Active Directory Restoration in Isolated Environment
Introduction: Active Directory is centralized Database which stores the objects like users, groups, computers, printers, shares, service accounts in an hierarchical structure. It is one of the most critical and important services in IT Infrastructure as it provides centralized authentication and authorization, allows administrators to manage access to resources, enforce security policies etc., Objective \ Purpose: The purpose of this article is to provide detailed steps to recover the entire Active Directory forest from Good Backup taken using native backup "Windows Server Backup" and Backup taken through "Azure VM Backup" in an isolated environment to check the backup working status. This builds the confidence of restoring the AD and bringing to production in case of a disaster like complete loss of Production domain or malware attack or any other attack etc., Environment Background: ----------------------------- In this article, the Active Directory environment is considered to be having Root domain as test.com and Child Domain as child.test.com in Azure Cloud. Operating system used is Windows server 2019 and Windows server 2025. Recovery Approaches: ------------------------- Active Directory can be recovered using many methods, viz., 1. Active directories recycle bin: To restore only the deleted objects, but this option is not suitable for recovering complete AD 2. System State Backup: This helps in restoring Active Directory Database in DSRM mode by marking authoritative or non-authoritative based on requirement. 3. Complete VM Backup: This is the best option to restore complete Domain Controller Building the Isolated Environment in Azure: ------------------------------------------------ 1. Create a separate VNET 2. Subnet for Azure Bastion and Subnet for deploying virtual machine 3. NSG to allow only communication inside the VNET and block other communications Restore Procedure: -------------------------- Restoring the Root Domain DC: 1. Search the domain Controller VM in Azure console 2. Select recover and create new 3. Fill in the details of the isolated environment so that the VM will be re-created 4. Login with domain admin privileges 5. Verify the DNS assigned using IPCONFIG /ALL 6. Change the DNS IP address on network properties to Server IP Address 7. Perform Ipconfig /registerdns so that the IP of new DC will be updated 8. Run Command : Net Share to check SYSVOL and NETLOGON is showing up 9. Boot the system into DSRM Mode by selecting the option in msconfig 10. Once it is booted in DSRM Mode, login using local administrator credential If it is needed to restore the system state of any other date after restoring the complete VM, then using "Windows Server Backup Wizard" choose recover and follow the steps; else skip this step and continue with step 11. >Select Backup Location >Specify the backup source >Select date and time >Select the recovery type as system restore >Recovery options as Original >Review and Confirm 11. Open Command Prompt as administrator and mark all the naming context as authoritative using ntdsutil >ntdsutil >activate instance ntds >authoritative restore >restore subtree "DC=test,DC=com" Repeat the above steps for the other Naming context like "CN=Configuration,DC=test,DC=com", "CN=Schema,CN=Configuration,DC=test,DC=com", "DC=ForestDNSZones,DC=test,DC=com", "DC=DomainDNSZones,DC=test,DC=com" as well. Reboot the server in normal mode and perform the following steps for making sysvol as authoritative: Mark the sysvol as authoritative by changing the msDFSR-Enabled value to 1 >net stop dfsr >Open Active Directory Users and Computers, go to View and enable Advanced Features >Navigate to Domain Controllers -> Your DC -> DFSR-Localsettings -> Domain System Volume >Right-click SYSVOL Subscription, select Properties, and then Attribute Editor >Find msDFSR-Options, click Edit, change the value to 1, and click OK >Run repadmin /syncall /Aed from an elevated command prompt to force replication of the AD changes >Run net start dfsr in an elevated command prompt on the authoritative DC. >Run dfsrdiag /pollad from an elevated command prompt on the authoritative DC Verify the domain controller is holding the FSMO roles if not seize the roles. Steps are as follows: >ntdsutil >Roles >Connections >Connect to Server <Recovered VM> >quit >seize PDC Emulator Repeat the above steps to seize the other roles (Infrastructure, Schema master, RID Master and Domain Naming master) Check the time synchronization by using w32tm /query /source. Now Domain Controller is completely recovered from backup. Check the health of domain controller using DCDIAG Command. Restoring the Child Domain DC: 1. Search the domain Controller VM in Azure console 2. Select recover and create new 3. Fill in the details of the isolated environment so that the VM will be recreated 4. login with domain admin privileges 5. Verify the DNS assigned using IPCONFIG /ALL 6. Change the DNS IP address on network properties to Server IP Address 7. Perform Ipconfig /registerdns so that the IP of new DC will be updated 8. Run Command : Net Share to check SYSVOL and NETLOGON is showing up 9. Boot the system into DSRM Mode by selecting the option in msconfig 10. Once it is booted in DSRM Mode, login using local administrator credential If it is needed to restore the system state of any other date after restoring the complete VM then using "Windows Server Backup Wizard" choose recover and follow the steps; else skip this step and continue with step 11. >Select Backup Location >Specify the backup source >Select date and time >Select the recovery type as system restore >Recovery options as Original >Review and Confirm 11. Open Command Prompt as administrator and mark all the naming context as authoritative using ntdsutil >ntdsutil >activate instance ntds >authoritative restore >restore subtree "DC=Child,DC=test,DC=com" Repeat the above steps for the other Naming context. Reboot the server in normal mode and Perform the following steps for making sysvol as authoritative: Mark the sysvol as authoritative by changing the msDFSR-Enabled value to 1 >net stop dfsr >Open Active Directory Users and Computers, go to View and enable Advanced Features >Navigate to Domain Controllers -> Your DC -> DFSR-Localsettings -> Domain System Volume >Right-click SYSVOL Subscription, select Properties, and then Attribute Editor >Find msDFSR-Options, click Edit, change the value to 1, and click OK >Run repadmin /syncall /Aed from an elevated command prompt to force replication of the AD changes >Run net start dfsr in an elevated command prompt on the authoritative DC. >Run dfsrdiag /pollad from an elevated command prompt on the authoritative DC Verify the domain controller is holding the FSMO roles if not seize the roles. Steps are as follows: >ntdsutil >Roles >Connections >Connect to Server <Recovered VM> >quit >seize PDC Emulator Repeat the above steps to seize the other Domain specific roles (Infrastructure, RID Master) Check the time synchronization by using w32tm /query /source. Verify the DNS Resolution for Root Domain and Child domain from both Root DC and Child DC. Verify the Parent and child trust using AD Trust console and validate the Trust connection. Now Domain Controller is completely recovered from backup. Check the health of domain controller using DCDIAG Command. In case it is planned to move this to Production environment to make these as first root DC and first child DC, then following steps are to be performed to cleanup the stale entries of non-functional DC. >ntdsutil >metadata cleanup >Connections >Connect to server <server> >quit >Select Operation Target >list domains >Select Domain <number> >List Servers in site >Select Server <number> >quit >remove selected server Confirm for removal as 'Yes' Repeat the above cleanup steps in both Root Domain DC and Child Domain DC for the non-functioning domain controller. Verify the Dcdiag, repadmin /showrepl, repadmin /replsummary to check health of Domain controller and replications. This completes the recovery of both Root Domain and Child Domain.Public network on NIC instead of domain network
On a Windows Server 2025 Standard Edition, I have 2 NICs: a 10Gbps NIC and 1Gbps NIC. Both NICs have a static IP address, but only the faster 10Gbps has a default gateway. The faster NIC correctly identifies as the domain network but the slower NIC says it is on a public network. The DNS settings and suffixes are the same for both cards. I have another Windows 2025 server with the same setup but both NICs identify as the domain network. Any ideas on how to fix this? Thanks.
How to managed Active Directory using Windows Admin Center
Hello, Can I manage Active Directory using Windows Admin Center ? If yes, please provide the link to give me the documentation on the same. I can see that the Active Directory extension is in preview stage: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/manage/windows-admin-center/use/manage-servers#active-directory-preview but this document is dated 2019. Any help on the above mentioned is appreciated. Thanks Sushanth Amin
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Hello WAC fellows, Is it possible to use the Active Directory extension on Member Server (with RSAT-AD-Tools installed) instead of connecting directly to a Domain Controller? I'd like to let users do certain tasks using an AD-Frontend of WAC, but I don't want to give them any kind of permission on the Domain Controllers. Ideally they would connectto a Management-Server using WAC and edit the AD using the AD-Extension. Any ideas?
Deploying Multiple NPS Servers
I have been working on ditching our password-based WiFi with WPA2-Enterprise. On DC1 I deployed internal CA, NPS, and group policies that auto-request certs and deploy wireless network settings. Cisco AP is pointed to DC1 as the radius server. NPS has been registered in AD and wireless network policy has been created. Test laptops get their cert and connect just fine. It's working. For redundancy, I installed NPS on DC2. This NPS instance has also been registered in AD, and I imported the NPS config from DC1 to DC2 NPS. Cisco AP has DC1 as first radius server and DC2 as second radius server. If I stop NPS on DC1 to force the Cisco AP to authenticate against DC2, test laptops won't authenticate and connect. What am I missing? They're configured exactly the same (except DC1 hosts the CA...I was under the assumption the CA is AD integrated).Demoting DC Windows Server 2019
Windows Server 2019 with Domain controller forest version 2016. When demoting our Domain controller XYDC01 in Site XY, it is the only DC and DNS in the site, but all other 20 sites have a DC with DNS. We get this error when demoting our DC. Active Directory domain controller appears to be the last DNS server for the following Active Directory-integrated zones: enterpriseregistration.jens.be If you demote this domain controller, you may be unable to resolve any DNS names in these zones. If you wish to proceed, specify the 'IgnoreLastDNSServerForZone' option. I have tested: #other DC and DNS server in other site Resolve-DnsName enterpriseregistration.jens.be -Server XXDC02 Test-NetConnection XXDC02-Port 135 Test-NetConnection XXDC02-Port 53 Get-DnsServerZone -Name "enterpriseregistration.jens.be" repadmin /syncall /AdeP All test have passed and succesfull. Replication scope = Forest Other DCs have DNS role Zone contains NS records for other DCs Zone exists on other DCs But still having the same issue when trying to demoteAdvice for replacing a Windows 2012R2 file server
We have a small company network that includes one Windows Server 2012R2 file server necessary to run Sequel for two server hosted business applications, file and print services for the user accounts and is also the Domain Controller for the Active Directory local forest and domain. Six Windows 11 Pro workstations are domain attached to the file server. The workstations all have a local user account and after domain attaching to the file server, a user.Acme user account with Administrator rights to their local computer. Each has its own 192.168.1.x static address and uses their domain user account with mapped drives to access the fileserver. The existing file server name is ACMEWS2012R2, local public static ip 192.168.1.12, DNS Domain Acme.LAN, Netbios name ACME, local accounts are located in \Users\username, and runs SQL Server Express 2012 with default MSSQL database name and mixed security using the SA with password credentials. The new file server will be using Windows Server 2022 (the company apps are not yet certified for 2025) and SQL SVR Express 2022 and I am looking for information about what configuration decisions I can make to hopefully minimize the need to install new user accounts on the workstations, copy all the user folders between users accounts and reinstall applications. My understanding of Domain security is limited, knowing just enough to get workstations attached and properly accessing the file server SQL based applications. My Google results have provided some piecemeal answers, but I would like to better understand the big picture before starting the server upgrade and make some irreversible configuration choices that would cause unnecessary work re-attaching the workstations. I would first ask for recommendations whether and why to keep or change each of the following: The file server machine name The file server 192.168.1.12 IP address The file server Administrator account and password. The Acme.LAN forest and root domain name that was defined after adding the Active Directory Domain Service role that also added File and Print Services and Group Policy Management. The SQL Server Express default MSSQL database name The SQL Server Express SA account name and password I would also ask about the best steps for disconnecting workstations from the old domain then joining the new domain to hopefully retain the existing workstation user account, or if not, to minimize the need to copy users folders between the user accounts and / or uninstall then reinstall the workstation applications to properly authenticate to the new user account. I would greatly appreciate some experienced insights for how to best accomplish these upgrade goals. Thanks, all!
Unable to manage DFS namespace
(updated post) Hi, We have an issue with DFS at our site. It has been working fine for years, but recently the ability to manage it using the DFS MMC no longer works. DFS is still working for the users fine and we can map to it manually, but the MMC tool no longer connects. We can create and manage new namespaces fine though. The error is: " The namespace cannot be queried. The specified domain either does not exist or could not be contacted. " We can't risk recreating the namespace due to the impact on users, so anyone have any idea to fix this and get DFS MMC working to allow management of the namespace? Many thanks DBAdvice for replacing a Windows 2012R2 file server
We have a small company network that includes one Windows Server 2012R2 file server necessary to run Sequel for two server hosted business applications, file and print services for the user accounts and is also the Domain Controller for the Active Directory local forest and domain. Six Windows 11 Pro workstations are domain attached to the file server. The workstations all have a local user account and after domain attaching to the file server, a user.Acme user account with Administrator rights to their local computer. Each has its own 192.168.1.x static address and uses their domain user account with mapped drives to access the fileserver. The existing file server name is ACMEWS2012R2, local public static ip 192.168.1.12, DNS Domain Acme.LAN, Netbios name ACME, local accounts are located in \Users\username, and runs SQL Server Express 2012 with default MSSQL database name and mixed security using the SA with password credentials. The new file server will be using Windows Server 2022 (the company apps are not yet certified for 2025) and SQL SVR Express 2022 and I am looking for information about what configuration decisions I can make to hopefully minimize the need to install new user accounts on the workstations, copy all the user folders between users accounts and reinstall applications. My understanding of Domain security is limited, knowing just enough to get workstations attached and properly accessing the file server SQL based applications. My Google results have provided some piecemeal answers, but I would like to better understand the big picture before starting the server upgrade and make some irreversible configuration choices that would cause unnecessary work re-attaching the workstations. I would first ask for recommendations whether and why to keep or change each of the following: The file server machine name The file server 192.168.1.12 IP address The file server Administrator account and password. The Acme.LAN forest and root domain name that was defined after adding the Active Directory Domain Service role that also added File and Print Services and Group Policy Management. The SQL Server Express default MSSQL database name The SQL Server Express SA account name and password I would also ask about the best steps for disconnecting workstations from the old domain then joining the new domain to hopefully retain the existing workstation user account, or if not, minimize the need to copy users folders between the user accounts and / or uninstall then reinstall the workstation applications to properly authenticate to the new user account. I would greatly appreciate some experienced insights for how to best accomplish these upgrade goals. Thanks all.
