Quest Active Administrator
User provisioning and governance tools
Identity management software
- Features
- Ease of use
- Ease of management
- Quality of support
- Affordability
- Market presence
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What is Quest Active Administrator
Quest Active Administrator is an Active Directory (AD) administration and delegation tool used to manage users, groups, computers, and related directory objects. It targets IT operations and identity teams that need controlled, role-based administration, workflow-based changes, and auditing for on-premises AD and hybrid environments. The product focuses on simplifying day-to-day AD tasks through delegated administration, policy-based controls, and change tracking rather than acting as a full identity provider.
Delegated AD administration controls
The product supports role-based delegation for common AD tasks such as user lifecycle actions, group management, and computer account administration. This helps reduce reliance on highly privileged domain admin accounts for routine operations. It is designed for organizations that need to distribute AD administration across helpdesk and regional IT teams while maintaining centralized control.
Workflow and approval processes
Quest Active Administrator includes workflow-style request and approval capabilities for selected directory changes. This can standardize how sensitive actions (for example, group membership changes) are requested and executed. It is useful where auditability and separation of duties are required for AD operations.
Auditing and change visibility
The product provides visibility into administrative actions and directory changes, supporting operational troubleshooting and compliance reporting. It is commonly positioned to complement native AD tools by adding more structured tracking and reporting. This can help teams investigate who changed what and when across delegated administrators.
AD-centric scope
The product primarily addresses Microsoft Active Directory administration and governance rather than broad, application-centric identity governance across many SaaS systems. Organizations looking for end-to-end provisioning across heterogeneous apps may need additional tooling or integrations. Its value is highest where AD remains a central identity store.
Not a full IAM platform
Quest Active Administrator is not typically used as an identity provider for authentication, SSO, or customer identity use cases. Capabilities such as modern CIAM features, developer-first identity APIs, or extensive federation options are generally outside its core scope. Buyers may need separate products for access management and authentication.
Integration depth varies
While it can fit into broader identity and governance programs, integration depth with non-Microsoft directories, HR systems, and SaaS applications depends on the surrounding Quest stack and available connectors. Some organizations may require custom work to align workflows and approvals with existing ITSM processes. This can increase implementation effort compared with platforms designed primarily for cross-application provisioning.
Plan & Pricing
| Plan | Price | Key features & notes |
|---|---|---|
| Active Administrator (core) | Custom pricing — contact Quest sales | Licensed by total number of enabled user objects in the Active Directory; minimum purchase: 50 enabled-user licenses; integrated AD management, delegation, GPO management, automated backup/recovery. |
| Active Administrator for AD Health (add-on) | Custom pricing — contact Quest sales | AD Health module is an add-on; sold/licensed separately. |
Seller details
Quest Software Inc.
Aliso Viejo, California, USA
1987
Subsidiary
https://www.quest.com/
https://x.com/Quest
https://www.linkedin.com/company/quest-software/
