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Deploying the first DC to a new office

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5 replies

by infoletters

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My company is setting up a new office in a different state. This new office is to have its own independent domain with no WAN link to GHQ.

It has been decided that the first DC box for this new office domain is to be built at GHQ and have it couriered to the new site upon completing the installation and configuration of this server box.

Requirements:
- Win2k Server + SP1
- DHCP Manager enabled
- ISA

The way i look at this deployment:
- install this new machine as a standalone server of a workgroup
- assign static external IPs(which we have accquired) to the 2 NIC in the new server box
- Install DHCP Services and create a scope
- Install ISA and configure its properties
- Courier the box to the new office
- Hook up its network cables and fire it up
- Promote to DC and everything will be ready to go..!

Everything sounds ideal and straight forward... But my concern is to there are unforseen problems with this sort of arrangment which i cld hv missed

Any comment or alternative remedy is appreciated.

cheers!
Dylan

5 replies

by taiseermustafa

In Windows NT 4.0, you can't Promote from stand alone Server to PDC, only Installing BDC on this Server then promoting to PDC is the correct action.
You are planning to install W2K, and this may cause you some problems as you are planing to installit instead of PDC, so I suggest that you visit Microsoft Technet the following Link can you
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/win2000/dguide/chapt-10.asp

But always remember that you should make a full backup before doing any step, in case you faced problems.

Good Luck

by monice

If this is the first DC on the new network you can completely configure the 2k DC completely before shipping. Do not install while connected to GHQ network. If there is an existing NT 4.0 domain at this office this will not work. If an NT 4.0 PDC already exists. The existing PDC must be upgraded to 2k DC first. Configure 2k server as standalone, add to domain at new office then promote to DC. This will retain all all accounts, etc. Then you can remove or demote old server. Hope this helps.

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