AWS Directory Service is a managed service that makes it easy to connect AWS services to your existing on-premises Microsoft Active Directory (AD Connector), or to set up and operate a new directory in the AWS cloud (Simple AD and AWS Directory Service for Microsoft Active Directory). Your directory users and groups can access the AWS Management Console and AWS applications, such as Amazon WorkSpaces and Amazon WorkDocs, using their existing credentials.
You have three choices:
Simple AD
Simple AD is a Microsoft Active Directory–compatible directory that is powered by Samba 4 and hosted on the AWS cloud.
Microsoft AD
Microsoft AD is a Microsoft Active Directory hosted on AWS. It integrates most Active Directory features with AWS applications.
AD Connector
AD Connector uses your existing on-premises Microsoft Active Directories to access AWS applications and services.
Describes how to create and manage an AWS Directory Service directory.
AWS Directory Service in the AWS CLI
Describes the Directory Service commands in the AWS Command Line Interface.