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Active Directory - Backup, Restore

Knowledge Base Questions & Answers

What must be done to backup AD (Active Directory)?

System state’s data backup must be done to backup of AD.

What data contains System State?

System State contains:

AD (database including other files in NTDS folder) (only on DC (Domain Controller)).
Boot and system files.
DFSR (Distributed File System Replication) staging.
AD CS (Active Directory Certificate Services) (only if Certificate Authority server is installed).
Cluster Service Database (only if Failover Cluster server is installed).
COM+ class registration database.
File system junctions.
Group Policies settings (only on DC).
IIS (Internet Information Services) meta-directory (only if IIS server is installed).
Registry
Netlogon shared folders: default profiles, system policies, logon/logoff/startup/shutdown scripts.
SYSVOL (System Volume) folder (only on DC).

What are AD Restore types?

There are two AD Restore types:

What is Non-Authoritative Restore of AD?

Non-Authoritative Restore is the default method to restore AD, and it is using when its data lost or corrupted.
It restores a DC to its state at the time of backup. After restoring of DC, the local copy of SYSVOL is compared with its replication partners. After restarting DC, SYSVOL replicates any necessary changes to itself, bringing restored DC up-to-date with the other DCs within the domain.
To perform a Non-Authoritative restore, DC must be started in DSRM (Directory Services Restore Mode).

What is the Authoritative Restore of AD?

Authoritative Restore performs restoring of DC from backup, and after making up necessary configurations, the AD marks the local SYSVOL as authoritative and replicates it to the other DCs within the domain.
It has abilities to restore only particular objects.

For example, if OU (Organizational Unit) was deleted. The Authoritative Restore will be able to restore just this object.

To perform an Authoritative restore, DC must be started in DSRM.
Authoritative Restores need to use ntdsutil utility.
Authoritative Restore often needed when human error is involved, such as when an administrator accidentally deletes some objects and that change replicated to the other DCs and the object cannot be recreated easily.

What is DSRM (Directory Services Restore Mode)?

DSRM is a special boot mode, which is using for repairing or recovering AD.
It is used to login to the computer when AD has failed or needs to be restored on DC.