Question about a TesKing 70-294 question

[Wishdiak]

Yes, I've finally resorted to looking at the Test King material for this exam. On this one, I just don't think that their answer is correct.

You are the network administrator for TestKing.com. TestKing has offices in Chicago, New York and Toronto. Each office employs 500 people.

The network consists of a single Active Directory forest with one domain in each office. Each domain contains two domain controllers named Testking1 and Testking2. All domain controllers run Windows Server 2003. Each office is configured as an Active Directory site.

The Windows Server 2003 computer named Testking1.testking.com holds all operations master roles for its domain, and it holds both forest-level operations master roles. The Windows Server 2003 computer named Testking1.sales.testking.com and Testking1.prod.testking.com hold all operations master roles for their respective domains. WAN connectivity between the offices is unreliable.

You need to plan the placement of global catalog servers for the network. You need to ensure that each user can log on in the event of the failure of a single domain controller and WAN connection. You need to ensure that the consistency of universal group membership information remains intact.

Which two actions should you take? (Each correct answer presents part of the solution. Choose two)

A. Configure both domain controllers in testking.com as global catalog servers.
B. Configure only Testking1 in each domain as a global catalog server.
C. Configure only Testking2 in each domain as a global catalog server.
D. Enable universal group membership caching for each site.
E. Enable universal group membership caching for the Chicago office.
F. Enable universal group membership caching for the Toronto office and the New York office.

Their answer: A, F.

Here's where I'm confused. I thought that the Microsoft best practice was to never place a global catalog server on the same DC that holds the infrastructure master role. Answer A would do that.

My answer would be C, F.

Could anyone shed some light as to why A, F would be (or would not be) the correct answer?

Wishdiak
A+, Network+, Security+, MCSA: Security 2003

http://www.wishdiak.com

 

[NickFerrar]

I'm guessing there was a picture with this showing which office was which domain and where the WAN links were?

Assuming Chicago connects to NY and Toronto but NY and Toronto don't connect to each other than yeah I'd go for C and F.

Your reasoning is correct why A wouldn't be a good idea.

 

[Wishdiak]

NickFerrar,

There is a diagram, showing Chicago connected to both New York and Toronto. New York and Toronto don't connect directly to each other.

Thanks for your input.

Wishdiak
A+, Network+, Security+, MCSA: Security 2003

http://www.wishdiak.com

 

[supadupaduck]

I would have to go with Testking on this one, mainly because of this single line in the question:

You need to ensure that each user can log on in the event of the failure of a single domain controller and WAN connection.

redundancy man

A,F

 

[NickFerrar]

If you go with 'A' then you have a GC on the IM without all other DC's in the forest being GCs so you don't satisfy the consistency of universal goup requirement. 'C' works IMO because you're spreading the GC role about to non-FSMO DCs and in conjunction with 'F' people at each site should still be able to log on; if at one of the remote sites the WAN fails you still have either a GC or a GC cache to log on with (on separate DCs) so it also supports a DC failure at the same time as a WAN failure. You don't need GC caching at the Chicago office as it has two WAN links so can use a GC from a remote office if one of the WAN links fails along with the local GC DC.

 

[Narizz28]

I'm in the same boat and test this Friday. Here's my two-cents worth:

Remember that if if you choose A, both DC's in the root domain are GC's thus nulling out the recomendation about not using CG's on FSMO IM servers (From KB Article 223346),

• Single domain forest:

In a forest that contains a single Active Directory domain, there are no phantoms, and so the infrastructure master has no work to do. The infrastructure master may be placed on any domain controller in the domain, regardless of whether that domain controller hosts the global catalog or not.

• Multidomain forest where every domain controller in a domain holds the global catalog:

If every domain controller in a domain that is part of a multidomain forest also hosts the global catalog, there are no phantoms or work for the infrastructure master to do. The infrastructure master may be put on any domain controller in that domain.

The debate we're actually having is if the answer shouldn't be C and D.

But I'm going with testking on this one.

There's no reason to (or should you) have a UGMC in the same site as a GC since that would create AD Replication traffic across three sites and UGMC traffic during the configured site link periods.

So we only want the UGMC in the Toronto and New York office. We only have one real choice left then, make server2 in the Chicago office the GC (Wich only leaves 1 GC, not fault tolerant), or make both server1 and server2 in Chicago GC's.

Since making server2 in Chicago only a GC isn't an option, we have to go with making all DC's in testking.com GC's, thus nulling the "Don't make a FSMO IM server a GC" rule.

And that's how I see it. If I'm wrong, it may cost me the test (if I even get this question) should it be a close call.

Narizz28

 

[Wishdiak]

Narizz28,

Good luck with the exam. I haven't rescheduled it yet.

Wishdiak
A+, Network+, Security+, MCSA: Security 2003

http://www.wishdiak.com

 

[supadupaduck]

All of you bring up good and valid points, I personaly seem to waver back and forth on this with every new post I read. I still believe A,F are the BEST answers though. I scored lowest on the 293 & 294 although I still managed to pass them. I say flip a coin and hope for the best.



SupaDupaDuck
A+, Security+, MCP, MCSA, MCSE
MCSA:Security, MCSE:Security
IBM Certified Specialist

 

[Narizz28]

I guess I did something right. I passed with an 864. Woohoo!

Narizz28

 

[Wishdiak]

Narizz28,

Congrats! Any thoughts on how best to prepare for the exam?

Wishdiak
A+, Network+, Security+, MCSA: Security 2003

http://www.wishdiak.com

 

[NickFerrar]

This example is a multi-domain forest though therefore to ensure consistency you'd need every DC in every domain to be a GC not just the two root domain DC's (which option 'A' is not giving you).