Replication for a Windows Domain Controller (2003, 2008, 2012)

If you would like to avoid using the AD Sites and Services GUI to force replication across your domain controllers, consider the script below. Save this as a .bat file to a machine on the same domain as your domain controllers and run as a domain administrator. The script will prompt you for the desired action, push or pull (default […]

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Transferring FSMO Roles To Another Active Directory Controller

How to Transfer FSMO Roles To transfer FSMO roles via the Windows GUI, you will need access to the following three Active Directory snap-ins: Active Directory Schema (Schema Master Role) Note: The snap-in is not enabled by default. Instructions provided below. Active Directory Domains and Trusts (Domain Naming Master Role) Active Directory Users and Computers (RID, PDC and Infrastructure Roles) Enabling Active […]

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Decommissioning A Windows 2003 Or Windows 2008 Domain Controller

With many IT administrators upgrading their internal infrastructures to begin capitalizing on some of the newer features available in Active Directory by raising the functional level, it has become more of a necessity to remove older domain controllers. This article provides a step-by-step guide on how to perform a DCPromo for a 2003/R2 or 2008/R2 domain controller. In the example […]

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Migrating DHCP Part 1: Installing a DHCP Server on a Windows 2012/2012R2 Server

Although Microsoft Windows Server 2003R2 went end-of-life on July 14, 2015, many business are still mid-process of upgrading to newer operating systems. Similar to installing 2003/R2 and 2008/R2, a 2012 or 2012R2 installation is fairly straight forward. This article explains how to install the DHCP role on a Windows 2012 / Windows 2012R2 and is the first in a two-part series on migrating […]

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Migrating DHCP Part 2: Migrate DHCP to a New Windows Server

With Windows 2012 / Windows 2012R2 now offering a way to failover DHCP, many organizations have opted to migrate their DHCP functions from an older operating system. There are multiple, creative ways to handling a migration from an old server a new server; this article outlines one method of migrating all DHCP scopes from an existing server to a newly […]

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How to add a Backup Domain Controller to an existing Active Directory Domain

An Active Directory Domain with a unique Primary Domain Controller (PDC) is something that you should not rely on. A hardware failure can make your day a really bad one and, for this reason, Microsoft give us the possibility to add a (or more) Backup Domain Controller (BDC) to our domain. The configuration is quite simple on Windows Server 2012 […]

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How to deploy (and/or remove) software packages via GPO

One of the greatest advantages of having an Active Directory Domain is the possibility to deploy software packages via GPO (Group Policy Object). Software deployment is crucial in business environments to save time and money. Microsoft not only gives us a simple way to deploy software, but also provides a quick solution to uninstall it when we don’t need it […]

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How to deploy a Registry Key via Group Policy

System administrators often need to deploy one or more Registry Keys in business environment. Customized software or hardware need particolar configurations and companies usually have solutions tailored to their needs. Whatever the reason is, a Group Policy is the best way to deploy a Registry Key in an Active Domain Directory Services. The configuration is quite simple and quick. Open […]

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