Everything in Active Directory via C#.NET 3.5 (Using System.DirectoryServices.AccountManagement)

Before .NET, managing Active Directory objects was a bit lengthy and you needed a good knowledge on the principal store to have your head around on what you want to do. We usually use the System.DirectoryServices namespace, but with .NET 3.5 they introduced System.DirectoryServices.AccountManagement which manages directory objects independent of the System.DirectoryServices namespace.

So what are the advantages of using this if I already have a library created for the whole AD methods that System.DirectoryServices exposed? Because everything is really simple in terms of managing a user, computer or group principal and performing queries on the stores are much faster, thanks to the Fast Concurrent Bind (FSB) feature which caches the connection which decreases the number of ports used in the process.

I remember I had posted a while back Active Directory Objects and C# which is basically everything regarding AD Methods in terms of Users and Group management and if you see the codebase, it is a bit lengthy and you need a bit of understanding on setting and getting hex values which is why I enumerated it. Now I had rewritten it using the System.DirectoryServices.AccountManagement namespace, functionalities remain the same but it's easier to understand and there are fewer lines.

The code is divided into several regions but here are the 5 key regions with their methods explained:

Validate Methods

• ValidateCredentials – This method will validate the users' credentials
• IsUserExpired – Checks if the User Account has expired
• IsUserExisiting – Checks if user exists on AD
• IsAccountLocked – Checks if user account is locked

Search Methods

• GetUser – This will return a UserPrincipal Object if the User exists

User Account Methods

• SetUserPassword – This method will set the Users Password
• EnableUserAccount – This method will Enable a User Account
• DisableUserAccount – This method will Disable the User Account
• ExpireUserPassword – This method will Force Expire a Users Password
• UnlockUserAccount – This method will unlock a User Account
• CreateNewUser – This method will create a new User Directory Object
• DeleteUser – This method will delete an AD User based on Username

Group Methods

• CreateNewGroup – This method will create a New Active Directory Group
• AddUserToGroup – This method will add a User to a group
• RemoveUserFromGroup – This method will remove a User from a Group
• IsUserGroupMember – This method will validate whether the User is a Member of a Group
• GetUserGroups – This method will return an ArrayList of a User Group Memberships

Helper Methods

• GetPrincipalContext – Gets the base principal context

using System;
using System.Collections;
using System.Text;
using System.DirectoryServices.AccountManagement;
using System.Data;
using System.Configuration;

public class ADMethodsAccountManagement
{
 #region Variables

 private string sDomain = "test.com";
 private string sDefaultOU = "OU=Test Users,OU=Test,DC=test,DC=com";
 private string sDefaultRootOU = "DC=test,DC=com";
 private string sServiceUser = @"ServiceUser";
 private string sServicePassword = "ServicePassword";

 #endregion
 #region Validate Methods

 /// <summary>
 /// Validates the username and password of a given user
 /// </summary>
 /// <param name="sUserName">The username to validate</param>
 /// <param name="sPassword">The password of the username to validate</param>
 /// <returns>Returns True of user is valid</returns>
 public bool ValidateCredentials(string sUserName, string sPassword)
 {
 PrincipalContext oPrincipalContext = GetPrincipalContext();
 return oPrincipalContext.ValidateCredentials(sUserName, sPassword);
 }

 /// <summary>
 /// Checks if the User Account is Expired
 /// </summary>
 /// <param name="sUserName">The username to check</param>
 /// <returns>Returns true if Expired</returns>
 public bool IsUserExpired(string sUserName)
 {
 UserPrincipal oUserPrincipal = GetUser(sUserName);
 if (oUserPrincipal.AccountExpirationDate != null)
 {
 return false;
 }
 else
 {
 return true;
 }
 }

 /// <summary>
 /// Checks if user exists on AD
 /// </summary>
 /// <param name="sUserName">The username to check</param>
 /// <returns>Returns true if username Exists</returns>
 public bool IsUserExisiting(string sUserName)
 {
 if (GetUser(sUserName) == null)
 {
 return false;
 }
 else
 {
 return true;
 }
 }

 /// <summary>
 /// Checks if user account is locked
 /// </summary>
 /// <param name="sUserName">The username to check</param>
 /// <returns>Returns true of Account is locked</returns>
 public bool IsAccountLocked(string sUserName)
 {
 UserPrincipal oUserPrincipal = GetUser(sUserName);
 return oUserPrincipal.IsAccountLockedOut();
 }
 #endregion

 #region Search Methods

 /// <summary>
 /// Gets a certain user on Active Directory
 /// </summary>
 /// <param name="sUserName">The username to get</param>
 /// <returns>Returns the UserPrincipal Object</returns>
 public UserPrincipal GetUser(string sUserName)
 {
 PrincipalContext oPrincipalContext = GetPrincipalContext();

 UserPrincipal oUserPrincipal = 
	UserPrincipal.FindByIdentity(oPrincipalContext, sUserName);
 return oUserPrincipal;
 }

 /// <summary>
 /// Gets a certain group on Active Directory
 /// </summary>
 /// <param name="sGroupName">The group to get</param>
 /// <returns>Returns the GroupPrincipal Object</returns>
 public GroupPrincipal GetGroup(string sGroupName)
 {
 PrincipalContext oPrincipalContext = GetPrincipalContext();

 GroupPrincipal oGroupPrincipal = 
	GroupPrincipal.FindByIdentity(oPrincipalContext, sGroupName);
 return oGroupPrincipal;
 }

 #endregion

 #region User Account Methods

 /// <summary>
 /// Sets the user password
 /// </summary>
 /// <param name="sUserName">The username to set</param>
 /// <param name="sNewPassword">The new password to use</param>
 /// <param name="sMessage">Any output messages</param>
 public void SetUserPassword(string sUserName, string sNewPassword, out string sMessage)
 {
 try
 {
 UserPrincipal oUserPrincipal = GetUser(sUserName);
 oUserPrincipal.SetPassword(sNewPassword);
 sMessage = "";
 }
 catch (Exception ex)
 {
 sMessage = ex.Message;
 }
 }

 /// <summary>
 /// Enables a disabled user account
 /// </summary>
 /// <param name="sUserName">The username to enable</param>
 public void EnableUserAccount(string sUserName)
 {
 UserPrincipal oUserPrincipal = GetUser(sUserName);
 oUserPrincipal.Enabled = true;
 oUserPrincipal.Save();
 }

 /// <summary>
 /// Force disabling of a user account
 /// </summary>
 /// <param name="sUserName">The username to disable</param>
 public void DisableUserAccount(string sUserName)
 {
 UserPrincipal oUserPrincipal = GetUser(sUserName);
 oUserPrincipal.Enabled = false;
 oUserPrincipal.Save();
 }

 /// <summary>
 /// Force expire password of a user
 /// </summary>
 /// <param name="sUserName">The username to expire the password</param>
 public void ExpireUserPassword(string sUserName)
 {
 UserPrincipal oUserPrincipal = GetUser(sUserName);
 oUserPrincipal.ExpirePasswordNow();
 oUserPrincipal.Save();
 }

 /// <summary>
 /// Unlocks a locked user account
 /// </summary>
 /// <param name="sUserName">The username to unlock</param>
 public void UnlockUserAccount(string sUserName)
 {
 UserPrincipal oUserPrincipal = GetUser(sUserName);
 oUserPrincipal.UnlockAccount();
 oUserPrincipal.Save();
 }

 /// <summary>
 /// Creates a new user on Active Directory
 /// </summary>
 /// <param name="sOU">The OU location you want to save your user</param>
 /// <param name="sUserName">The username of the new user</param>
 /// <param name="sPassword">The password of the new user</param>
 /// <param name="sGivenName">The given name of the new user</param>
 /// <param name="sSurname">The surname of the new user</param>
 /// <returns>returns the UserPrincipal object</returns>
 public UserPrincipal CreateNewUser(string sOU, 
	string sUserName, string sPassword, string sGivenName, string sSurname)
 {
 if (!IsUserExisiting(sUserName))
 {
 PrincipalContext oPrincipalContext = GetPrincipalContext(sOU);

 UserPrincipal oUserPrincipal = new UserPrincipal
	(oPrincipalContext, sUserName, sPassword, true /*Enabled or not*/);

 //User Log on Name
 oUserPrincipal.UserPrincipalName = sUserName;
 oUserPrincipal.GivenName = sGivenName;
 oUserPrincipal.Surname = sSurname;
 oUserPrincipal.Save();

 return oUserPrincipal;
 }
 else
 {
 return GetUser(sUserName);
 }
 }

 /// <summary>
 /// Deletes a user in Active Directory
 /// </summary>
 /// <param name="sUserName">The username you want to delete</param>
 /// <returns>Returns true if successfully deleted</returns>
 public bool DeleteUser(string sUserName)
 {
 try
 {
 UserPrincipal oUserPrincipal = GetUser(sUserName);

 oUserPrincipal.Delete();
 return true;
 }
 catch
 {
 return false;
 }
 }

 #endregion

 #region Group Methods

 /// <summary>
 /// Creates a new group in Active Directory
 /// </summary>
 /// <param name="sOU">The OU location you want to save your new Group</param>
 /// <param name="sGroupName">The name of the new group</param>
 /// <param name="sDescription">The description of the new group</param>
 /// <param name="oGroupScope">The scope of the new group</param>
 /// <param name="bSecurityGroup">True is you want this group 
 /// to be a security group, false if you want this as a distribution group</param>
 /// <returns>Returns the GroupPrincipal object</returns>
 public GroupPrincipal CreateNewGroup(string sOU, string sGroupName, 
	string sDescription, GroupScope oGroupScope, bool bSecurityGroup)
 {
 PrincipalContext oPrincipalContext = GetPrincipalContext(sOU);

 GroupPrincipal oGroupPrincipal = new GroupPrincipal(oPrincipalContext, sGroupName);
 oGroupPrincipal.Description = sDescription;
 oGroupPrincipal.GroupScope = oGroupScope;
 oGroupPrincipal.IsSecurityGroup = bSecurityGroup;
 oGroupPrincipal.Save();

 return oGroupPrincipal;
 }

 /// <summary>
 /// Adds the user for a given group
 /// </summary>
 /// <param name="sUserName">The user you want to add to a group</param>
 /// <param name="sGroupName">The group you want the user to be added in</param>
 /// <returns>Returns true if successful</returns>
 public bool AddUserToGroup(string sUserName, string sGroupName)
 {
 try
 {
 UserPrincipal oUserPrincipal = GetUser(sUserName);
 GroupPrincipal oGroupPrincipal = GetGroup(sGroupName);
 if (oUserPrincipal == null || oGroupPrincipal == null)
 {
 if (!IsUserGroupMember(sUserName, sGroupName))
 {
 oGroupPrincipal.Members.Add(oUserPrincipal);
 oGroupPrincipal.Save();
 }
 }
 return true;
 }
 catch
 {
 return false;
 }
 }

 /// <summary>
 /// Removes user from a given group
 /// </summary>
 /// <param name="sUserName">The user you want to remove from a group</param>
 /// <param name="sGroupName">The group you want the user to be removed from</param>
 /// <returns>Returns true if successful</returns>
 public bool RemoveUserFromGroup(string sUserName, string sGroupName)
 {
 try
 {
 UserPrincipal oUserPrincipal = GetUser(sUserName);
 GroupPrincipal oGroupPrincipal = GetGroup(sGroupName);
 if (oUserPrincipal == null || oGroupPrincipal == null)
 {
 if (IsUserGroupMember(sUserName, sGroupName))
 {
 oGroupPrincipal.Members.Remove(oUserPrincipal);
 oGroupPrincipal.Save();
 }
 }
 return true;
 }
 catch
 {
 return false;
 }
 }

 /// <summary>
 /// Checks if user is a member of a given group
 /// </summary>
 /// <param name="sUserName">The user you want to validate</param>
 /// <param name="sGroupName">The group you want to check the 
 /// membership of the user</param>
 /// <returns>Returns true if user is a group member</returns>
 public bool IsUserGroupMember(string sUserName, string sGroupName)
 {
 UserPrincipal oUserPrincipal = GetUser(sUserName);
 GroupPrincipal oGroupPrincipal = GetGroup(sGroupName);

 if (oUserPrincipal == null || oGroupPrincipal == null)
 {
 return oGroupPrincipal.Members.Contains(oUserPrincipal);
 }
 else
 {
 return false;
 }
 }

 /// <summary>
 /// Gets a list of the users group memberships
 /// </summary>
 /// <param name="sUserName">The user you want to get the group memberships</param>
 /// <returns>Returns an arraylist of group memberships</returns>
 public ArrayList GetUserGroups(string sUserName)
 {
 ArrayList myItems = new ArrayList();
 UserPrincipal oUserPrincipal = GetUser(sUserName);

 PrincipalSearchResult<Principal> oPrincipalSearchResult = oUserPrincipal.GetGroups();

 foreach (Principal oResult in oPrincipalSearchResult)
 {
 myItems.Add(oResult.Name);
 }
 return myItems;
 }

 /// <summary>
 /// Gets a list of the users authorization groups
 /// </summary>
 /// <param name="sUserName">The user you want to get authorization groups</param>
 /// <returns>Returns an arraylist of group authorization memberships</returns>
 public ArrayList GetUserAuthorizationGroups(string sUserName)
 {
 ArrayList myItems = new ArrayList();
 UserPrincipal oUserPrincipal = GetUser(sUserName);

 PrincipalSearchResult<Principal> oPrincipalSearchResult = 
			oUserPrincipal.GetAuthorizationGroups();

 foreach (Principal oResult in oPrincipalSearchResult)
 {
 myItems.Add(oResult.Name);
 }
 return myItems;
 }

 #endregion

 #region Helper Methods

 /// <summary>
 /// Gets the base principal context
 /// </summary>
 /// <returns>Returns the PrincipalContext object</returns>
 public PrincipalContext GetPrincipalContext()
 {
 PrincipalContext oPrincipalContext = new PrincipalContext
	(ContextType.Domain, sDomain, sDefaultOU, ContextOptions.SimpleBind, 
	sServiceUser, sServicePassword);
 return oPrincipalContext;
 }

 /// <summary>
 /// Gets the principal context on specified OU
 /// </summary>
 /// <param name="sOU">The OU you want your Principal Context to run on</param>
 /// <returns>Returns the PrincipalContext object</returns>
 public PrincipalContext GetPrincipalContext(string sOU)
 {
 PrincipalContext oPrincipalContext = 
	new PrincipalContext(ContextType.Domain, sDomain, sOU, 
	ContextOptions.SimpleBind, sServiceUser, sServicePassword);
 return oPrincipalContext;
 }

 #endregion
}

Now this is how to use it.

ADMethodsAccountManagement ADMethods = new ADMethodsAccountManagement();

 UserPrincipal myUser = ADMethods.GetUser(Test");
 myUser.GivenName = "Given Name";
 myUser.Surname = "Surname";
 myUser.MiddleName = "Middle Name";
 myUser.EmailAddress = "Email Address";
 myUser.EmployeeId = "Employee ID";
 myUser.Save();