Location of DC/File Server?

[park_bench]

Hello all,

Traditionally, we have had one Domain Controller (Win2003) that has also had the file server role.

The server is located in the server-room in the main school block connected to gigabit switch. There are 4 main ICT suites and a few small clusters of computers directly patched back to this switch.

This switch is connected by fiber to the school annex gigabit switch. The annex has 2 ICT suites and a few small clusters of computers.

I have just purchased another server to act as domain controller. This server will definitely live in the server-room in the main block.

My question is: Where should I locate the original DC/File server?

Should it stay in the same location in the main block? Or would I get noticable benefits by locating the DC in the annex block and directing the local traffic to the DC in that area?

[j17sparky]

So what, you want 2 DCs and want to know if location matters? No, not really.

[FN-GM]

i dont think you would notice any diferences were eve you put itr

[park_bench]

Yeah, wondering really if spreading the load of log-on requests between the 2 DCs will make a difference (clients log-on with the the DC closest to them).

The majority of users are in the main block, but file server would be in the annex at the other end of a fiber. This probably negates the usefulness of locating a DC in a remote location.

[j17sparky]

Your DCs will balence themselves.

[Geoff]

The one thing that comes to mind is disaster recovery. If you have DC's in separate buildings, something bad happening in your main server room wont destroy all your DCs.

But yes, assuming your network is setup correctly, there's no speed benefit.

[FN-GM]

Yes i agree Geoff, works the same way as an off site backup. What ever method of backup you use i would keep a copy of each backup in each building park_bench

[park_bench]

I'll leave it where it is then and backup to a remote NAS.

Thanks for all the responses.

[Grommit]

The one thing that comes to mind is disaster recovery. If you have DC's in separate buildings, something bad happening in your main server room wont destroy all your DCs.

But yes, assuming your network is setup correctly, there's no speed benefit.

Talking about DC's.. I have 1 Domain and 3 DC's on site..

Two in the Main area and one in the Admin Area..

All the DC's have 2 Roles

1/ The Main DC with the FSMO roles is a Curricilum File Server

2/ DC is a Application Server

3/ Admin DC is SIMS/File server..


The problem is when the main DC is off no-one can log on it says domain unavailable ?! .. but isn't it supposd to then go to the next DC to allow logons ?


Any suggestions on how this is supposed to work

[Geoff]

You need to distribute your FSMO roles.
What about DNS/DHCP? Do you have multiple servers providing these too?

[Grommit]

You need to distribute your FSMO roles.
What about DNS/DHCP? Do you have multiple servers providing these too?

3 servers ahve DNS and only the Main DC does the DHCP role

How do you distribute the FSMO roles ?

[Geoff]

How do you distribute the FSMO roles ?

http://www.petri.co.il/transferring_fsmo_roles.htm

[Grommit]

How do you distribute the FSMO roles ?

http://www.petri.co.il/transferring_fsmo_roles.htm

But this is transfering the roles... so isn't the logon then still reliant on one DC ?

[Geoff]

No, you might want to read this too.

http://www.petri.co.il/planning_fsmo_roles_in_ad.htm

[srochford]

Yeah, wondering really if spreading the load of log-on requests between the 2 DCs will make a difference (clients log-on with the the DC closest to them).

The majority of users are in the main block, but file server would be in the annex at the other end of a fiber. This probably negates the usefulness of locating a DC in a remote location.

Unless you make your new server a global catalog, nothing will log onto it - it's easy to miss that (because you won't get prompted to do it when you run dcpromo).

the clients can't work out which DC is closest unless you tell them - you do this by setting up sites in AD Sites and Services. You could have a "main building" site with one DC and an "annexe" site with the other DC. Our sites have different subnets for each site so the workstation can easily work out which site it's in and authenticate to the nearest DC. I'm pretty sure you don't need different subnets but I can't remember how you tell the machines which site they're in if they don't have a different subnet.