Adding replicant domian controller off site 1

[CorbinMyMan]

We currently have our domain on only one network, our main office in the US. We have a small office in Colombia that we are ready to add to our current domain so they can access our exchange servers without VPN. I already have a decent server ready to be ordered with another copy of 2003 Server on it. Will this idea I have of replicating our Primary domain controller at the Colombian office work? What network equipment will I need at the Colombian office? Just a firewall and a switch,or will I need another Cisco like we have here?

I've never dealt with replicating domain controllers outside of the physical network before so a point in the right direction would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks!

 

[58sniper]

Replication isn't really terribly different when you have remote locations. Make sure your AD Sites & Services is setup correctly with the subnets.

You'll need some sort of stable connection back to your main office. Such as a VPN connection or frame relay.

Pat Richard, MCSE MCSA:Messaging CNA
Microsoft Exchange MVP
Want to know how email works? Read for yourself -

http://www.ietf.org/rfc/rfc2821.txt

 

[CorbinMyMan]

Well I have VPN setup at my main office, but if I just used that I wouldn't need to replicate my domain controller at my office in Colombia, the users could just connect to VPN and check their email. What we want is a domain controller in colombia replicating our Primary Domain controller here in the states.

I think the AD Sites is where I need to start investigating.
But I'm not sure I understand how the network here will connect to the network there in order to replicate.

 

[58sniper]

VPN or Frame Relay. There still has to be stable connection between the sites for the DCs to talk to each other.

Pat Richard, MCSE MCSA:Messaging CNA
Microsoft Exchange MVP
Want to know how email works? Read for yourself -

http://www.ietf.org/rfc/rfc2821.txt

 

[reynolwi]

like 58sniper is saying... You have to have some physical connection back to your main office for it to even work. Just because you may have AD Sites and Servies set up doesnt mean the servers are going to find each other. You have to either have a permenant VPN tunnel setup between both locations or have a frame relay setup to your location. And since they are at a remote location it is extremely wise to have an AD server there so that those users arent logging on thru the VPN when they log in to their workstations. Having a AD server there at their location will drastically increase login times and make your life simplier.

Wm. Reynolds
RRWDS | TxPSS

http://www.rrwds.com

http://www.txpubsafety.com

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[CorbinMyMan]

ahhh now this is starting to make sense. VPN seems the best way to go here eh? We already have a RRAS Server here in our office, and I can configure the Colombian domain controller to stay connected to that vpn to allow replication right?

Thanks guys! This is really starting to come together!

 

[58sniper]

That should work.

Pat Richard, MCSE MCSA:Messaging CNA
Microsoft Exchange MVP
Want to know how email works? Read for yourself -

http://www.ietf.org/rfc/rfc2821.txt