Windows Server 2008: Restartable AD DS

  

The restartable AD DS adds some minor changes to the existing MMC snap-in. A domain controller running Windows Server 2008 Active Directory can perform the task of restarting AD DS in both the Service Management Unit and the Computer Management Unit. With the snap-in, administrators can simply stop or restart AD DS as if they were managing other local services running on the server.

Functional Changes

Although stopping AD DS and logging in to Directory Services Restore mode, restartable AD DS provides a unique state for domain controllers running Windows Server 2008. In this state it is called AD DS stop.

The following are three possible states for running a Windows Server 2008 domain controller:

AD DS starts. This state means that AD DS has started. For users or other services running on the server, the Windows Server 2008 domain controller running in this state is like a domain controller running on Windows 2000 Server and Windows Server 2003.

AD DS stops. This state means that this AD DS has stopped. Although this mode is unique, servers running in this state have both domain controllers in directory restore mode and certain features of member servers that have joined the domain.

As Directory Services Restore Mode (DSRM), the Active Directory database (Ntds.dit) located on the local domain controller is offline. If another domain controller is available, the local domain controller can contact it to log in. If there are no other available domain controllers. If you are unable to contact other domain controllers, you can use the Directory Services Restore Mode password to log in to the local domain controller in Directory Services Restore mode.

As a member server, the server is joined to the domain. This means that Group Policy or other settings are still being applied to changing the computer. However, the domain controller should not remain in this state for a long time because the domain controller cannot service the login request or perform replication operations with other domain controllers.

Directory service restore mode. This mode (state) is the same as the directory service restore mode under Windows Server 2003 and has not changed.

The following flow chart shows how a domain controller running Windows Server 2008 can change between these three states.




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