because it houses not only the main database but also transaction logs that help maintain data integrity during updates. Understanding the correct location of the Active Directory database is crucial for system administrators when performing backups, restores, or troubleshooting directory service issues. The other choices do not represent the correct storage location for Active Directory. For instance, SYSVOL is a shared directory that stores the server's copy of the public files of the domain, not the actual Active Directory database. The suggested path for “C:\Program Files\Active Directory” does not exist as a standard directory for Active Directory services. Finally, “C:\Users\Admin\AD Storage” is indicative of user directories, which are not related to the Active Directory itself.