Infrastructure master and Global Catalog 2

[Empmark]

I'm running 2003 Server SP1 and have 2 Domain Controllers at my main site. I also have an Exchange box running at this site. One D.C. holds all of the operations master roles. It is also the only global catalog at this site. I was thinking about making the other DC a global catalog when I read this from Microsoft.

http://technet2.microsoft.com/WindowsServer/en/Library/9c0f86c4-def6-42f5-9c1d-a9292b4905821033.mspx

The relevant part states:
"Unless there is only one domain controller in the domain, the infrastructure master role should not be assigned to the domain controller that is hosting the global catalog. If the infrastructure master and global catalog are on the same domain controller, the infrastructure master will not function. The infrastructure master will never find data that is out of date, so it will never replicate any changes to the other domain controllers in the domain.
In the case where all of the domain controllers in a domain are also hosting the global catalog, all of the domain controllers will have the current data and it does not matter which domain controller holds the infrastructure master role."

So it sounds like I should definitly make the second DC a GC and then all should be well. I just was curious if anyone had any thoughts on this before I made the change. Any comments are appreciated. Thanks.

 

[PScottC]

When you set your second DC as a GC be sure to reboot it twice so that Exchange recognizes it. I can't remember the KB article, but I remember reading that the DSAccess service may not pick up the new GC until the DC has been rebooted.

Also, once you have done this, you should remove the GC from the FSMO role holder.

Now... On the practical side, I have never seen this GC-Infrastructure Master issue come up and be problematic on any of the small ADs that I've worked on. If you have 5 or 6 or more DCs, I would do this whole procedure without reservation. I really don't think that you should worry about it unless you are having problems.

PSC

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[Daveyd123]

My Network is setup similar to yours. We are a 2003/XP enviorment running 2 DCs, 1 Exchange box and 500 clients. I have both DCs as AD intergrated DNS servers and well as both being GCs. One DC hols all 5 FSMO roles. No real problems.

 

[Empmark]

Thanks all for the feedback. And the reboot tip.

Along with the article and Davyd123 seconding it, I think I'll have both run as GCs. Redundancy is a good thing, especially for Exchange and the replication traffic will be minor. It's funny how you can work with things for a while, I started with NT, and as well as you think you know it you read something and go "Hmm never heard that before". That's why I love this forum. Great place for feedback.