01 · Starting point
Situation
Each container ship needed a directory and name resolution structure that could function independently and replicate with the shore infrastructure in a controlled way whenever a connection was available.
Constraints
- Ship-to-shore connections intermittently unavailable
- Local functionality on every ship
- Controlled replication once connectivity is restored
02 · Responsibility
My scope of responsibility
I designed the domain and OU structure, AD sites, subnets, replication partners, group policies and DNS, and also worked on issues in the print server environment.
- I defined sites, subnets, replication partners, group policies and DNS for ship and shore.
- I analysed technical issues in the print server environment.
03 · Technical work
Documented scope of work
Key decisions
Design the ship environment for autonomous operation and plan replication as event-driven synchronisation. Unreliable or intermittently missing connections require local functionality and a clearly controlled resumption of directory replication.
- I designed the Active Directory structure for individual container ships.
04 · Technical context
Technology in use
Active Directory
Active Directory was part of the documented toolset in this Active Directory & Migration engagement.
AD Sites
AD Sites was part of the documented toolset in this Active Directory & Migration engagement.
DNS
DNS was part of the documented toolset in this Active Directory & Migration engagement.
Group Policy
Group Policy was part of the documented toolset in this Active Directory & Migration engagement.
Replication
Replication was part of the documented toolset in this Active Directory & Migration engagement.
Print Server
Print Server was part of the documented toolset in this Active Directory & Migration engagement.
05 · Factual basis
Evidence and limits
The maritime environment gained an AD concept that combined local operation with later replication to the shore infrastructure.
- Role
- System Engineer
- Period
- March 2012 — April 2012
Lesson from the engagement
Distributed infrastructure must be designed around real connectivity; replication is an operating model, not just a configuration.
Confidentiality note: Internal architecture and operating data of this engagement are not published.