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Install question (multiple servers)

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9 replies

by kymmie

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Hi,

I would like to know how these Windows 2000 servers should be configured. We know that the Exchange server must be a PDC, but are not sure what to do with the two remaining servers. Should they be BDC's/Workgroup Servers?

9 replies

by vinnyd

The two remaining servers should be joined to the existing PDC as member servers.

Active directory should be installed on each of them.

They basically become the BDC's on the network.

by shanghai sam

The 3 servers will all be Windows 2000. Is it true that the Exchange Server in Windows 2000 could be a member server or domain controller? Someone stated that the Exchange Server should not be a DC due to the FSMO conflicts with Exchange. What wouldbe some FSMO conflicts?

by saihib

Only WinNT has PDCs and BDCs. In Win2K all servers (except standalone) are Domain Controllers.

by kymmie

Someone stated that the Exchange Server should not be a domain controller, but a member server instead. Is this true?

by shanghai sam

First of all, not only should your Exchange server not be on a PDC (which do not exist in W2k network), but it should not be on a domain controller at all. The exchange server in W2k network should be a member server. There re many reasons why you do not want Exchange on a DC. i.e. increased workload on the DC from mail services, DCs have FSMO roles that may conflict with the role of an Exchange server.

As for the rest of your question, you have not provided enough information to give a credible answer. Every network should have 2 domain controllers (W2k or NT domains). If you have 3 servers, and 2 of them are DCs, and the 3rd is an Exchange server, what is left....?

by mikel~t

To take it a little bit further...run DCPROMO on all three of your servers, setup DNS on all of them so that you have a fail safe should any of the three go down with forwarders setup, and then designate the Exchange box to be a global catalogue, making sure that it is not an Infrastructure master, as well as the PDC emulator...I would designate one of the other two servers as the PDC emulator, and the RID master...other than that you should be all set.

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