The users from our directory were, without a reason, segregated to several OUs so we restructured the directory and went from over a dozen OUs to 2, one for users, one for service/testing/other accounts.
After doing this I went to reconfigure a couple of endpoints that bind to the LDAP using full DNs, it's hardcoded on them. That's when I realized all DN attributes are gone from the directory. Not only those from the moved elements (the user accounts) but also the ones for computers accounts as I found out when I went to the OU where they are automatically place into.
It won't appear on the AD Users & Computers MMC modules nor using ADSI... ...and, now forget everything I just stated because writing this I gave another pass to all the options as to avoid wasting anybody's time, and in doing so I connected to the directory using Apache Directory Studio and I can see distinguishedName still is in the users' attributes. It just won't appear in Active Directory Users and Computers, ADSI Edit nor Active Directory Administrative Center.
It's as it had been deprecated in some way, it's there but concerning Windows it isn't. I am remoting into a Domain Controller to check, you can't get any higher than that, authority-wise. There are only two, replication-error-free DCs, BTW. One holds all the FSMO roles and is referenced everywhere unlike the other that's there mainly for disaster recovery; it's a tiny directory. Very basic needs.
I asked other admins but they don't recall making changes on the domain other than moving the users which wouldn't affect computer accounts, I'm also told a SharePoint farm was installed but soon scraped in favor of a lighter solution--the VMs have been already deleted. Any idea what could be causing this behavior?
I bet you think this post is about you. Don't you…don't you. ♪