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Version: 2.2.1-preview

AD-SITE-02 - Sites without domain controllers count should be retrievable

Michael SouleMerill Fernando
Contributed by Michael Soule with Merill FernandoAll contributors →

Overview​

Sites without domain controllers may indicate:

  • Authentication delays: Clients in these sites must authenticate across the WAN to another site
  • Single points of failure: If the WAN link fails, clients cannot authenticate
  • Incomplete deployment: Sites may have been created but DCs were never deployed
  • Resource gaps: Branch offices may lack local domain controller presence

Sites without DCs should be carefully evaluated to ensure they represent intentional design decisions rather than configuration gaps.

Security Recommendation​

For sites without domain controllers:

  • Consider deploying RODCs (Read-Only Domain Controllers) in branch offices
  • Ensure WAN links are reliable and have adequate bandwidth
  • Document the business justification for sites without local DCs
  • Monitor authentication traffic from these sites

How the Test Works​

This test compares the list of sites with domain controllers against all sites in the domain to identify sites that have no DC presence.

  • Test-MtAdSiteWithoutDcDetails - Lists the specific sites without DCs
  • Test-MtAdSiteTotalCount - Counts total sites in the domain
  • Test-MtAdDcSiteCoverageCount - Analyzes DC distribution across sites

Test Metadata​

FieldValue
Test IDAD-SITE-02
SeverityInfo
SuiteActive Directory
CategoryAD.Site
PowerShell testTest-MtAdSiteWithoutDcCount
TagsAD, AD-SITE-02, AD.Site

Source​

  • Pester test: tests/ad/site/Test-MtAdSiteWithoutDcCount.Tests.ps1
  • PowerShell source: powershell/public/ad/site/Test-MtAdSiteWithoutDcCount.ps1