Windows Server - Lastlogon attribure and performance

Asked By Jesper Ravn

10-Nov-09 06:52 AM

Hello

I have created a small application in VB.net where I query AD information.
In the user section I can retrive LastLogon, by query all DC.
My main concern though, is the performance when I list 3000-5000+ users in a
listview.
What is your experience with LastLogon and performance where the enviroment
host mutiple Domain Controlleres in branch office
Should I go down that road or should I pull the LastLogon value from a basic
inventory (Logon script + SQL).
Im already using the LastlogontimeStamp to determine old users and
computers, but the lastlogon attribute, are more up to date and are often
requeted by helpdesk staff.

Thanks,

/Jesper

10-Nov-09 11:20 AM

3000-5000 users is not a lot, unless you are binding to the user objects. I
use ADO to query the DC's for all users in bulk (you must turn on paging).
The number of DC's and the speed of the links is more important. I retain
the largest lastLogon value for each user in a dictionary object. Again,
5000 entries is not a lot, and a dictionary object should be more efficient
than an array. The query for lastLogon should be separate from the query for
other attributes that are replicated.

A VBScript example is linked here:

http://www.rlmueller.net/Last%20Logon.htm

I have done similar in classic VB. I added a reference to the Microsoft
Scripting Runtime (scrrun.dll) for the dictionary object, and another for
Microsoft ActiveX Data Objects. I have not done it in VB.NET.

--
Richard Mueller
MVP Directory Services
Hilltop Lab - http://www.rlmueller.net
--

11-Nov-09 09:39 AM

Hi Richard

Ok, I will give it a try.
I found the link below which is the .NET way to do it.
http://www.codeproject.com/KB/security/LastLogonAcrossAllWindows.aspx

There is also a reference to your script. Thanks again.

/Jesper