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AWS Directory Service Reviews & Product Details

AWS Directory Service is a fully managed service that enables organizations to run Microsoft Active Directory (AD) in the AWS Cloud without the need to deploy and maintain their own infrastructure. It simplifies the integration of AD-dependent applications and services, allowing users to access AWS resources using their existing AD credentials. Key Features and Functionality: - Managed Microsoft Active Directory: AWS Directory Service offers a native Microsoft AD environment, eliminating the need for data synchronization or replication from on-premises directories. - High Availability: The service deploys domain controllers across multiple Availability Zones, ensuring resilience and continuous operation. - Seamless Integration: It integrates with various AWS services, including Amazon EC2, Amazon RDS for SQL Server, and Amazon WorkSpaces, facilitating the deployment of directory-aware workloads. - Security and Compliance: AWS Directory Service provides end-to-end encryption and meets compliance standards such as SOC, PCI, HIPAA, and FedRAMP. - Scalability: The service supports organizations of different sizes, offering Standard, Enterprise, and Hybrid editions to meet varying needs. Primary Value and Solutions Provided: AWS Directory Service addresses the challenges of managing and scaling Active Directory infrastructure by offering a fully managed, secure, and scalable solution in the cloud. It enables organizations to: - Simplify Cloud Migration: Easily migrate AD-dependent workloads to AWS without modifying existing applications or user credentials. - Enhance Security: Leverage AWS's robust security measures to protect directory data and meet regulatory compliance requirements. - Reduce Operational Overhead: Offload routine maintenance tasks such as patching, monitoring, and backups to AWS, allowing IT teams to focus on strategic initiatives. - Ensure High Availability: Benefit from a highly available directory service that spans multiple Availability Zones, providing resilience against failures. By utilizing AWS Directory Service, organizations can seamlessly extend their on-premises AD to the cloud, maintain a consistent user experience, and efficiently manage access to AWS resources.

Seller

Amazon Web Services (AWS)

Discussions

AWS Directory Service Community

Value at a Glance

Averages based on real user reviews.

Time to Implement

3 months

Return on Investment

8 months

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Francisco C.

Chief Reveue Officer

Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)

7/29/2025

"Strong, scalable identity and access management, data protection, and compliance"

5/5

What do you like best about AWS Directory Service?

What I like best about AWS Cloud Security is the seamless integration across services, particularly the centralized control offered by AWS IAM and AWS Organizations. It enables fine-grained access management, strong compliance alignment, and automated security best practices, which are critical for maintaining a secure and scalable cloud infrastructure. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about AWS Directory Service?

One area for improvement in AWS Cloud Security is the complexity of initial configuration and the steep learning curve for new users. While the tools are powerful, achieving optimal setup often requires deep expertise, and the documentation, although comprehensive, can sometimes be overwhelming or too fragmented for quick implementation. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What problems is AWS Directory Service solving and how is that benefiting you?

AWS Cloud Security helps us solve important problems like safe access management, following the rules, and stopping threats in a cloud environment with multiple accounts. It lowers operational risk, makes audits easier, and improves overall security posture by centralizing identity management and allowing for continuous monitoring. This gives us more confidence to scale securely in the cloud. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Aaron A.

Systems Architect

Enterprise (> 1000 emp.)

2/2/2022

"Great choice for a managed directory service"

4.5/5

What do you like best about AWS Directory Service?

No domain controller servers to manage! I like that it natively integrates with almost every AWS service. Being in the DoD and having a managed service does help us since it is one less server to STIG. We also do not have Domain or Enterprise admin users, which makes achieving Authority to Operate more straightforward. Super easy to EC2 instances to the domain at launch, and makes resetting user passwords a breeze. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about AWS Directory Service?

I said no more servers for running the domain controller, but if you want to do more heavy editing of some AD and GPO features, you will have to have a computer or utility server running ADUC or GPOe. Not a huge deal. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Verified User in Retail

Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.)

5/6/2020

"Its a stable and working but not running latest version of AD"

3/5

What do you like best about AWS Directory Service?

Its a managed service that we dont need to care about Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about AWS Directory Service?

It is not the latest version of Active Directory and its underlying windows server Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Verified User in Consumer Goods

Enterprise (> 1000 emp.)

3/12/2019

"Flexible and Dead Simple"

4.5/5

What do you like best about AWS Directory Service?

AWS Directory Service is extremely easy to set up, but remains an extremely flexible product, allowing you to interface with it both from Cloud Services and using native protocols (LDAP), and giving you the ability to extend its functionality as you would any other directory. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about AWS Directory Service?

Not much - it has worked very well so far. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Verified User in Consumer Electronics

Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.)

10/29/2018

"The AWS directory service has been a good alternative for us"

4/5

What do you like best about AWS Directory Service?

AWS has enabled us to run Microsoft AD with the Amazon Cloud Service. Its been a great tool to extend our existing domains to one software program. It also has a good simple infrastructure to manage the whole service. We have a few team members working with this and it was an easy set-up process. It also allows us to see the workloads quickly and simply. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about AWS Directory Service?

From our experience, it does not allow us much customization. There also is a limited number of users that have access. There are so many features, which is amazing, but also makes it a bit confusing at times. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Alfonso A.

Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.)

7/19/2018

Business partner of the seller or seller's competitor, not included in G2 scores.

"Decentralized Directory Delivers Desireable Developments"

5/5

What do you like best about AWS Directory Service?

AWS Active directory provides a simple way to setup directory services for users/clients at remote sites and manage the directory without much hassle. Being able to manage users and objects from anywhere in the world with an internet connection without having to worry about VPNs, network outage at the site that is using the directory, or any other scenario makes things a lot less complicated. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about AWS Directory Service?

From my experience, it doesn't seem like there is much customization in terms of performance. There is a limit to the number of users and objects that AWD Directory Services provides; however, in my use cases implementing it the hard limit never came to be an issue. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Recommendations to others considering AWS Directory Service:

Test the waters and try out other services that offer hosted directories, and make an informed decision. AWS Directory Services is a great service, but I don't see it being ideal for every single use-case, so make your decision having done adequate research. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What problems is AWS Directory Service solving and how is that benefiting you?

With many clients having remote offices, AWS Directory Services provides an easy way to keep remote workers connected. Some of the clients that I have implemented AWS Directory Services for have the only regret of having not started using it sooner. The operating expense versus the capital expense of having an on-site server is especially a no-brainer for cash-strapped startups, or any business that wants to keep from having to plan out massive expenses every few years keeping a necessary service running. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Verified User in Hospital & Health Care

Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.)

11/1/2018

"AD in THE CLOUD"

4.5/5

What do you like best about AWS Directory Service?

It allows and enables an IT administrator to run Microsoft AD in the public cloud, easing setup of user and group data and giving an end user access to cloud services. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about AWS Directory Service?

There are a lot of features available with this product choosing the right one for you can be hard at times. Also setting it up for MAC OS can be hard as well. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Recommendations to others considering AWS Directory Service:

I do not have any recommendations to add at this time. I think that the product is headed in the right direction. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What problems is AWS Directory Service solving and how is that benefiting you?

It makes giving permission and access to users in the cloud very easy for the IT administrator. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Erika S.

Associate, Institutional Relationship Manager (Capital Markets)

Internet

Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.)

11/20/2018

"Encompasses all of the software solutions we need in one place."

3.5/5

What do you like best about AWS Directory Service?

Helps with efficiency, speed and reliability. Allows for easier and more organised deployments. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about AWS Directory Service?

Interface could be more intuitive i.e. more user friendly Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Lerida R.

Principal IT Architect

Enterprise (> 1000 emp.)

11/26/2018

"Review"

4.5/5

What do you like best about AWS Directory Service?

Like the ablity to quick.y configure an AD environment without having to stand up EC2 instances Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about AWS Directory Service?

Limited on things that can be done vs. native items with EC2 AD. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

Verified User in Information Technology and Services

Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.)

12/4/2018

Business partner of the seller or seller's competitor, not included in G2 scores.

"Active Directory"

4/5

What do you like best about AWS Directory Service?

The best part is to have 3 options that helps customers choose the right option that would help their situation. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.

What do you dislike about AWS Directory Service?

Its really hard to setup client to access AWS microsoft AD service. At least for the first time when we setup the service, it was hard to find documentation to setup client to access the AD as a service platform. Review collected by and hosted on G2.com.