Active Directory Fault tolerance?

[computerjock33]

Living in a Netware world for the past 5 years or so, we are moving to the world of Bill Gates and AD. With Novell a replica of edirectory can live on multiple servers, RO, RW, etc. Back in the Day of Windows 2000 server I believe there used to be PDC and BDC (backup domain controller). That doesnt seem to be the case with windows 2003. What is the best practice for replicating AD to another server in case your Domain controller dies? thanks in advance for the help

 

[gavm99]

Hi,

In a nutshell you simply make another server a domain controller and you can have as many as you like.

You still set one to be the PDC.

You also set one or more to contain the Global Catalogue.

Thanks.

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"Nobody cares how it works, as long as it works

 

[computerjock33]

so, it doesnt have to be a child domain controller? It can have same name as original dc. such as if the current one is called maindc.local the second one can be the same?

 

[Davetoo]

No, and there are no PDC's and BDC's any more, period, with W2K and beyond. You bring each of the AD servers into the domain separately and just dcpromo each one. They each have to have their own IP and name, etc., just like any other W2K server.

You can change your FSMO roles and move them around to different servers if you like, and it is a good idea to have at least two GC's if you can.

I'm Certifiable, not cert-ified.
It just means my answers are from experience, not a book.