New Server Setup

[Maximus]

Hi All,

I wonder if you could all lend me some of your expertise in setting up windows server 2003.

I am replacing our old network system with a new one, basically we have...

1x HP ML150 G3, 1x proc, 2GB Mem, 5x 160HD (2x2 mirrors and 1 redundant spare)

1x hp ML150 G3 same as above except it has 1x2 72GB HD mirror, 1x160GB HD mirror and 1x 160GB redundant spare).

I would like to set them up so that we have as much redundancy as possible, i.e. both as domain controllers for Active Directory, both as DHCP servers for the same scope (each will share the scope), both as DNS servers, DFS replication on both servers, printers controlled by both servers (we have 2 networked laser printers) plus anything else that can be shared by both just incase one blows up!!!

Plus one of them to use as RM System protect (Norton Antivirus), WSUS and SpecOps Deploy server.

Is there any potential problems that anyone knows about that i should watch out for? Active Directory is a concern for me, seting up the first server is ok, but its the second one that gives me concern. What do i need to check once both are up and running to ensure the second will take over if the first one fails?

Also is there any potential problems for have two dns servers?

And could anyone point me in the direction for some good information about setting up DFS? I've had a play around but i've not really fully understood what I've done.

Many Thanks
Maximus

[FN-GM]

Active Directory is easy, make both domain controllers as DNS servers and point to both servers in the DHCP settings. If you make both global catalogues if one goes down the other will just take over.

DHCP you can only have one of these.

[Maximus]

Excuse my ignorance, how do you make them both global catalogues?

And also why can't i use both as DHCP servers?

Ta
Maximus

[FN-GM]

If you have them both DHCP servers on the same network they will both hand out the same set of ip addresses, thus causing them to conflict.

To make a server a GC go into Active Directory Sites and Services then drill down to your server. Expand the server and right click NTDS settings then check the global catalogue box.

[Maximus]

My idea is to set up both as DHCP servers and split the ip address range between them so if one of the servers goes down the other will still issue ip addresses.

I've had this setup and working but i need to know if there are any issues with having more than one DHCP server in Active Directory.

Maximus

[FN-GM]

Thats not a bad idea, im not sure if it will cause problems actually

[dhicks]

I would like to set them up so that we have as much redundancy as possible

I've accomplished that via virtualisation - set up one virtual machine running all the stuff you want, then simply replicate it to the other server in real time. If one physical machine fails then you can have the VM start on the other machine (in under a second if you set it up properly). Also means you only have to have one license for Windows.

--
David Hicks

[FN-GM]

Yep my other school has done with VMware ESX, I don’t know why I didn’t suggest it

[Maximus]

I've not played around with virtualisation at all, so this might not be much of an option at the moment. And I haven't got much time to get these servers up and running.

Maximus

[SYNACK]

You can do the DHCP in two ways, either split the address range as above or use the same address range on both and set the DHCP servers up to double check that the address is not in use before assigning it.

AD is great for this kind of thing as it is designed to be used in this way, same with AD integrated DNS.

[Geoff]

Also remember if you use ISC DHCPd v3 then it has inbuilt failover.

Failover with ISC DHCP