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Domain Administrator Password Change Issues

I recently read an answer to a question regarding issues when changing the Domain Administrators password. The answer contained the following:

"If you are using Certificates and the Administrator uses these then make sure you change the password from the CTRL-ALT-DEL dialog or you may lose the link to the certificate and thus access to anything controlled by that certificate (like encrypted files)."

This left me with this question:
Are certificates managed as a domain entity and if not what happens to certificates on other Domain Controllers once you change the Domain Administrators password from another Domain Controller as described above?

Thanks,
Darin

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JamesDS

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trywaredk

Best Practices for the Encrypting File System
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;223316

You Cannot Decrypt Files After You Reset Your Password with a Password-Reset Disk
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;308273

If you're a domain administrator - read HOW TO: Configure a Domain EFS Recovery Policy in Windows 2000
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;313365

HOW TO: Back Up the Recovery Agent Encrypting File System Private Key in Windows 2000
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=http://support.microsoft.com:80/support/kb/articles/q241/2/01.asp&NoWebContent=1

Encrypting/Decrypting Data Across Systems
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;277786

HOW TO: Encrypt Files and Folders on a Remote Windows 2000 Server
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;320044

NTFS - EFS - Learn Windows 2000 Core Exams in 15 Minutes a Week - Administration of Resources - Part 1:
http://www.2000trainers.com/printarticle.aspx?articleID=20

Step-by-Step Guide to Administering Certificate Services - Nice introduction from Microsoft on Certificate Authorities. In this document you find simple practises where you install a stand-alone CA, do a backup and restore of it, issue certificates, revoke certificates and publish CRLs (Certificate Revocation Lists). 10 pages.
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/treeview/default.asp?url=/technet/prodtechnol/windows2000serv/howto/pubkeyox.asp

Many Regards
Jorgen Malmgren
IT-Supervisor
Denmark

:o) Your brain is like a parachute. It works best when it's open

trywaredk

BTW: You also should consider, that some services on the server(s) is started with the domain administrators password, and maybe some scheduled tasks.