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Windows 2000 Active Directory Planning

By pete.zerger ·
I would like your input on our companies NT 4 to Windows 2000 migration. This question
will be posted 5 days, if more than one member posts good info, I will arrange with you to disperse extra points if necessary.
Be thorough and good luck!

The network model is as follows:

3 cities, 1 NT 4.0 domain each city, each connected to the Internet with full T1. One is parent office which the 2 branch offices depend on for email access, less than 50 users at each site. I want the best way to handle the following:

-Domains (1 or 3?, or do we use OUs?)
-Sites
-Site Links (how many, RPC or SMTP?)-Site
Links are a little confusing to me so the
more detail the better.
-DNS, DHCP, and WINS (Yes, we'll have
downlevel client machines)
-Any inter-site replication scheduling
between sites.

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Windows 2000 Active Directory Planning

by Inspectorclave In reply to Windows 2000 Active Direc ...

Boy.. this is a huge decision, but I would recommend a single master domain setup. In other words, create one AD tree (like MyCompany.com). Implement AD on one server at each site with replication setup between the 2 remote sites and the parent site. Schedule replication traffic to occur after hours to reduce traffic during peak hours. Install Exchange Server in the parent domain. Create complete (2 way) trust relationships between all sites. I would store all users in the parent location AD server and replicate the database to the remote servers. This will create more traffic during logon, but will provide easier management. It shouldn't be a big deal with full T1's at each site. Email me at chrisp@metronational.com if you have anyother questions. Good Luck.

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Windows 2000 Active Directory Planning

by pete.zerger In reply to Windows 2000 Active Direc ...

Thanks, but trust relationships are automatic, and no such thing as storing all users at parent office AND replicating AD database to branch offices, as the user accts will be in the db when it's replicated. Please check yourself for accuracy

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Windows 2000 Active Directory Planning

by Aaron_Wurthmann In reply to Windows 2000 Active Direc ...

This questions eerily familiar...
Search for my question "Time to upgrade, where is my hammer?" a few people had some good links and answers there.

http://www.techrepublic.com/trbbs/message_detail.jhtml?thread_id=10449&thread_title=Time+to+upgrade%2C+where+is+my+hammer%3F&ooc=open

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Windows 2000 Active Directory Planning

by pete.zerger In reply to Windows 2000 Active Direc ...

Read that already. Someone telling me to back up my network (which I do anyway) is not the info I seek.

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Windows 2000 Active Directory Planning

by wayne.maples In reply to Windows 2000 Active Direc ...

re site links

connections can not be made between computers in sites unless there is a site link in place. have each site have a link with other 2 sites A has site link B and C.
B has site link to A and C. ..

the replication protocol can berpc or smtp.
rpc replication can be scheduled. smtp is asynchronous and ignores schedules. smtp requires you to install and configure a certificate authority (CA). The CA signs SMTP messages exchanged between domain controllers. This insures authenic directory updates (really important since you are linking via internet rather than private wan). rpc does not require a CA.

-Wayne

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Windows 2000 Active Directory Planning

by pete.zerger In reply to Windows 2000 Active Direc ...

That is helpful....Thank you. Send me your thoughts on placement of Domain Controllers, Global Catalog Servers, and FSMO's for another 1000 points.

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