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- AD Objects Backup and Recovery
- Native tools vs RecoveryManager Plus
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- Data protection
- Related Products
- ADManager Plus Active Directory Management & Reporting
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- Exchange Reporter Plus Exchange Server Auditing & Reporting
- EventLog Analyzer Real-time Log Analysis & Reporting
- M365 Manager Plus Microsoft 365 Management & Reporting Tool
- SharePoint Manager Plus SharePoint Reporting and Auditing
- DataSecurity Plus File server auditing & data discovery
- AD360 Integrated Identity & Access Management
- Log360 (On-Premise | Cloud) Comprehensive SIEM and UEBA
- AD Free Tools Active Directory FREE Tool
PowerShell vs. Ntdsutil vs. RecoveryManager Plus
Users objects are the basic building blocks of Active Directory (AD). When user objects are deleted from AD, the deleted users find themselves unable to log in to their systems and are powerless to carry on with their work. Although user deletions are intentional most of the time, accidents can happen. The ability to quickly restore deleted user accounts should be a high priority in your organization.
Microsoft provides two ways to back up and restore users in your AD environment, namely PowerShell and Ntdsutil. While both methods can back up and restore user objects, they have a few limitations.
Luckily, you can overcome those limitations using RecoveryManager Plus. Check out this chart to see how the native tools line up against RecoveryManager Plus.
| Features | PowerShell | Ntdsutil | RecoveryManager Plus | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Recycle deleted user object (Restore a deleted user object from the recycle bin.) |
 (Must use the Restore-ADObject cmdlet.) |
(Must boot DC in DSRM mode.) |
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| User password recovery (Recover the last set password of the user upon restoration.) |
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| User interface (Eliminating the need for scripting.) |
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| Backup scheduler (To automate the backup process.) |
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| Backup version management (Back up each change made to users as separate versions.) |
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| Attribute-level restoration (Restore individual attributes of user objects to any of their previous versions.) |
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| Restart-free restoration (Restore user objects or any changes made to them without having to restart your DCs.) |
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As you can see in the chart above, while PowerShell and Ntdsutil allow administrators to restore deleted AD user objects, they are not very user-friendly and also don't provide any additional features to help manage the multiple changes that each object undergoes. RecoveryManager Plus, on the other hand, provides an efficient alternative for keeping your AD secure at all times. With options for scheduling backups, retaining multiple versions of the same user objects, and granular restoration capabilities, RecoveryManager Plus offers the best solution for handling user backups and restorations.
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