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Windows 2008

AD DS : Sysvol Replication Optimistaions (DFSR and Central Store)

AD DS : Sysvol Replication Optimistaions (DFSR and Central Store)

You may not be aware that new functionality is built-in to Windows 2008 and Windows 2008 R2 that can help optimise SYSVOL replication in your environment. These technologies are DFSR repliction and the PolicyDefinitions Central Store.

Implementing the PolicyDefinitions Central Store

This change is a simple quick-win, tim implement follow these steps:

  1. Create a PolicyDefinitions folder under \\<domain_controller_fqdn>\SYSVOL\<domain_fqdn>\Policies (for example \\DC1.domain.local\domain.local\Policies\PolicyDefinitions)
  2. Copy the contents of C:\Windows\PolicyDefinitions to this new folder
  3. Verfy the Central Store in now in use in a Group Policy editor window, select the Administartive Templates tree, you should see “Administrative Templates: Policy definitions (ADMX files) retrieved from the central store.

Implementing DFSR Replication

  1. Check SYSVOL status on all Domain Controllers (check the value of the following registry key: Reg Query HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\Netlogon\Parameters /s (SysvolReady should be set to ‘1’)
  2. Check that Domain Controllers are replicating properly; repadmin /showreps and repadmin /replsum
  3. From the PDC FSMO role holder execute: dfsrmig /SetGlobalState 1
  4. Wait for all domain controllers to report they have reach the ‘PREPARED’ state: dfsrmig /getMigrationState
  5. Again, check replication; repadmin /showreps and repadmin /replsum
  6. From the PDC FSMO role holder execute: dfsrmig /setGlobalState 2
  7. Wait for all domain controllers to report they have reach the ‘REDIRECTED’ state: dfsrmig /getMigrationState
  8. Again, check replication; repadmin /showreps and repadmin /replsum
  9. From the PDC FSMO role holder execute: dfsrmig /setGlobalState 3 (NOTE from here-on-in you can’t roll-back this change)
  10. Wait for all domain controllers to report they have reach the ‘ELIMINATED’ state: dfsrmig /getMigrationState

More information about the process available here: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd640019(v=ws.10).aspx

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