Global Catalog servers!?

[TheMisio]

Dear colleagues.

We have several AD sites with DCs on each of them. All DCs are also Global Catalog servers.
The thing is that whenever I restart a DC, I get error message in the event stating that the Global Catalog server could not be contacted, followed by another message stating that the GC server has been located at….. The problem is that all DCs point to another server as the GC, not themselves.

Is there any way I can force a DC to point to itself as a Global Catalog server? I don’t want server in one site queering server in another site. It negates the whole point of having a GC in each site.

Any help much appreciated.

All systems running Windows 2003 Server SP1.

Regards,

Michael

 

[pagy]

What server are the DCs pointing for the preferred DNS server?

What is the full message and eventid from the log?

Paul
MCTS: Exchange 2007, Configuration
MCSA:2003
MCSE:2003
MCITP:Enterprise Administrator

If there are no stupid questions, then what kind of questions do stupid people ask? Do they get smart just in time to ask questions?
Scott Adams

 

[TheMisio]

pagy,

First: Source NTDS General, event Id: 1126

"Active Directory was unable to establish a connection with the global catalog.

Additional Data
Error value:
1792 An attempt was made to logon, but the network logon service was not started.
Internal ID:
3200cd1 "

Right after the above: Source NTDS General, event Id: 1869

"Active Directory has located a global catalog in the following site.

Global catalog:
\\server-different-than-itself.domain.local
Site:
SITE"

All operations seem fine, it's just I want to make sure a DC on a remote site is usign itself as GC. At the moment my DCs choose different servers as Global Catalog.

Regards,

Michael

 

[markdmac]

This is normal. When the event log is started, Active Directory has not yet initiated and the event is logged on the server. Your clients and the server itself will still connect to that box first once AD is fully running.

I hope you find this post helpful.

Regards,

Mark

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[thugatic537]

I am a beginner in this but from what I know, if you want to move a domain controller to a site you have to manually move it because it doesn't automatically do it(only during promotion). Only other computer accounts automatically detect in what site they are in by their ip address everytime they are turned on. I am not quite sure about this but I think there is only one global catalog server in each forest. So, if you want to make other DCs Global Catalog servers, you have to go to SITES AND SERVICES, go to the SERVER you want to make a GLOBAL CATALOG and extend it so it displays its NTDS Settings and right click it to open up its properties. Now, there you will find a check box that allows you to make a server a global catalog server.

 

[pagy]

Yep, what Mark said. I'd still be interested to know what server your DCs in remote sites point to as their preferred DNS server though. Do they point to themselves or to another DC in the same site or a DC in a different site?

Paul
MCTS: Exchange 2007, Configuration
MCSA:2003
MCSE:2003
MCITP:Enterprise Administrator

If there are no stupid questions, then what kind of questions do stupid people ask? Do they get smart just in time to ask questions?
Scott Adams

 

[TheMisio]

Thanks guys.

All servers point to themselves as primary DNS. Secondary is in our HQ.

So no need to worry then.

Thanks again.

Regards,

Michael