Active Directory Virtualization Safeguards and Domain Controller Cloning with Windows Server 2012
Slides from this presentation are available online at: northamerica.msteched.com From Microsoft TechEd North America 2012: Virtualization is a key technology underpinning and enabling both private- and public-cloud deployments. In this session, we discuss the technical details surrounding domain controller virtualization safeguards in Windows Server 2012 that prevent certain Hypervisor capabilities (when used with virtualized domain controllers) from disrupting the Active Directory system and potentially introducing a permanently divergent state. Beyond simply making virtualized domain controllers safer, Windows Server 2012 also more fully exploits the capabilities of Hypervisors by enabling the rapid deployment of replica DCs through virtual disk cloning—cloning largely requiring only a simple file-copy of the virtual domain controller's virtual disk file (VHD) and the creation of basic configuration instructions. The ability to clone virtual domain controllers takes Active Directory's support for virtualization to the next level enabling rapid deployment of greenfield Active Directory environments and significantly reducing scale-out and disaster recovery time.
Source: Active Directory Virtualization Safeguards and Domain Controller Cloning with Windows Server 2012 (Youtube).