Is restoring AD possible

[davemac04]

We are trying to simulate a total loss of domain controllers.We have setup an identical (hardware) machine installed Win2k advanced server with sp4.
Promoted the server to domain controller with same name and IP.
Booted into Directory services restore mode and restored the system state data, from tape, using a redirected restore.(Using Backup Exec 9.1 rev.4691).
But we cannot see any AD objects.
Can anyone give any advice all ideas welcome, thanks.

 

[justin2000]

To restore you AD.

Setup the server, same name, leave it in a workgroup

Restore the C: and System State.

Reboot.

Your AD will be back.

You can't redirect a system state restore to another server - for one thing, it just won't work seeing it will restore the registry etc.

 

[melpurcell]

Hi Dave,

There are a few issues to answer first: When you restore a backup of AD, you must be VERY careful how you do it. There are TWO types of AD restore; Authoritative and Non-Authoritative. In a working environment, lets say someone has deleted an AD object that was not intended - a group for instance. In this case, you would perform an Authoritative restore from tape to recover the deleted object, and to force AD to replicate it to the other DC's in the domain. However, say you lose a DC through hardware failure, and it's down for a week. If you repair it, restore AD to it from a System State backup of that particular DC (now a week old) you must perform a Non-Athoritative restore. In this case, the other DC's will replicate the up-to-dateness of the freshly reinstalled(but out of date) DC. Clear as mud, eh? Hope it helps.

Regards,
Mel