Active Directory Lightweight Directory Services (AD LDS) is similar to Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS)
LDS has its own schema, which seperate from AD DS.
It is used for specially developed applications.
LDS has its own configuration for Sites and Replication
Tools such as ADSI edit, LDP and LDIFDE can be used.
Multiple instances can be installed on one server for different apps but keeping them seperate. Unlike AD DS which limited to one domain per domain controller.
Independant schemas.
Install/Remove without requiring a reboot.
Preferred not to be placed on domain controllers.
Can be installed on Server Core = start /w ocsetup DirectoryServices-ADAM-ServerCore
Can be administered remotley via remote server administration tools RSAT
C:\Windows\ADAM\adamntds.dit
Administrator rights required to install (even local administrator)
Default LDAP port 389
Default SSL port 636
Range 1025-65535 (e.g. LDAP 50389 and SSL 50636)
Partition name cn=AddressBook,dc=domain,dc=com
Backup LDS Instance using NTDSUTIL:
Requires the LDS instance to be stopped.
net stop mylds
ntdsutil
ntdsutil: activate instance mylds
ntdsutil: files
file maintenance: move db to c:\mylds-db
file maintenance: move logs to c:\mylds-logs
file maintenance: quit
ntdsutil: quit
net start mylds
Backup LDS Instance using DSDBUTIL:
Can backup while the LDS instance is running by using a snapshot.
dsdbutil
dsdbutil: activate instance mylds
dsdbutil: ifm
ifm: create full c:\mylds-backup
List all LDS instances
dsdbustil: list instances
Restore and LDS Instance using DSDBUTIL:
dsdbustil: authoritative restore
authoritative restore: restore object cn=mylds,dc=domain,dc=local
Removing the LDS role requires the LDS instance/application partition to be removed in Control Panel first.