DC at a remote location across WAN link

[rpreston]

I need to put a domain controller at a remote location across a WAN link, to provide resilience/DR.

Can anyone point me in the direction of any config examples/guidlelines/restrictions for doing this ?

TIA




Rob

 

[acl03]

Are you in a single domain? If so, make the second DC a Global Catalog server.

Replication doesn't use much bandwidth, so your synchronization shouldnt really be an issue.

Do you have users at this remote location or is it strictly a DR site?

If you have users there, you should set up sites and subnets (and inter-site links). I can explain more if you need me to.



Thanks,
Andrew

 

[rpreston]

Andrew,

We have a head office with the domain I want to provide resilience for. I also have equipment at a remote location across a VPN link.

I'd like to place a server at the remote location (where there is already another domain, different to the head office one) and make it a DC in the head office domain. As this is something we've never actually done before I'd like to run over any example configs so I can see what a real-life implementation looks like.

I want to make sure that the DC I put in at the remote location doesn't cause any problems with the domain already in place there, so if there's anything you can point me at that would help I'd really appreciate it.

Thanks.

 

[acl03]

Do you have a separate subnet at this other location? Will it have to go through VPN to be able to connect, or can it connect directly?



Thanks,
Andrew

 

[rpreston]

Andrew,

Thanks for the quick reply.

We have a separate domain (with users) at each of the two locations.

DomainA is at my head office. I want to create a DomainA DC at the site where DomainB is located. The idea is to place a DC (with a copy of the office file system) and an Exchange Server off-site, but at a location where remote users can access them in the event of a catastrophic failure at the head office. If I can have a DomainA DC at my DomainB location the AD info there will always be up to date. All I'll need to do is restore my Exchange DB and they'll have access to all of the services they require to continue functioning as a company.

As we don't have any domains whcih cross sites we haven't implemeted sites, subnets and inter-site links before. Does Microsoft have a config example/tutorial on the website somewhere ?

 

[acl03]

I'm not sure, but i can help you out.

THe main thing is - will these two servers be able to speak with each other without going through VPN?

It is very easy to set up if they can easily talk to each other, and it will not interfere with domain B.



Thanks,
Andrew

 

[Kobrasys]

Hi Andrew. Same issue - also require assistance.

I have 2 W2K Advanced Server DCs in location A. Has a folder holding all users data on one Server. Using DFS to copy the folder and all its contents to the second server - both in same office.

I Need to put in another serverB in location B. I want to join ServerB to domainA in location A. Both locations have 2MB broadband connection - looking at connecting using VPN.

MUST HAVEs;
1. The all users data folder in location A should be replicated to ServerB in location B every night - after close of business.
2. If location A becomes unavailable, users should be to authenticate to and login to serverB in location B and have access to the all users data folder.

I have just installed W2K Advanced Server on ServerB and have not done anything else to it. Not promoted, not yet joined to any domain. Only adminpak.msi installed. Nothing else. No users added.

Would be sticking Exchange 2K on them in due course (currently no justification for upgrading to W2003 or EX 2003)

Would appreciate assistance on this.

Regards

Kobrasys

 

[rokitman1]

I would also like help on this, I have the same requirement

Site A
2003 Server
Domain A

Site B
2003 Server
needs to join Domain A as a member Server

I only have windows VPN available at the moment, but may be getting site links via VPN routers soon

is there any MS site detailing the steps for the second server joining the first via a WAN?

thanks

Rokitman1
"Any Time..Any Place..Anywhere.....That's Martini"

 

[acl03]

Well I'm not sure how to go about joining sites over a VPN connection, as I've never done it.

As far as replicating user data, I think you would need to buy a third party tool to do so, I don't think that windows has any built-in tools for that, but I could be wrong.



Thanks,
Andrew