AD-REPL-02 - Non-auto replication connection count should be investigated
Overview
Non-auto-generated (manual) replication connections bypass the Knowledge Consistency Checker (KCC) automatic topology generation. While sometimes necessary for specific scenarios, manual connections require careful management:
- Topology Bypass: Manual connections don't benefit from automatic optimization and failover
- Documentation Gap: Manual connections may lack proper documentation of their business purpose
- Operational Debt: Accumulated manual connections from past troubleshooting may no longer be needed
- Security Risk: Undocumented connections may hide unauthorized replication paths
Control Type
Operational
Security Recommendation
- Prefer auto-generated connections for standard replication topology
- Document all manual connections with business justification
- Regularly audit manual connections to ensure they are still required
- Remove manual connections that are no longer needed
- Use manual connections only for specific scenarios like site bridging
How the Test Works
This test retrieves all Active Directory replication connections and identifies:
- Auto-generated vs. manual connections
- Count and percentage of manual connections
- Total replication connection count
Related Tests
Test-MtAdDisabledReplicationConnectionCount- Identifies disabled replication connections
Test Metadata
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Test ID | AD-REPL-02 |
| Severity | Info |
| Suite | Active Directory |
| Category | Active Directory - Replication |
| PowerShell test | Test-MtAdNonAutoReplicationConnectionCount |
| Services | ActiveDirectory |
| Tags | AD, AD-REPL-02, AD.Replication |
Source
- Test:
tests/ad/replication/Test.AD-REPL-02.ps1 - Documentation:
tests/ad/replication/Test.AD-REPL-02.md