Primary Domain Controller (PDC)

• the modern day Primary Domain Controller (PDC).
• isnt a single dedicated server handling critical functions like handling write operations for user credential changes and stuff anymore.
• instead is a domain controller that holds the PDC emulator Flexible Single Master Operations (FSMO) role that handles:
  • write operations for
    • user cred changes
    • group policy updates
      • when admins make changes to Group Policy Objects (GPO)s, the pdc handles the write operations for these to avoid conflicts
  • backwards compatibility with older NT 4.0 systems
  • account lockouts
  • serves as the master clock for time synchronization across the domain
• the presense of a PDC emulator is required when Domain Functional Level (DFL) Elevation happens