P

partial update

A partial update can occur while replication is in progress if an application reads an object during a brief interval when some, but not all, of an update has been replicated to the domain controller from which the application is reading.

path

Specifies the location of an object in a hierarchical system.

PDC

See primary domain controller.

primary domain controller

A computer running Windows NT Server 4.0 that authenticates logons and maintains the directory database for a Windows NT 4.0 domain. A primary domain controller is not used in a Windows 2000 domain. Instead, one domain controller is designated as the primary domain controller emulator for backward compatibility.