DCPROMO Virtual Server

what export import utilities would you suggest?
"Marcin" wrote in message

> James,
> This won't create a copy of your environment - but instead introduce a
> single domain controller from it with a copy of AD with no-longer valid
> objects and metadata. In the best case, you will have to do some
> clean-up - in the worst, you might end up with serious issues if your test
> environment gets accidentally connected to production AD.
> I'd recommend mirroring your existing setup by installing new set of DCs
> (new forest/domains) and using export/import utilities to populate it in a
> desired manner...
>
> hth
> Marcin
 >> Stay informed about: DCPROMO Virtual Server 

I do something very similar and as long as you can keep the two forest
separate (FOREVER!) this should work fine.

I have an article on how to do this along with clean up at (Create a Test AD
Domain)
http://www.pbbergs.com/windows/articles.htm

Be careful though, these two domains ever get talking to one another and it
can create problems. The could part about this is we have a complete domain
image between this and P2V, so we can run full sim testing.

--
Paul Bergson
MVP - Directory Services
MCT, MCSE, MCSA, Security+, BS CSci
2003, 2000 (Early Achiever), NT

http://www.pbbergs.com

Please no e-mails, any questions should be posted in the NewsGroup
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.

"James" wrote in message

>I am trying to get a Virtual test network setup with a copy of our active
>directory.
> What would be the best way to do this?
>
> I was thinking I could create a Virtual Server on our live network, run
> DCPROMO on it to promote it to a DC, make a copy of the virtual server
> image file (to be used for testing), then run DCPROMO again on it to
> demote it. I would then take the copy of the virtual server image and set
> it up on the test network.
> Does this sound like a ok/safe way of doing this?
>
>
 >> Stay informed about: DCPROMO Virtual Server 

I don't see why this wouldn't work. I've done it before. Get familiar with
ntdsutil and ADSIedit though.

"James" wrote in message

>I am trying to get a Virtual test network setup with a copy of our active
>directory.
> What would be the best way to do this?
>
> I was thinking I could create a Virtual Server on our live network, run
> DCPROMO on it to promote it to a DC, make a copy of the virtual server
> image file (to be used for testing), then run DCPROMO again on it to
> demote it. I would then take the copy of the virtual server image and set
> it up on the test network.
> Does this sound like a ok/safe way of doing this?
>
>
 >> Stay informed about: DCPROMO Virtual Server