Supportability of Active Directory Database Files and Log Files on a Mount Point (323724)

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Microsoft Development has verified that typical Active Directory operation is not affected when Active Directory database files and log files are placed on a mount point. The Dcpromo user interface in Windows 2000 does not allow any file-based component, including the Ntds.dit file or Active Directory log files, to be placed on a mount point. The Windows 2000 Dcpromo wizard does not allow this behavior because a system state restore of a domain controller does not recover the mount point topology. Unless you have manually rebuilt the mount point topology and sized the disk partitions or the drives appropriately, there may not be enough space for backup programs to restore the NTDS database on the target root volume.

Although Dcpromo does not support the use of mounts points, you can change the placement of the Ntds.dit file or the NTDS log files after promotion. Active Directory operations do not experience any technical problems if the Active Directory database files or log files are placed on a mount point. This configuration is supported by Microsoft Product Support and Services (PSS). However, if you use this configuration, you must be prepared to accept the risks described earlier.

Microsoft recommends that your test and document the recovery of affected domain controllers in a manner that is similar a real world recovery scenario before you deploy this configuration in a production environment.