Active Directory restore from media
Hi,
If i had the system state backup from a server 2003 domain controller in a production environment called DC-01
If i built a new virtual machine in a test environment called called DC-01 and installed AD from the media, i would then have a replica AD forest?
If i had the system state backup from a server 2003 domain controller in a production environment called DC-01
If i built a new virtual machine in a test environment called called DC-01 and installed AD from the media, i would then have a replica AD forest?
Yes, you would have an identical replica of the existing domain controller.
Is this a single Domain Controller, single domain, single forest? If so, like an SBS environement - you'll be fine. Otherwise, AD will come up wanting to replicate with other domain controllers it knows about before it will permit AD to come up.
Is this a single Domain Controller, single domain, single forest? If so, like an SBS environement - you'll be fine. Otherwise, AD will come up wanting to replicate with other domain controllers it knows about before it will permit AD to come up.
WHen you use install from media you need to make sure the source and destination servers are running the same OS.
Officially system state backup is not supported on different hardware it is to be used on the same system or similar but seen scenario where it doesn't work on similar system also due to driver version difference.
Restoring Active Directory from Backup Media
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc961934.aspx
What are you trying to achive can you elaborate the same.Are you creating Dumy DC if yes then I would recommend connect VM as an additional DC in the production, dcpromo it, allow it to complete the replication and once verified everything is done, disconnect the VM and connect to independent VLAN(seize FSMO role) and perform metadata cleanup of the remove DC from the prod. This way you will get production data in a test lab for performing testing with live data.
Also, Jorge has article.
http://jorgequestforknowledge.wordpress.com/2005/11/20/considerations-when-creating-an-ad-test-environment-part-1/
http://jorgequestforknowledge.wordpress.com/2005/11/20/considerations-when-creating-an-ad-test-environment-part-2-2/
Restoring Active Directory from Backup Media
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc961934.aspx
What are you trying to achive can you elaborate the same.Are you creating Dumy DC if yes then I would recommend connect VM as an additional DC in the production, dcpromo it, allow it to complete the replication and once verified everything is done, disconnect the VM and connect to independent VLAN(seize FSMO role) and perform metadata cleanup of the remove DC from the prod. This way you will get production data in a test lab for performing testing with live data.
Also, Jorge has article.
http://jorgequestforknowledge.wordpress.com/2005/11/20/considerations-when-creating-an-ad-test-environment-part-1/
http://jorgequestforknowledge.wordpress.com/2005/11/20/considerations-when-creating-an-ad-test-environment-part-2-2/
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That is a good point jrhelgeson, Also to bad isn't running Windows 2008 other wise he could use the NTDSUTIL IFM feature...
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2023007
The other options is to join the virtual machine to domain, promote it as DC shutdown after replication is finished and move the VM files to test environment and once the server is up you can seize AD roles on the server, http://support.microsoft.com/kb/255504
You can also demote virtual DC from production domain or manually remove it
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/216498