How it works...

As a Windows Server installation becomes a domain controller, it replicates contents of the Active Directory database and the Active Directory SYSVOL to its local hard drive(s). The entire package needed for this replication can also be assembled before promotion. Then, the package can be delivered to the remote location, or even carried by the technician that will promote the (read-only) domain controller.

The amount of network traffic needed when using the Install from Media option is heavily reduced, but is certainly not zero. As the IFM package represents a point in time snapshot of the contents of the Active Directory database and the Active Directory SYSVOL, any changes between the time of creation of the IFM package and using it will need to replicate before promotion of the domain controller is successfully completed.