PDC also controls printers - is this bad practise ?

[Jono]

we have a pdc + various nationwide bdc - should we have the pdc also controlling printers? - i think its bad practise and that we should install a bdc for controlling printers.<br>
we have lexmark services which are quite unstable!<br>
In fact would it be easier to install a new pdc and demote the current pdc - then copy user files across to the new pdc?<br>

 

[Zelandakh]

It is bad practice, but most people do it. Run perfmon and check whether there is enough RAM and processor power. If there is then no problem. If not, then you need a BDC / other server to run the printers. If you do, then install a new PDC which when booted will demote the existing PDC.

 

[waynemaples]

In an simple environment, small office cost constraints, its OK to have a domain controller perform other functions. The &quot; a pdc + various nationwide bdc&quot; is bothersome. If you don't have a bdc locally, you are open to the kind of<br>
a+b situation thats a killer: Your WAN link goes south for god knows how long. The PDC melts down and does not come back up. No one can logon (pdc down and WAN access to BDCs down). Far fetched? These things happen all the time. If you don't have a bdc in the local LAN environment, use the reliability issue to get one. <br>
<br>
-Wayne

 

[JBC]

If you do decide to install a new PDC, which is a good idea if the Lexmark software is unstable. Install a new BDC of that domain and promote it to a PDC through server manager. I think if you install a new PDC it will create a new domain SID and cause errors.

 

[scully99]

If you can't afford amnother server, you'll be ok. Just make sure you run the Lexmark software in it's own memory space. If it crashes, stop it and restart it. No big deal. <br>
<br>
If you can affors anther machine, install it as a BDC, and then promote it to PDC. Then current PDC will demote itself and you'll be fine.<br>
<br>
I would recommend you have at least one BDC local.

 

[Jono]

thanks for all the replies guys, we had a BDC that is used for an old oracle database and nothing else so we recreated all of the printers on this.<br>
cheers<br>
<br>
Jon