In Active Directory, what are Organizational Units (OUs) used for?

Organizational Units (OUs) are a fundamental component of Active Directory that serve primarily to organize user accounts, groups, computers, and other resources within a hierarchical structure. This organization facilitates easier management of the directory by allowing administrators to apply group policies, delegate administrative rights, and manage permissions in a more streamlined manner.

By using OUs, administrators can create a structure that reflects the organization’s functional or geographical layout, making it much simpler to locate and manage resources. For example, an OU could represent a specific department within a company, allowing for tailored policies and settings to be applied that are relevant to that department alone. This capability is essential for maintaining organized and efficient user account management, ensuring that resources can be managed effectively and that appropriate access controls are in place.

In contrast, the other options do not accurately represent the primary function of OUs within Active Directory. Tracking login times, restricting internet access, and creating backups of user accounts may be managed through other tools or policies but are not the direct purposes of OUs. Therefore, the correct answer is that OUs are used for organizing user accounts, groups, and devices for easier management.