Loading the Active Directory Database Into RAM

re: Loading the Active Directory Database Into RAM

cnschindler — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 13:29:22 GMT

So in Windows Server 2008, the process that hosts AD will no longer be LSASS.EXE? It is DSAMAIN.EXE..., correct? Christian

re: Loading the Active Directory Database Into RAM

Tim Springston — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 18:55:46 GMT

In Server 2008, the process where the AD database is running day to day is still lsass.exe. DSAMAIN.EXE is used to mount snapshots of the AD store for review.

Your question brings up a really interesting idea though. What if you use a mounted snapshot of AD, loaded using DSAMAIN.EXE, to get an idea of how much memory will be used? Is this a valid test?

I don't know. If someone out there has the bandwidth to test this before I do then feel free to add a comment.

re: Loading the Active Directory Database Into RAM

cnschindler — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 21:49:39 GMT

So although it is a separate service, it still runs in LSASS? Thanks, Christian

re: Loading the Active Directory Database Into RAM

Tim Springston — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 15:57:16 GMT

DSAMAIN.EXE instantiates as it's own distinct process, viewable in Task Manager and similar tools. It is not used for normal AD operation-unlike in Exchange databases.

DSAMAIN.EXE is the offline data browser for ADDS and ADLDS (also known as AD and ADAM). You raised a really good question in "can snapshots loaded up into DSAMAIN be a good representation of how much memory the AD needs?". It's possible that this is a good test-load the database and look at DSAMAIN.EXE's working set memory.

But I haven't tested it :)

re: Loading the Active Directory Database Into RAM

Scharique — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 20:26:16 GMT

Great article. Not something you will likely find in the text books.