Export AD structure from specific OU, then re-create structure in new domain

Question

I've researched and found the way to export our active directory information for our application is like this:

csvde -d OU=MyAppsOU,DC=dot,DC=testdmz,DC=lan
      -f C:\temp\addump_ou.csv -r (objectClass=organizationalUnit)

Now, I've read that to do an import from that file, you just have to add the -i option to the line like this:

csvde -i -d OU=MyAppsOU-New,DC=dot,DC=newdmz,DC=lan 
      -f C:\temp\addump_ou.csv -r (objectClass=organizationalUnit)

Obviously, I'm very scared to try this as I don't want to blow away anything. My questions are:

1. Does specifying the OU=MyAppsOU-New create the new OU structure with that specific name? (I'm just trying to be 100% positive)

2. Does specifying the different domain name (newdmz) just update all of the data in the file to contain the new domains name?

   or

3. Do I need to modify the exported csv file to change the domain name (testdmz) to what the new domain name will be (newdmz)?

4. Is there a different way I should be doing this?

I just want to re-create the OU structure without groups, roles (which are groups) and users. I will probably do those in a different process because we have different usernames for test and production.

Answer 1

Wow ! lost of question here, but according to me not enougth.

Begining by the end. CSVE.EXE is really not the exact tool I would use. As a Directorie developper I prefer LDIFDE.EXE, because it generates LDIF (LDAP data Interchange Format) which is more standard and more readable. You can also have a look to tools like ADAMSync.EXE that allow to synchronize two directories in AD world (but it's a big hammer for whant you want to do here)

Now choosing LDIFDE.EXE you will see that LDIF format is almost importable as is, but you nned to remove operational attributes (system attributes) from the file. The best way is to take them during the rxport. So you will use -L to only export the attributes you need or -O option to omit operational attributes.

To import in another domain, you will use -C option to change original domain part (DC=dot,DC=testdmz,DC=lan) by the new domain part.

Try it before in a virtual machine.