DC priority

Windows will default to be authenticated by the most highest operating system + service pack level!!!

I think you're previous respondent is getting confused with the browser service, which uses OS and SP level during a browser election (a totally different matter). I don't know what OS you have, but lets start with NT4. When a client begins the discovery process, they will query WINS for a list of Domain Controllers. Wins will send the list, a max of 10 servernames at a time, always starting with the PDC. The client will then fire off a request to each in turn, and accept service from the firstone to reply. The only reason a client will often end up with the nearest server (IE same subnet) is because that server often replies fastest (IE no network delay). Theres no easy way round this I'm afraid, but you could try setprfdc.exe from the reskit. Although this will not guarantee a first logon to the local server, by putting it in startup (or the run once key) it will instruct the box to target future logons at a server of your choice. Worst case scenario, your users must log off then on again to connect to the correct DC. NOTE that this preferred server setting does not survive across reboots, and will require setprfdc to be run again to reset it. On win2k you can use sites, whereby a logical 'site' is defined consisting of 1 or more subnets. A server is associated with this site, and when a logon request is sent by the client the receiving server looks at the subnet the request came from and thus determines what (if any) site it belongs to, and instructs the client to talk to the server associated with that site. site implementation is a subject best researched in technet, where this a wealth of info. Hope this helps...

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