A method, system, and computer usable program product for deploying directory instances are provided in the illustrative embodiments. A configuration of an existing directory instance is cloned to the new directory instance. The existing directory instance may execute in a first data processing system and the new directory instance may execute in a second data processing system. A schema of the existing directory instance is cloned to the new directory instance. A determination is made whether the new directory instance is a peer of the existing directory instance. Data from the existing directory instance is cloned to the new directory instance if the new directory instance is a peer of the existing directory instance. The new directory instance is made operational in a directory topology.