Configuring domain controller cloning

From Windows Server 2012, the fastest way to deploy a new domain controller is to clone computers. Prior to Windows Server 2012, only domain members could be cloned. Cloning copies the virtual drive of VMs and changes some configuration parameters, such as the IP address and the computer name. Cloning provides some benefits, such as rapidly provisioning computers with the same configuration and provisioning test environments.

Successful domain controller cloning requires the following:

• Hyper-V on Windows Server 2012 or later.
• Virtualized domain controllers that need to be Windows Server 2012 or later.
• A PDC emulator that runs on Windows Server 2012 or later. The PDC emulator must be online when the virtual domain controller clones start for the first time.

The domain-controller cloning process consist of several steps:

1. Add the source domain controller to the Cloneable Domain Controllers group.
2. Verify that the apps and services on the source domain support cloning and generate an XML file using the following PowerShell command:

Get-ADDCCloningExcludedApplicationList
Get-ADDCCloningExcludedApplicationList -GenerateXML

1. Create the DCCloneConfig.xml file. When the cloning process recognizes it, a new domain controller will be created from the clone:

New-ADDCCloneConfigFile

1. Shut down the source domain controller and export the virtual machine.
2. Import a new virtual machine using the exported files.
3. Name the new virtual machine and then copy the virtual machine (create a new unique ID).
4. Start the cloned virtual machine.

Once you start the cloned domain controller, the clone checks whether the virtual machine identifier exists and reads the information stored in the previously created DCCloneConfig.xml file.