Simplify and optimize Active Directory replication topology. Direct the data flow.

Active Directory topology can be confusing at times and even more so when you co-mingle automatic and manual configurations. The AD topology is critical to the flow of AD metadata replication as well as SYSVOL GPO information. If you are working with a mix of automatic and manual configurations, then your overall topology may be a bit of a mystery. Take control of your AD topology by defining AD sites, site links, and manual connections into a specific topology which works best given your physical network environment. Once simplified, you can consider options such as enabling change-based notification across links, rather than interval-based notifications. This will provide much faster convergence that resembles intra-site, but will be truly inter-site.