What advantage does centralized user management through Active Directory offer?

Centralized user management through Active Directory (AD) provides seamless access control over multiple resources, making it easier for organizations to manage user authentication and authorization across various systems and services. This centralized approach allows administrators to create user accounts and assign permissions in one location, which then automatically applies those permissions across all integrated services and resources.

This means that users can have consistent access to the applications and data they need without having to manage separate credentials for each system. Additionally, it streamlines the administrative processes, as changes—such as adding or removing users and adjusting their access levels—can be handled from a single interface. This efficiency is particularly beneficial in environments where multiple applications and resources are used, as it reduces administrative overhead and improves the user experience by ensuring consistent and appropriate access rights.

While enhanced security through password policies is indeed a benefit of Active Directory, and offline access could be improved in certain scenarios, the primary strength lies in its ability to simplify and centralize access control, making option C the most compelling advantage. Simplified hardware requirements are generally not addressed directly by Active Directory, as it focuses primarily on user management rather than the underlying hardware infrastructure.