Active Directory

From wsuwiki

Active Directory is a technology used by WSU's Information Technology Services (ITS) to keep track of user accounts at WSU. Among the information stored in Active Directory are WSU Network ID's and passwords. An increasing number of systems at WSU use Active Directory information to validate your network ID and password when you log in -- but your Active Directory account must be "enabled" for this to work.

This subject has a public tutorial on Cougar Technology Orientation