nicholab Posted March 31, 2017 Posted March 31, 2017 I am I ok going down to 3 DC from 5 currently the SIMS server is a DC and so is the backup. I have 3 virtual DC will it be ok if I pull my 2 DC out of the hyper-v cluster and put directly on a hyper-v server and leave the DHCP server inside the cluster. This is currently on the print server I am planning to move this to a DC. Or am I still better having a physical DC? Also most server have multiple ip address one for each vlan at what stage should I resolve this and what will I need to do to sort?
truebluesteve Posted March 31, 2017 Posted March 31, 2017 I am I ok going down to 3 DC from 5 currently the SIMS server is a DC and so is the backup. I have 3 virtual DC will it be ok if I pull my 2 DC out of the hyper-v cluster and put directly on a hyper-v server and leave the DHCP server inside the cluster. This is currently on the print server I am planning to move this to a DC. Or am I still better having a physical DC? Also most server have multiple ip address one for each vlan at what stage should I resolve this and what will I need to do to sort? You don't say what size your network is but seems a lot of DC's - is there any reason why you have so many (are running big network on a WAN perhaps)? We have 2 DC's here and that seems to be the norm in most of the secondary schools been to. Ours are both virtual but some folk like a physical box but it makes little difference. Removing unnecessary DC's is usually deemed a good idea as it removes the amount of AD replication needed and so on. I'm not overly familiar with Hyper-V and without knowing the network topology I wouldn't like to comment about the clusters. Is there any particular reason for all the changes?
rom1984 Posted March 31, 2017 Posted March 31, 2017 I'd check the 2 DC that you want to remove don't have any FSMO roles on it (netdom query fsmo), if they don't then 5 seem's alot (pressuming an arrange secondary school size) so I would reduce down to 3. That's what my last secondary school had. What's the reason you want to pull the 2nd DC out of the cluster? When you say putting it on a hyper-v server I pressume you mean as a VM as having the DC role installed on the actual hyper-v host is not recommended. Cheers
sparkeh Posted March 31, 2017 Posted March 31, 2017 Personally I would always run at least two DCs but a few as you can manage with. Sounds like you could reduce to two or three. There's no need to have sims or the backup on a DC. With regards to a physical DC, it used to be critical to run a physical DC with a cluster pre Server 2012 but its no longer needed.
cmpwat Posted March 31, 2017 Posted March 31, 2017 No harm in running DC's as clustered servers on Hyper-V or VM, but do not install AD on the Hyper-V hosts. 5 DCs seems a bit excessive to me. I have had 1physical and 1virtual in previous secondary school (1200students, 200 staff). Currently I have 2 DCs on my network, one as DHCP server, both are virtual. You can move the FSMO roles to the primary DC (not that primary DCs exist anymore, but you will have a DC that you think of as number 1).
nicholab Posted March 31, 2017 Author Posted March 31, 2017 (edited) Does 2012 cluster not need a dc to bring it on line or is it a 2012 DC that is the key? We have 200 clients machines so it a bit over kill. Edited March 31, 2017 by nicholab
sparkeh Posted March 31, 2017 Posted March 31, 2017 Does 2012 cluster not need a dc to bring it on line or is it a 2012 DC that is the key? We have 200 clients machines so it a bit over kill. With 2012r2 a cluster doesn't need to contact a dc to boot. It's the host version that is important, not the dc.
nicholab Posted April 1, 2017 Author Posted April 1, 2017 I think I am on 2012 non r2 so that's a pain. I take it I could put a dc outside the cluster.
cmpwat Posted April 1, 2017 Posted April 1, 2017 Yes, you don't need the dc in the cluster. You don't have to have any machines in the cluster if you want. Set them up in Hyper-V manager instead of Failover Cluster Manager. It just means it will no failover if there is a problem with the host. Best option is upgrade your hosts to r2 and then upgrade the cluster, then it won't matter. If you don't, the DCs will still operate correctly. You can put a dc where ever you want and providing its part of the forest it will sync.
nicholab Posted April 1, 2017 Author Posted April 1, 2017 Thing is I am perpetual licenced so that a pain. I would have to license the units. Also rebuilding the cluster sounds a pain. Nothing stopping me putting a DC on each host but not in the cluster.
cmpwat Posted April 1, 2017 Posted April 1, 2017 (edited) Do you have SA with your license? If so you can upgrade free. As for the cluster....it's not that hard to do, and then migrate the servers. Edited April 1, 2017 by cmpwat
nicholab Posted April 2, 2017 Author Posted April 2, 2017 But I would have to take the servers offline as they would be using the same storage
Davit2005 Posted April 3, 2017 Posted April 3, 2017 Also most server have multiple ip address one for each vlan at what stage should I resolve this and what will I need to do to sort? DC's shouldn't have multiple IP's. What have you got running to need a interfaces on each vlan? Are you doing some sort of routing if so get a Layer 3 switch preferably or do as a last resort Router on a stick, will be less complicated. We had 5 DC's at the last place and was over kill even for 4000 students in my IMO. Took down to 3. Kept one Physical and the other 2 Virtual on 2 different hosts. 3 DC's in a domain to keep replication quick.
FN-GM Posted April 3, 2017 Posted April 3, 2017 DC's shouldn't have multiple IP's. What have you got running to need a interfaces on each vlan? I have a suspicion its for DHCP and the person who set it up doesn't know how to use IP helpers. 1
nicholab Posted April 3, 2017 Author Posted April 3, 2017 (edited) Yep DC with multiple IP address how do I resolve that? There is layer 3 routing on the netgear core switch. Edited April 3, 2017 by nicholab
cmpwat Posted April 3, 2017 Posted April 3, 2017 Hmmm....it sounds like you have a lot of issues with your setup. Yes you would have to take the server off line to upgrade, but providing you have enough power in your hosts you should be able to run off the remaining host/s while you do the update. I was in the same situation and done the same thing, now I am on R2 and ready to upgrade to 2016.
Davit2005 Posted April 3, 2017 Posted April 3, 2017 (edited) Yep DC with multiple IP address how do I resolve that? There is layer 3 routing on the netgear core switch. Do a netstat on the server and see if you can see what the additional IP's are used for. I wouldn't suggest removing the IP's without knowing a bit more about the setup and even then I wouldn't suggest but I'd prob do it myself if in your position and an external support Co didn't have control :-) Edited April 3, 2017 by Davit2005
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