Active Directory Replication Tools

Dssite.msc: Active Directory Sites and Services

Category

Active Directory Administrative Tools Microsoft Management Console (MMC) snap-in. This tool is installed automatically when you install Active Directory, and is available on the Start menu under Programs\Administrative Tools. This tool also ships with the Administration Tools Pack (Adminpak.msi).

Version compatibility

Active Directory Sites and Services provides a view into the Sites container of the configuration directory partition. Use Active Directory Sites and Services to manage Active Directory replication topology. The following objects and their properties can be managed by using this tool:

• Sites container: Add new sites.
  
• Site objects: Add new servers to a site.
  
• NTDS Site Settings object: For each site, view the connection object schedule and enable Universal group membership caching.
  
• Server object: View the NTDS Settings object and designate the server as a bridgehead server.
  
• NTDS Settings object: View inbound connections for the server. View the connection object schedule and change the source server for the connection.
  
• Inter-Site Transports container: Manage IP and SMTP site links.
  
• Site link objects: Manage the site link properties for a set of sites.
  
• Subnets container: Add, remove, and configure subnets with IP addresses. Associate subnets with sites.
  

Repadmin.exe: Repadmin

Category

Command-line tool.

Version compatibility

Repadmin is used to view the replication information on domain controllers. You can determine the last successful replication of all directory partitions, identify inbound and outbound replication partners, identify the current bridgehead servers, view object metadata, and generally manage Active Directory replication topology. You can use Repadmin to force replication of an entire directory partition or of a single object. You can also list domain controllers in a site.

Repadmin is extended to enable commands to target sets of domain controllers. For example, you can target all domain controllers in a site or domain, or all domain controllers that are global catalog servers.

Repadmin also includes the RemoveLingeringObjects command, which removes objects that are outdated (do not exist in a replica of the same directory partition on the source domain controller).

For more information about removing lingering objects, see "Fixing Replication Lingering Object Problems (Event IDs 1388, 1988, 2042)" in the Windows Server 2003 Operations Guide at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=44131. For more information about Repadmin, see Repadmin Overview.

Ntdsutil.exe: Ntdsutil

Category

Command-line tool.

Version compatibility

Ntdsutil.exe provides management capabilities for Active Directory. You can use Ntdsutil.exe to perform Active Directory database maintenance, manage and control single-master operations, and remove replication metadata left behind by domain controllers that are removed from the network without uninstalling Active Directory. The version of Ntdsutil that is included with Windows Server 2003 SP1 removes File Replication service (FRS) metadata in addition to Active Directory replication metadata. You can also use Ntdsutil to create application directory partitions and perform authoritative restore operations. This tool is intended for use by experienced administrators.