Active Directory manages all access to your organization’s servers and the data on them. It serves as the tool with which you can configure permissions, users, groups, contacts, computers, organizational units and many other object types.
Having a central database of users and computers allows management to decide who gets access to which resources and provide control over general access in the case of termination. Proactive management of access is a primary component of compliance regulations such as PCI and HIPAA.
Failing to manage the active directory results in unprotected data. Additionally, damage to active directory can inadvertently prevent any user from connecting to network resources.