Can multiple instances of FIM 2010 be present in a domain at the same time? I read that "Only one FIM Synchronization Service instance can exist in a deployment." on the page http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ff602886(WS.10).aspx. What does the term "Deployment" mean? My thoughts - Deployment likely refers to the collection of components installed that talk/reference each other. A second "deployment" of an entire set of FIM components would not know anything about the first "deployment" because I wouldn't have told them that it exists. Background - I work in a distributed support environment where all IT departments utilize a few centrally-provided services (like active directory with distributed OU management), but for the most part are on our own. If I setup a FIM deployment and someone else sets one up in another area later, will there install break mine? I can't see how it would break it, but I want to cover all my bases before I begin. If it helps, I am not going to be using many of the account attribute management abilities. I'm only really using it for role group and distribution list management.Ian

Sure you can have as many as you want in a single domain. The deployment there refers to an installation of FIM - you can't have multiple sync service instances talking to the same FIM Portal/Service DB.My Book - Active Directory, 4th Edition My Blog - www.briandesmond.com

Thanks a bunch for the quick response. I'm in agreement, but could someone else also confirm?Ian

Brian knows what he's talking about. The deployment would be considered the collection of FIM components that talk to each other directly. FIM doesn't do anything to the domain that would make it an exclusive installation like a PKI install might. Keep in mind that if the FIM Sync Service is managing a set of objects (AD user accounts for example), and another FIM Sync Service is installed, you'll either need to exclude those objects from the second's scope, or ensure that they aren't going to interfere with one another in designing your rules and processes carefully. We have two ILM servers (essentially the same as the FIM Sync Service with no FIM Service/portal installed) running in parallel for DR purposes. The DR server never exports to AD, but periodically imports the changes the other made so it can join the new objects to its own metaverse. In a DR scenario, we therefore would not have to rely on a set of full imports and syncs to get it up and running. We won't be able to do the same with FIM when we upgrade, however, as this would not keep the two FIM services/portals in sync. Updating the DR environment will then be done more at the SQL Server level than the application.

Thank you for your response as well. I am now comfortable proceeding as everything you both wrote confirms what I was thinking/hoping.Ian