ASP.NET How to get List of Groups in Active Directory

Check out System.DirectoryServices (An ASP.NET 2.0 reference):

C#-example to get groups:

using System.DirectoryServices; public class test{    private void main()    {        foreach (string @group in GetGroups())        {            Debug.Print(@group);        }    }    public List<string> GetGroups()    {        DirectoryEntry objADAM = default(DirectoryEntry);        // Binding object.         DirectoryEntry objGroupEntry = default(DirectoryEntry);        // Group Results.         DirectorySearcher objSearchADAM = default(DirectorySearcher);        // Search object.         SearchResultCollection objSearchResults = default(SearchResultCollection);        // Results collection.         string strPath = null;        // Binding path.         List<string> result = new List<string>();        // Construct the binding string.         strPath = "LDAP://stefanserver.stefannet.local";        //Change to your ADserver         // Get the AD LDS object.         try        {            objADAM = new DirectoryEntry(strPath);            objADAM.RefreshCache();        }        catch (Exception e)        {            throw e;        }        // Get search object, specify filter and scope,         // perform search.         try        {            objSearchADAM = new DirectorySearcher(objADAM);            objSearchADAM.Filter = "(&(objectClass=group))";            objSearchADAM.SearchScope = SearchScope.Subtree;            objSearchResults = objSearchADAM.FindAll();        }        catch (Exception e)        {            throw e;        }        // Enumerate groups         try        {            if (objSearchResults.Count != 0)            {                foreach (SearchResult objResult in objSearchResults)                {                    objGroupEntry = objResult.GetDirectoryEntry();                    result.Add(objGroupEntry.Name);                }            }            else            {                throw new Exception("No groups found");            }        }        catch (Exception e)        {            throw new Exception(e.Message);        }        return result;    }}

VB-example to get groups:

Imports System.DirectoryServicesPublic Class Form1Private Sub Form1_Load(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles MyBase.Load    For Each group As String In GetGroups()        Debug.Print(group)    NextEnd SubPublic Function GetGroups() As List(Of String)    Dim objADAM As DirectoryEntry                   ' Binding object.    Dim objGroupEntry As DirectoryEntry             ' Group Results.    Dim objSearchADAM As DirectorySearcher          ' Search object.    Dim objSearchResults As SearchResultCollection  ' Results collection.    Dim strPath As String                           ' Binding path.    Dim result As New List(Of String)    ' Construct the binding string.            strPath = "LDAP://stefanserver.stefannet.local" 'Change to your ADserver    ' Get the AD LDS object.    Try        objADAM = New DirectoryEntry(strPath)        objADAM.RefreshCache()    Catch e As Exception        Throw e    End Try    ' Get search object, specify filter and scope,    ' perform search.    Try        objSearchADAM = New DirectorySearcher(objADAM)        objSearchADAM.Filter = "(&(objectClass=group))"        objSearchADAM.SearchScope = SearchScope.Subtree        objSearchResults = objSearchADAM.FindAll()    Catch e As Exception        Throw e    End Try    ' Enumerate groups    Try        If objSearchResults.Count <> 0 Then            Dim objResult As SearchResult            For Each objResult In objSearchResults                objGroupEntry = objResult.GetDirectoryEntry                result.Add(objGroupEntry.Name)            Next objResult        Else            Throw New Exception("No groups found")        End If    Catch e As Exception        Throw New Exception(e.Message)    End Try    Return resultEnd FunctionEnd Class

Microsoft .NET Framework provides a standard library for working with Active Directory: System.DirectoryServices namespace in the System.DirectoryServices.dll.

Microsoft recommends using two main classes from the System.DirectoryServices namespace: DirectoryEntry and DirectorySearcher. In most cases, it is enough to use DirectorySearcher class only.

You can find some examples in this CodeProject article.