AD Active directory partition

The Active Directory database is logically separated into directory partitions:

• Schema Partition
  Only one schema partition exists per forest. The schema partition is stored on all domain controllers in a forest. The schema partition contains definitions of all objects and attributes that you can create in the directory and the rules for creating and manipulating them. Schema information is replicated to all domain controllers in the attribute definitions.
  
  Configuration Partition
  There is only one configuration partition per forest. The configuration partition contains information about the forest-wide active directory structure including what domains and sites exist, which domain controllers exist in each forest and which services are available.Configuration information is replicated to all domain controllers in a forest.

  Domain Partition
  Many domain partitions can exist per forest. Domain partitions are stored on each domain controller in a given domain. A domain partition contains information about users, groups, computers and organizational units. Domain partition data is replicated to the domain controllers within a domain. All objects in every domain partition in a forest are stored in the global catalog with only a subset of their attribute values

  Application Partition
  Application partitions store information about application in Active Directory. Each application determines how it stores, categorizes and uses application specific information. To prevent unnecessary replication to specific application partitions, you can designate which domain controllers in a forest host specific application partitions. Unlike a domain partitions, an application partition cannot store security principal objects, such as user accounts. The data in an application partition is not stored in the global catalog.

Create Application Directory Partition:

To create and apply a custom application directory partition on an AD directory service integrated DNS zone.

Create an application directory partition by using the DnsCmd command
Note DnsCmd.exe is included in the Windows Server 2003 Support Tools.

To do this, use the following syntax:
DnsCmd ServerName /CreateDirectoryPartition FQDN (Fully Qualified Domain Name) of partition.

Example:

Hostname:primaryserver server:tech.com

Installed windows supporting tool: open CMD and enter the following commands,

C:\dnscmd primaryserver /createdirectorypartition data.tech.com

C:\dnscmd secondaryserver /enlistdirectorypartition data.tech.com (Reflect for another server)

C:\dnscmd secondaryserver /unlistdirectorypartition data.tech.com

C:\dnscmd secondaryserver /deletedirectorypartition data.tech.com

For Example :
To create an application directory partition that is named: CustomDNSPartition on a domain controller that is named Server

dnscmd Server /createdirectorypartition CustomDNSPartition.test.com

When the application directory partition has been successfully created, the following information appears: DNS server created directory partition: CustomDNSPartition.test.com Command completed successfully.

To verify Active Directory replication :

Use the Repadmin command together with the /showrepl option. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Click Start, click Run, type cmd, and then click OK.
2. Type the following command and then press ENTER:
repadmin /showrepl Server Name

Global catalogue

Trust

Group policy

User and groups

Site and services