# Review Find servers that hold FSMO roles before AD/DNS changes > Use Find servers that hold FSMO roles to review this narrow operational decision without extending the source beyond its stated scope. - Canonical URL: https://update.dsesecurity.com/updates/review-find-servers-that-hold-fsmo-roles-before-ad-dns-changes/ - Publisher: Detection Systems & Engineering (DSE Security) - Author: DSE Security Editorial Team - Published: 2026-08-27T17:00:51+00:00 - Modified: 2026-08-27T17:33:25+00:00 - Last reviewed by DSE: 2026-08-27 - Resource type: Playbook - DSE priority: Advisory - Topics: Cybersecurity, Microsoft 365 & Identity, Networks & Infrastructure - Reading time: 3 minutes ## What you need to know Use Find servers that hold FSMO roles to review this narrow operational decision without extending the source beyond its stated scope. ## Potentially affected Teams, systems, services, or facilities within the stated scope of Find servers that hold FSMO roles ## DSE recommendation Compare the observed state with the cited official source, document applicability and exceptions, and test any approved change with rollback safeguards. ## Article Keep this document to one review outcome: Review Find servers that hold FSMO roles before AD/DNS changes. Only the official source and traced locations below supply facts. Confirm applicability before acting. ## Source fact: The official [Find servers that hold FSMO roles](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/troubleshoot/windows-server/active-directory/find-servers-holding-fsmo-role) from Microsoft supports the following bounded statements: - At Introduction below H1, Microsoft states: “This article describes how to find the servers that hold the Flexible Single Master Operation (FSMO) roles in a forest.” The research record locates this support at Introduction below H1. - At Summary, Microsoft states: “Schema master Domain naming master RID master PDC master Infrastructure master.” The research record locates this support at Summary. The source support ends with the statements listed above. Use them to examine Active Directory objects, search bases, domain controllers, delegated roles, cmdlet parameters, and the DNS paths used to locate directory services in the applicable environment, not to imply a wider guarantee. ## What the source does not establish The cited page and retained statements do not establish the current state of any DSE or customer environment, prove that the documented configuration is applicable, or authorize a production change. Confirm supported versions, dependencies, and the current live source before use. It does not establish a deployment’s current state, authorize a production change, prove compliance, or show that Active Directory replication, Windows DNS, domain-controller location, time, network reachability, privileges, and protected credentials are healthy. Documented options are review inputs, not universal mandates. ## Applicability questions - For source statement 1 at Introduction below H1, which observable configuration, record, or test can confirm applicability here? - For source statement 2 at Summary, which observable configuration, record, or test can confirm applicability here? - Which owner can attest to the recorded state of Active Directory objects, search bases, domain controllers, delegated roles, cmdlet parameters, and the DNS paths used to locate directory services, including exceptions? - What baseline for Active Directory replication, Windows DNS, domain-controller location, time, network reachability, privileges, and protected credentials must accompany the source-specific observation? - Which success, stop, and escalation criteria are written before testing begins? ## DSE recommendation: DSE recommends using the cited source as the evidence anchor for this decision. Make the source, asset scope, owner, and expected outcome explicit in the review record. Record the source location, examined part of Active Directory objects, search bases, domain controllers, delegated roles, cmdlet parameters, and the DNS paths used to locate directory services, observed and expected states, owner, and reason for deviation. An implementation decision needs an owner, approved window, prechecks, observable outcome, stop authority, and rollback path. Validate Active Directory replication, Windows DNS, domain-controller location, time, network reachability, privileges, and protected credentials before and after the test, and store only sanitized operational evidence. ## Verification and evidence Build a reproducible chain from Introduction below H1; Summary to the observed environment. Useful domain evidence includes sanitized command transcripts, parameter records, directory exports, authorization records, DNS locator tests, and before-and-after state; label every item with scope, timestamp, collector, and stable identifier. Label this evidence set DSE-20260827-395 so observations, approvals, exceptions, and later rechecks cannot be substituted from another source review. Keep before-state evidence, approval, test or change result, exceptions, and after-state evidence together. Use an approved lab, window, or nonproduction path for risky tests. Set a recheck trigger for version, architecture, dependency, vendor, incident, or ownership change. A check proves only what was observed. ## Official references - [Find servers that hold FSMO roles](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/troubleshoot/windows-server/active-directory/find-servers-holding-fsmo-role) — Microsoft ## Primary reference - Name: Find servers that hold FSMO roles - Authority: Microsoft Learn - URL: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/troubleshoot/windows-server/active-directory/find-servers-holding-fsmo-role - Source publication date: Not stated by the source ## Citation and use Preferred citation: “Review Find servers that hold FSMO roles before AD/DNS changes,” DSE Security, https://update.dsesecurity.com/updates/review-find-servers-that-hold-fsmo-roles-before-ad-dns-changes/ Publishing principles: https://update.dsesecurity.com/updates/dse-updates-editorial-methodology/ Usage and citation policy: https://update.dsesecurity.com/usage/ Copyright © 2026 Detection Systems & Engineering. All rights reserved.