How Saved Queries works in Server 2008

      

Windows Server 2003 introduced the Saved Queries node of the Active Directory Users and Computers snap-in. This powerful function enables you to create rule-driven views of your domain, displaying objects across one or more OUs. 

To create a saved query: 

• Open the Active Directory Users And Computers snap-in. 

• Right-click Saved Queries, choose New, and then select Query.

•  Type a name for the query. Optionally, enter a description

• Click Browse to locate the root for the query. The search will be limited to the domain or OU you select. It is recommended to narrow your search as much as possible to improve search performance.  

• Click Define Query to define your query.

   

• In the Find Common Queries dialog box, select the type of object you want to query.                                                                        
• The tabs in the dialog box and the input controls on each tab change to provide options that are appropriate for the selected query.

•  Click OK.

After your query is created, it is saved within the instance of the Active Directory Users And Computers snap-in, so if you open the Active Directory Users And Computers console (dsa.msc), your query will be available the next time you open the console. If you created the saved query in a custom console, it will be available in that custom console. To transfer saved queries to other consoles or users, you can export the saved query as an XML file and then import it to the target snap-in. 

Saved queries are a powerful way to virtualize the view of your directory and monitor for issues such as disabled or locked accounts. Learning to create and manage saved queries is a worthwhile use of your time.