Deploy additional domain controllers offline, Active directory family Six

In the previous blog, we described the implications of deploying additional domain controllers, as well as how to deploy additional domain controllers online, where additional domain controllers can obtain Active Directory data from replication partners online via the network. Deploying additional domain controllers online is the preferred option when deploying additional domain controllers, which is easy to use and is appropriate in an environment with fast network connectivity. But we also have to consider another scenario where the domain controllers are connected through a low-speed network! If the network quality between domain controllers is not ideal, for example, if some domain controllers need to be deployed to Africa, then we cannot hope for a high-speed, stable, reliable communication network. In this case, if we also use the online way to deploy additional domain controllers, it is possible to do more than one! So how should we solve this situation? We may consider using an offline approach to deploy additional domain controllers, which means that additional domain controllers replicate Active Directory without replicating from other domain controllers, but from Active Directory offline files, which can effectively avoid dependency on the network environment.

So how do we get offline files for Active Directory? We can get it from the backup of Active Directory. Specifically, after an Active Directory backup, we extract the files that are required for the offline deployment of additional domain controllers from the backup, and then transfer them to the computers that need to deploy additional domain controllers by various means. For example, we can burn offline files to a CD, and then take it with us on business trip, or we can put it on a server that supports the download of disconnection and let the other person download slowly through the network. Once the other person has an offline file for Active Directory, it is possible to call offline Files via DCPROMO to complete the deployment of additional domain controllers.

We illustrate with a specific example that the experimental topology is shown in the following illustration, Florence is a domain controller and Firenze is an additional domain controller ready to be deployed offline.

The specific deployment process is divided into the following two phases:

1. Get offline files for Active Directory

2. Deploy additional domain controllers offline