Partitions

A partition is a portion of the AD DS database. Although the AD DS database stores all the data in one file, C:\Windows\NTDS\ntds.dit, the AD DS database is composed of a few different partitions and each partition contains different data. The AD DS database is logically separated into the following directory partitions:

• Schema partition: There is only one schema partition per forest. The schema partition is stored on all domain controllers in the forest and contains definitions of all objects and attributes of objects.
• Configuration partition: The configuration partition contains information about the forest-wide AD DS structure, as well as information about the domains and sites in a forest and the domain controllers that are installed in a forest.
• Domain partition: Domain partitions are stored on every domain controller in a domain and contain information about users, groups, computers, and organizational units. All objects from the domain partition are stored in the global catalog.
• Application partition: Every application in AD DS needs to store, categorize, and use specific information. This information is stored in the Application partition that can be domain- or forest-wide, depending on the application type.

Partitions are replicated through directory replication and are stored on every domain controller in the domain and forest.