Quick TIP: Force FRS replication

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For this tip you will need a somewhat newer version of ntfrsutl.exe

You can grab a version out of the Service Pack 2 Support Tools download here.

Beginning with the version of ntfrsutl.exe in KB 823230 we have the ability to force FRS replication to occur across site boundaries immediately instead of waiting for the schedule to open up.

Here is the command's syntax:

ntfrsutl forcerepl [computer] /r SetName /p PartnerDnsName
                  = Force FRS to start a replication cycle ignoring the schedule

The PartnerDNSName is the FQDN of the server that you want to source from.

Here is an example using a DC Name of ContosoDC1 and a PartnerDNSName of ContosoDC2:

ntfrsutl forcerepl contosodc1 /r "domain system volume (sysvol share)" /p ContosoDC2.Contoso.com

Running the command initiates replication, and returns the following information:

LocalComputerName = contosodc1
ReplicaSetGuid = (null)
CxtionGuid = (null)
ReplicaSetName = domain system volume (sysvol share)
PartnerDnsName = ContosoDC2.Contoso.com

As you can see there are two additional parameters that you can specify, ReplicaSetGuid and CxtionGuid, but neither are required.