Workgroup setting with a DC

[bodminman]

Hi there,

 

Hopefully just a quick question.

 

The local primary schools network is setup as a workgroup, all accessing shares on a LinkStation.

 

They have purchased a server which they have asked me to setup for them etc and move everything from the LinkStation to the new box.

 

I want to setup a pukka Domain for them but because I've never had to, I'm unsure as to what effect having a DC on the LAN will have to the Workgroup clients. As the clients are all manually configured with IP and DNS etc and aren't and won't be connected to the Domain as such for some time I doubt it would effect anything.

 

I have been given access to a few machines to start on O/S and software deplayments and testing GPO's etc so I thought that if I could get this integrated now and then migrate the remaining PCs over during the Easter break it'll save a bit of hassle.

 

Can anyone please offer me a sanity check on this please!

Edited February 2, 2011 by bodminman

[mjs_mjs]

EDIT - being a Muppet and read it wrong. Edited February 2, 2011 by mjs_mjs

[bodminman]

EDIT - being a Muppet and read it wrong.

 

Gave you thanks just for being honest with yourself!

[john]

I wouldn't think you should have any issues, if everything is Staticly assigned and has manual IPs you should be fine, of course just because your building the new LAN doesn't mean you need to plug it into your existing LAN, just build it off the main LAN and then only patch to the main one when the time comes to switch over, I did my new LAN that way.

[bodminman]

I wouldn't think you should have any issues, if everything is Staticly assigned and has manual IPs you should be fine, of course just because your building the new LAN doesn't mean you need to plug it into your existing LAN, just build it off the main LAN and then only patch to the main one when the time comes to switch over, I did my new LAN that way.

 

Everything is has a static IP assigned. I've just got hold of a small switch which I will used along side with the test PCs etc and logmein to do as much as possbile remotely!

 

It's only a simple setup anyway but if I can do the donkey work remotely then I should have plenty of time to get it done.

 

Thanks

[p858snake]

Yes, you can have workgroup and domain machines together on the network with services like DHCP/DNS, but since you mentioned that they are static you will need to make sure they can't conflict, The easiest way for this is to setup the DHCP/DNS to use a different subnet for the new network or use a different range all together.