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Backup Domain Controller for windows serv 2008

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by benmcdevitt09

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I know that you cant add a backup domain controller anymore you have to add a new one. But how do i go about doing that? I just installed windows server 2008 on a server and I need to download the backup domain controller, can i get a step by step that would be amazing. Thanks for reading and for the possible help : ) - Ben

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by cg it

just like you could in Windows 2000, 2003.

What changed from NT to 2000 is the designation of domain controllers such as primary and backup. In W2K and above Active Directory, all domain controllers are peers. The domain controllers hold roles and while some DCs can hold different roles, there are some roles that only be held by 1 server.

by churdoo

CG's post is 100% correct. Are you adding a 2K8 server to an existing active directory with a single DC and you want to promote the 2K8 to a second DC?

High level since you're lacking too much detail to do step by step. You run DCPROMO from a CMD prompt to promote and demote domain controllers since Windows 2000 and still true for 2008 (though I think in 2K8 they added in icon somewhere which can also launch DCPROMO).

Also depending on the version of your AD, i.e. the version and R level of your existing DC's O/S, you may have to run ADPREP on your existing DC's prior to promoting a new DC if the proposed new DC is a more recent O/S / R-level / Service Pack than your existing DCs.

So look up DCPROMO and ADPREP and/or post back more specific details about your configuration.

by cg it

so the "download" is simply replication of Active Directory data between two Domain Controllers and that's done automatically.

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