Sharing out 2008R2 AD to external buildings

[Danp]

Might be a daft idea I have, but I would like to know if and how we can share our AD data from our main building to our 5 external buildings? They are not currently linked into our main building.

[jamesfed]

By external what kind of distances are you talking?

 

If its short enough to run direct fibre then easy enough.

 

If not then you are into VPN/leased line terrtory - again easy enough to do just needs a fair amount of work to be done.

 

Depending on number of users you might host a DC/RODC at each site.

[Danp]

We cant get a cable between them, distance is a problem, furtherest one is 5 mins walk but there is a railway line between main building and the others.

 

Each building has their own ADSL connection with a Vigor 2820 router that supports VPN.

[chazzy2501]

you can use branch cache AD (read only AD) setup a point to point VPN over wifi.

[jamesfed]

VPNs between each site in that case (although you may wish to have a long look at leased) - how many users are at each site?

[Danp]

Max number of users is 700 in total in main site AD and these are the same users in external buildings (boarding house)

[jamesfed]

Bit of reading for you-

AD DS: Read-Only Domain Controllers

Branch Cache in Windows 7 | TechNet Edge

 

Re Branch Cahce (which is great btw!) you do need to be on Windows 7/Server 2008 R2 to use it

[jamesfed]

Max number of users is 700 in total in main site AD and these are the same users in external buildings (boarding house)

 

So how many users/PCs would be in use (max/min at any given time) at each of your external sites?

Also what services would you want them to have access to that are hosted at your main site? (File Access/Intranet/ect)

[Danp]

Mostly want them to log into a common room computer as themselves and get the correct internet filtering groups based upon their user.

 

Max shared computers at any single time is 25 at the moment but want to build on this

Edited March 15, 2012 by Danp

[Oaktech]

I would do fibre for the shortest distances, for the one a 5min walk away, is there a clear line of site from one site to the other, even if you have to put a pole up? If so, use one of these... http://www.ligowave.com/?q=product/ptp-new/5-ghz/ligoptp-5-23-mimo they work over several k's distance. We have one running about 800m to our primary school site and it is easilly achieving the 100mbps they advertise over that distance. Plus, they are dead easy to setup! Edited March 15, 2012 by Oaktech

[Danp]

We cant get cable over\under the railway line.

 

We have clear line of sight to first building, from there we can go 1 > 2 then 2 > 3 and 3 > 4 but cant get to 5 from there, maybe get fibre from 4 to 5 though, there is a thought.

 

Do you need a broadcasting licence for that kit?

[Achandler]

There are multiple companies that will do point to point wifi.

 

Depending on the power of ehe wirelss you may need a license.

[Danp]

Ok, thanks, gives me something to work on.

 

Basically, we would like CC4 Anywhere but SL will not pay for it, so we are looking at other options that will give us less headache!

[Michael]

Unless you can run fibre, the link will be poor, so you definitely should have DCs or read only DCs at each site. Minimal information then needs to travel over the link itself and even if the link is down, users can still authenticate to the same domain.

 

Profiles and user data should be stored separately at each site, otherwise your wireless signal will quickly become over-loaded. You should put fibre wherever is possible.

[Achandler]

The link will be as poor or as good as you want it and price is ofcourse the factor here.

 

There are companies in Manchester that run 100MB and higher Internet Access over wifi and are emant to eb extremely good, Smoothwall's main office in leeds uses the same company to get their Internet access I believe.

 

If you pay for a proper installation then the link should be fine 99% of the time and at a decent speed. if you actually invest properly to you can bin off all the ADSL broadbands and routers and share access with the main school.

Edited March 15, 2012 by Achandler
Poor spelling, the head of schools was correct after all...

[Danp]

Happy with they own connection, but if we can set it to cache data as and when needed rather than pull live data every time that would work. I am watching the Branch Cache video at the moment, that looks good. 2008R2 machines in each of the buildings anyway