Use urgent mode when pinging domain controllers

This policy setting configures whether the computers to which this setting is applied are more aggressive when trying to locate a domain controller (DC).

When an environment has a large number of DCs running both old and new operating systems, the default DC locator discovery behavior may be insufficient to find DCs running a newer operating system. This policy setting can be enabled to configure DC locator to be more aggressive about trying to locate a DC in such an environment, by pinging DCs at a higher frequency. Enabling this setting may result in additional network traffic and increased load on DCs. You should disable this setting once all DCs are running the same OS version.

The allowable values for this setting result in the following behaviors:

1 - Computers will ping DCs at the normal frequency.
2 - Computers will ping DCs at the higher frequency.

To specify this behavior, click Enabled and then enter a value. The range of values is from 1 to 2.

If you do not configure this policy setting, it is not applied to any computers, and computers use their local configuration.

Supported on: At least Windows Server 2012, Windows 8 or Windows RT

Ping urgency mode:

Registry HiveHKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
Registry PathSoftware\Policies\Microsoft\Netlogon\Parameters
Value NamePingUrgencyMode
Value TypeREG_DWORD
Default Value2
Min Value
Max Value2

netlogon.admx

Administrative Templates (Computers)

Administrative Templates (Users)