AD Domain ServicesArchitecture & Design

Detecting unauthorized domain replication

October 31, 2025
Unauthorized domain replication is one of the fastest ways for an attacker to turn “some access” into “total access.” If someone can trigger directory replication (or abuse replication rights) they can extract credential material (including password hashes) and move laterally at scale—often without noisy malware on domain controllers. What “unauthorized…
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AD Domain ServicesArchitecture & Design

Automated topology design for multi-site replication

October 3, 2025
Multi-site replication fails in two ways: either it is left to “defaults forever” and slowly drifts away from reality, or it is over-engineered into a brittle, hand-tuned maze that only one person understands. Automated topology design is the middle path: you let Active Directory generate the connection objects, but you automate the inputs (sites, subnets, site links, costs, schedules, and…
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AD Domain ServicesReplication, Sites & Domain Controllers

Managing AD metadata cleanup post-DC decommission: A Playbook

September 9, 2025
Active Directory behaves as if that DC never existed. This guide goes beyond “delete in ADUC” and covers DNS SRV/CNAME integrity, KCC recomputation, lingering objects, and RODC specifics. Focus: metadata cleanup Covers: ADUC/ADSS/ntdsutil Also: DNS SRV, KCC, DFSR, RODC Quick nav Why this matters now Definition & blind spots Under the hood Production-ready Runbook Inherent…
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Microsoft Entra IDTenant & Directory Administration

FSMO placement strategies for hybrid and cloud scenarios

September 5, 2025
Active Directory • Hybrid architecture In hybrid identity, where some domain controllers live on‑premises and others in Azure, where you place AD’s five operations‑master roles decides authentication speed, change safety, and your failure blast radius. Quick definition: FSMO placement strategies for hybrid and cloud scenarios are the rules and patterns for hosting the Schema, Domain…
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Microsoft Entra IDTenant & Directory Administration

How to verify DC functionality as a Global Catalog server?

May 31, 2024
Before verifying if a Domain Controller (DC) is a Global Catalog (GC) server, it’s essential to grasp these concepts: What is a Domain Controller ? A Domain Controller is a server in a Microsoft Active Directory environment that authenticates and enforces security policies for users and computers. What is a Global Catalog server ? A Global Catalog server is a DC that contains a…
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