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Redundancy with Win2K

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by nateh

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HI all,

I have a client with 2 geographically separate offices. They have a Win2003 server in their main office (Office 1). This is all running in a Workgroup mode.

In Office 2, they have multiple PCs connected via T1 to Office 1, running Terminal Services to connect to a second server in Office 1. This is due to an application that cannot run remotely.

Anyway, I want to set up a domain controller in Office 1 wiyh DNS and DHCP control. Then set up a DC in Office 2 as a redundant system. This is in case Office 1 DC crashes.

No problem setting up Office 1. I have done that before and can do it easily.

The question is how to setup Office 2. No sure how to configure the server regarding DNS and DHCP so that if Office 1 crashes, DC 2 can take over until DC 1 comes back.

thanks

Nate

7 replies

by cg it

install Active Directory. Make office 2 a subdomain [site] within the same forest as the FQDN [root of the forest] and replicate AD between the 2 domain controllers e.g., establish a site link bridge in AD between the primary site [office 1] to the secondary site [office 2] for AD replication between sites. DHCP, best to have it running at both sites, configured for both subnets using scopes.

by cg it

subnets can have more than one DHCP server in which to provide services but each subnet IP addresses can't overlap [create scopes]. Provided routers you have allow boottp relay so the DHCP discover message can reach site 2's DHCP server that server can provide services to site one should site 1's server becomes unavailable.

In DNS create NS records to identify site 2 DC to contact if it's local NS is not present. [you would create NS at site 2 to reflect site 1 to go to should their local DNS server is unavailable.

by cg it

you mention that your running a "workgroup" [basically a peer to peer for file sharing]. Since your using W2003 might as well go with Active Directory. More security, better centralized directory management, blah blah yadda yadda. If you make site 2 a subdomain within the same forest as site 1 [which site 1 would be the root domain] then an implicit trust exists between them. you don't have to mess with establshing trust relationships between them.

by bbahar

These are my suggestions :
(1) In Office 1, setup a DC as you
planned, with DNS (obsolete !!) and
DHCP.
(2) Put Office 2 under same domain. Make
a secondary DC there (for
reduntant). For DHCP : If your
communication equipment support
DHCP requests you have no problem to
get IPs from Office 1, otherwise put
a DHCP relay agent on to secondary
DC.
(3) To avoid slow logon problems, make a
bridgehead between two sites. This
will allow to users of Office 2 get
an authentication from closer
server.
(4) These 2 servers will replicate 4
times a day (by default, you can
change the schedule..), because DNS
is AD integrated, entire database
will be copied to secondary DC. This
will make your job easier. In time
of failure, users still will be able
to login due the other DC.
(5) Two domains under one forest won't
be efficial at all. In this case,
you'll have to setup 4 servers (two
for each domain: 1 for primary DC, 1
for secondary DC) which will cause
an admininstrative overhead. If you
will decide with GPOs (which I
strongly recommend ..!) will be
easier to administrate it under one
domain.

Good Luck ..!

by sgt_shultz

yah, and give these guys more points for your lovely answer that saved you so much more that you know...

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