MS Server 2008 Quiz 7

Replication within Active Directory will occur when an object is added or removed from Active Directory, the value of an attribute has changed, or the name of an object has changed.

When you install the forest root domain controller in an Active Directory forest, the Active Directory Installation Wizard creates a single site called Default-First-Site-Name, which you can see in the Active Directory Sites and Services tool.

A site link bridge defines a chain of site links by which domain controllers from different sites can communicate. In cases in which there is a centralized site that connects two branch sites via site links, the site link bridge creates a direct link between the branch sites using the total cost of both site links to the central site.

Domain controllers located in different sites will participate in intersite replication. Intersite replication occurs on a scheduled basis (every 15 minutes by default).

Active Directory creates a replication topology with the idea that all writeable domain controllers in a domain should communicate Active Directory information to each other, in addition to communicating forest-wide information with other domains. Sites and subnets defined within Active Directory will dictate the path used by replication traffic on the network, as well as form the basis for how Active Directory information is distributed.

Domain controllers located in different sites will participate in intersite replication. Intersite replication occurs on a scheduled basis (every 15 minutes by default).

Dcdiag is a command-line tool used for monitoring Active Directory. When run from a command prompt, this tool can perform connectivity and replication tests, report errors that occur, report DNS registration problems, analyze the permissions required for replication, and analyze the state of domain controllers within the forest.

Repadmin is a command-line tool used to manually create a replication topology if site link bridging is disabled if the network is not fully routed.

Simple Mail Transport Protocol (SMTP) is an alternative solution for intersite replication when a direct or reliable IP connection is not available. SMTP, a member of the Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) suite, is the standard protocol used for message transfer, such as email.

Certain operations, such as a password change or an account lockout, will be transmitted using urgent replication, which means that the change will be placed at the “beginning of the line” and will be applied before any other changes that are waiting to be replicated.

Active Directory sites are the means by which administrators can control replication traffic.

The ISTG automatically assigns one server in each site as the bridgehead server unless you override this by establishing a list of preferred bridgehead servers. The advantage of administratively assigning a preferred bridgehead server list is that you can determine which servers have the best processing power for handling replication traffic.

Active Directory convergence describes the amount of time that it takes for this process to take place so that all domain controllers in the environment contain the most up-to-date information.

To create a replication topology in a multisite network, one domain controller within each site runs the Intersite Topology Generator (ISTG), which is a process responsible for selecting a bridgehead server and mapping the topology to be used for replication between sites.

For both intrasite and intersite replication, Active Directory uses Remote Procedure Calls over Internet Protocol (RPC over IP) by default for all replication traffic. RPC is commonly used to communicate with network services on various computers, whereas IP is responsible for the addressing and routing of the data. RPC over IP replication keeps data secure while in transit by using both authentication and encryption.

The default replication frequency for a new site link is 180 minutes, but it can be configured to take place as frequently as every 15 minutes and as infrequently as once per week.