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2 Domains in Same Forest

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6 replies

by jlbpotter

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I will soon be adding another 2000 AD domain to my existing 2000 AD forest. I have never done this and I am in the test stages right now. I have a question about the DNS settings for the new domain. In my current forest I have one of my domain controllers that is running DNS for my only existing domain and I am using forwarders to pass people on to the internet. For my new domain I would like to have DNS on it also. When I install DNS on the new domain, what should the DNS settings for the DNS server itself be. Should it look at itself for DNS or to the DNS server that is at the root of the forest? Also, when I put forwarders in my new DNS server should it be DNS servers that are provided by my ISP or should I forward requests to the existing DNS server on the root? THanks in advance and if this isn't clear enough let me know and I will try to clarify it.

6 replies

by cg it

ah ok questions: same physical location or different sites [1 box or 2]? One Active Directory controlling both or two different? the new domain a subdomain of the root in the forest e.g. of the forest

you can ADD a domain to the existing DNS server and have that DNS server provide Name Server services for the new domain. Just create the appropriate records A CName PTR SRV and MX as required. Kinda boils down to how your network is laid out and what controls what.

by cg it

create a trust between the two domains. then for file/folder access, set permissions on those objects that allow the users who need access, access. Simplistic answer but... .

by cg it

your question centered around DNS and what controls what and how it should be setup. however after your additional comments, in reality what you have is 2 domains each with it's own Active Directory and located in seperate sites. Each of which controls it's own fate. You need users for Site B [new domain] to have access to files/folders in Site A [existing domain]. DNS therefore really isn't an issue, rather creating a trust relationship between the two sites. Now if you want to create "zones" where your managing divisions within DNS namespace e.g. & and want to know how to establish which DNS holds the primary copy for the domain name & which will hold the primary copy for the subdomain name and which one only hold a secondary read only copy of DNS, and replication of DNS changes, that's different.

by jlbpotter

The Domains will be in different sites and each with their own Active Directory and their own Domain Controllers. The new domain will not be a subdomain of the existing. It will just be in the same forest. Example: It will NOT be . I would prefer that the new Domain handle it's own DNS, but users on the new one will need access to some file servers on the existing domain. Thanks.

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