Huge size of ntds file

Question

Hi,

The size of ntds file became huge.
Do the size can impact active directory replication and how we can reduce it?

Answer 1

Hi,

To reduce the NTDS size , you have to clean your active directory and remove all unused objects ( inactive, disabled accounts).
You can removed them from recycle bin if it's enabled. But the object will be removed definitely after tombstone lifetime period.

Do the size can impact active directory replication and how we can reduce it?

The size of ntds cannot impact the active directory replication when the domain controllers are already promoted. But it can impact the new domain controller promotion and backup/restoration process.

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Answer 2

Something here may help.
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/troubleshoot/windows-server/identity/ad-database-offline-defragmentation

Active Directory automatically performs online defragmentation of the database at certain intervals as part of the Garbage Collection process. (By default, this occurs every 12 hours.) Online defragmentation does not reduce the size of the database file (Ntds.dit) but instead optimizes data storage in the database and reclaims space in the directory for new objects.
Performing an offline defragmentation creates a new version of the database file without internal fragmentation. It also re-creates all indexes. Depending on how fragmented the original database file was, the new file may be much smaller.

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Answer 3

Ola Veja essa matéria, sem dúvidas ela vai te auxiliar na tomada de decisões para solucionar o seu problema de espaço físico. Leia com atenção todas as informações, execute as verificações e posteriormente faça o que for mais conveniente e dentro de suas configurações.

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/troubleshoot/windows-server/backup-and-storage/disk-space-problems-on-ntfs-volumes

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Mr Iraê César Brandão