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Recovery of multiple DC's to virtual environment

jer0d
Not applicable
Partner
   Hello,

Our environment consists of 3 Windows 2003 SP1 servers with 2 acting as Domain Controllers and one a SQL server.  One of the DC's is also an Exchange 2003 controller.  None of these are virtual machines currently.

We've setup a VMware Server box to run as a test lab but also to be there in emergency if we have to move a BESR recovery point of one of the above servers to it in a virtual machine.  As a test lab, the machines will not be connected to the live network.

I've been reading about issues with Active directory and I'm pretty clear about Windows 2000 DC's but unclear about the 2003 DC's.

It appears with VSS backup of the AD, a restored 2003 DC will automatically be set to be non authoritative for AD, correct?

I have two main questions:

1) Does "converting recovery point to a virtual disk" work the same way as using Recovery Anywhere on dissimiliar hardware?  Is this a supported way of recovering a DC?  If so, will AD automatically be set as non authoritative.

2)Wether we use Recovery Anywhere or "converting recovery point to virtual disk" if the AD will be in non-authoritative mode and we restore TWO DC's to a lab environment, won't we have to reset one of the DC's to be authoritative?

Thanks,

1 REPLY 1

David_F
Level 6
Employee Accredited
"Converting recovery point to a virtual disk" does work in the same way as using Recovery Anywhere on dissimiliar hardware in that after theretargting PnP and the Mini-setup is invoked.  It can be done and is supported way of recovering a DC to be non authoritative.

You would have to reset one of the DC's to be authoritative mode using Directory Services Restore Mode.