Active Directory Domain Services 2008 : Seize the Schema Master Role, Seize the Domain Naming Master Role

Seize the Schema Master Role

Scenario/Problem: If the current schema master role holder becomes unavailable and cannot be recovered, you will need to move that role to another domain controller.

Solution: When the current schema master has failed, you need to seize the role and move it to another domain controller. It is important that, after the role has been seized, the original role holder is not brought back online.

To seize the schema master role, perform the following steps:

1.	Log on to a domain controller.
2.	Click Start, and click Command Prompt.
3.	In the Command Prompt window, type ntdsutil and press Enter.
4.	At the ntdsutil command prompt, type roles and press Enter.
5.	At the fsmo maintenance command prompt, type connections and press Enter.
6.	At the fsmo maintenance command prompt, type connect to server DomainController, where DomainController is the domain controller you want to assign the new operations master role, and press Enter.
7.	At the server connections command prompt, type quit and press Enter.
8.	At the fsmo maintenance command prompt, type seize schema master and press Enter.
9.	In the Role Seizure Confirmation Dialog screen, click Yes, as shown in Figure 1. Figure 1. The Role Seizure Confirmation Dialog screen.
10.	Ntdsutil first attempts to safe transfer the role before seizing the role. If a safe transfer fails, ntdsutil proceeds with the role seizure, as shown in Figure 2.

Figure 2. Seizing the schema master role.

Seize the Domain Naming Master Role

Scenario/Problem: If the current domain naming master role holder becomes unavailable and cannot be recovered, you need to move that role to another domain controller.

Solution: When the current domain naming master has failed, you need to seize the role and move it to another domain controller. It is important that, after the role has been seized, the original role holder is not brought back online.

To seize the domain naming master role, perform the following steps:

1.	Log on to a domain controller.
2.	Click Start, and click Command Prompt.
3.	In the Command Prompt window, type ntdsutil and press Enter.
4.	At the ntdsutil command prompt, type roles and press Enter.
5.	At the fsmo maintenance command prompt, type connections and press Enter.
6.	At the fsmo maintenance command prompt, type connect to server DomainController, where DomainController is the domain controller you want to assign the new operations master role, and press Enter.
7.	At the server connections command prompt, type quit and press Enter.
8.	At the fsmo maintenance command prompt, type seize naming master and press Enter.
9.	In the Role Seizure Confirmation Dialog screen, click Yes.
10.	Ntdsutil first attempts to safe transfer the role before seizing the role. If a safe transfer fails, ntdsutil proceeds with the role seizure, as shown in Figure 3. Figure 3. Seizing the domain naming master role.