Configure Domain Controller Cloning

Introduction

The Configure Domain Controller Cloning module provides you with the instruction and server hardware to develop your hands on skills in the defined topics. This module includes the following exercises:

• Prepare Additional Domain Controller
• Create Domain Controller Clone

Lab Time: It will take approximately 1 hour to complete the exercises in this lab.

Exam Objectives

The following exam objective is covered in this lab:

• Configure domain controller cloning

Exercise 1 - Prepare Additional Domain Controller

In this exercise, you will prepare a pre-configured virtual machine to connect to an external network then install Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS) and set it up as an additional domain controller in the existing AD lab domain. The prepared virtual machine will be used a template for creating a cloned domain controller.

Windows Server 2012 introduced the concept of cloning domain controller that provides fast provisioning of additional authentication servers to ensure business continuity to address a growing requirement. The rapid roll out of domain controller clones enables deployment of new servers to test Windows features and capabilities before putting the devices in the production network.

Exercise 2 - Create Domain Controller Clone

The previous exercise showed the necessary prerequisites for preparing the virtualized domain controller that will be used as a template for domain controller cloning. Creating the domain controller clone is a straightforward process as it will call for running a few Windows PowerShell scripts to determine the network services that are not supported by cloning. It will then continue with generating an XML file that provides a summary of services not supported by domain controller clones. The process concludes with the creation of configuration XML file that includes the unique settings of the domain controller clone such as computer name, IP address, subnet mask and preferred DNS server.