AD Replication Topology Quesitons

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Hi All

I have a few questions on the above that I'm hoping somebody can answer.

1. I've been reading the link below, specifically the part related to intrasite replication

http://www.tech-faq.com/configuring-and-troubleshooting-active-directory-replication.shtml

It says that I don't need to configure anything for intrasite replication, that it just happens. Does this mean that if I have 2 DC's in a site, if I look at the NTDS settings for one of them (in sites and services), I won't see a replicatoin "object" for the other DC? That it will happen regardless of whether the object is there or not ? Or does it just mean that the KCC will create it automatically ? What about if "automatic intrasite topology generation" is disabled (as in this article

http://www.isaacoben.com/2009/03/23...topology-generator-istg-in-active-directory/)

2. With regard to bridgehead servers - do they just pull down changes to themselves and then wait for the other non-bridgehead DC's in that site to pull the changes from them ? Or do they act as a pass-thru and actively push the changes out to the other DC's in the site ?

The reason I ask is this article says

•A connection requires two endpoints: one for the destination domain controller and one for the source domain controller. Domain controllers creating an intrasite topology always use themselves as the destination end point and must consider only the endpoint for the source domain controller. The ISTG, however, must identify both endpoints in order to create connection objects between two other servers

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc755994(WS.10).aspx

The last sentence (to me) implies that the bridgehead actively passes on the replicated data as it must identify the destination endpoint also

3. I've noticed for some of our sites which have more than one DC, that none of them are confiugred as preferred bridgehead servers. In this case, can I assume that either of them will act as a bridgehead server ? Does an election occur ? Or does it change between the 2 DC's ? Is this a bad configuration to have ?

4. Finally, if I have a site with 2 DC's, and one is confiugred as a preferred bridgehad server - what happens to intersite replication if that server goes offline for a while ? Does AD use a non-PREFFERED bridgehead server ? Or does intersite replication cease until a preferred bridgehead server is designated or the original one comes back online ?

Sorry for such a long post. Would really apprecaite any feedback anybody has

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[pagy]

ok,

1. For intrasite replication the KCC will create all replication objects for you. If you disable the KCC you would have to create the replication connections manually from within the sites and services console. You'll still the see automatically created connection object in the sites and services console.

2. I'm not 100% on this but once the bridgehead has the updates I think these are replicated to the other DCs in the site via normal intra site replication.


3. a DC is automatically selected as a bridgehead server

4.Should the DC that acts as the bridgehead server fail then another will be chosen automatically and another DC in that site then acts as the bridgehead. If you have manually chosen a bridgehead server however you will need to select another one manually.

Paul
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