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I have 2 servers

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by xnavydk

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I have 2 servers one is a the primary domain server (I should not really call it a primary since its the only one) it is a dell poweredge 2900, and I have another server this is a dell PE T300 we plan to use to run as our web server (the web page will be sql driven). I would like to think this server will not be utilized to its fullest with the website alone so I was wondering if using it to supplement the domain server as maybe a backup DNS. or even a mirror/clustered server to take off some of the load on the primary? suggestions?

35 replies

by cmiller5400

You have to think a year or two down the road... If the company may expand, the website is going to see more hits and utilization...

I wouldn't do it. Leave it as a web server. I would suggest that you spend the $$ and get another DC in there for redundancy just in case your other one gives up the ghost.

by xnavydk

If I just can get to the end of the street I'm on... I took on this job (newly created position) knowing it was not going to be an easy road. But anyway I digress. I was thinking short term. I keep adding more users (not that many 2 or 3 a month so we are growing) and we are now running peachtree off of it as well as the inventory sql db and and IAS and so on. my internet seems to be bottoming out, sporadic packet loss and such. I think the domain server is over taxed a bit. I dont understand the logs enough to know what the root cause is. so i figgured maybe move some of the roles to the other, and maybe use it as route through. EEK!

by cmiller5400

I would leave the webserver/peachtree server alone, it sounds like you have it doing enough. Build up another DC and move some of the roles to it.

by churdoo

Your webserver is exposed on the internet. For this reason, you want to avoid making it a DC and risking making said DC vulnerable to attack.

If you suspect the PE2900 may be getting over-burdened, and there isn't budget for another server yet, then perhaps there are some things you can to do improve her performance, like adding RAM, or posting some of these logs you don't understand, etc., rather than potentially exposing your AD to the internet.

by dumphrey

as its bad practice. Also, it would improve the response of your IAS server and your DC/SQL servers.

Also, look at tweaking the SQL server, is the database on the same drive set as your OS and swap file? If so, move it asap, that alone should give you a 5-10% boost in performance.

Also, you can get alot of info about your server by using the performance console and configuring some alerts in Performance Logs and Alerts.

Look at free Memory in MB, disk ques and total network traffic as a start.

Here is a quick refresher...
http://www.computerperformance.co.uk/HealthCheck/Server_Health_Check.htm

As a start though, you need at least 2 Gb ram in that server, 3 or 4 would be better, and seperate disks (or raids) for the OS and SQL DB, this is even more important since its running AD and not just peachtree.

by xnavydk

Does running the logs take up that much resources? Ram is a good idea, its expandable to another 4g I think. I really didn't think of the exposure issue thanks. That takes my idea/question off the table. I also need to look at what my users are doing in regards to surfing. Maybe that's what causing my services to be lagging/dropping packets etc.

by churdoo

I should have clarified in my original post ...

If running Server 2003 STANDARD, it will only utilize 4GB physical RAM regardless of how much the server will hold physically.

So if you are indeed running Standard Edition, and are running less than 4GB you can bump it up to 4GB at a modest cost and realize some improvement, otherwise if you're already at 4GB RAM then you'll have to look elsewhere to improve performance.

by xnavydk

yep its 03 SE sp2. /sigh

I just turned off IAS for the moment, i was running it as a test anyway for learning purp. I still have to move the inventory db off the c drive, maybe the IAS was slowing me down, problem is that I did 7 major things since the slowdown seemed to occur within that time-frame I don't know what to isolate as a point of reference. SO, I plan to do this incrementally, IAS first, move sql off the c drive and any other db that is on it. I hope Symantec endpoint is not. I would have to take the server down, off the net to move it off and reinstall it. If these 2 don't solve it, I will continue learning the perfmon so I can get a fix on it. I guess I need to buy The Art and Science of Performance Monitoring
by Guy Thomas $5.25.... do they have this in the "FOR DUMMIES" category!

by xnavydk

You guessed right, the sql's are on the same drive as the OS. I def need to move the Intellitrac server off the OS drive. I have postponed it due to knowledge /impact of services. I went in know it was and issue. The peach tree sever I installed on a new raid array knowing beforehand that nothing aside from OS should be on OS drive. Thanks for the link, VERY helpfull, I have been working on logs and performance all week, its driving me nuts! (due to my limited understanding of course!)

by xnavydk

were not even using vpn/dialup at the moment. that's initially why I started the service in the first place. I'm going to momentarily stop it just to see what happens. if i get a bunch of calles asking why the server is down, well know why!

by dumphrey

is this server the management server for that? Or does it have the client installed? If the client is installed you may want to go in and set your databases as not scanned. You have to do this with Exchange to prevent all sorts of issues, no reason any other database should be all that different.

by xnavydk

yes it is the management server , and it has a client. I will take your advice, I did disable scan of peachtree sw and server db, as the manufacturer suggested. I also need to exclude any other sql type db? i have 2 others running. I have yet to move them out of the C drive

by xnavydk

I disabled IAS and internet performance has increased. during the slowdown period I also installed the peachtree db and was messing around with some other stuff in my quest to learn all this, i am retracing my steps to see if i adjusted any other setting. I know the endpoint manager/clients are sucking up some bandwidth/resources based on the perfmon, but history doesnt show it changed any fromthe last 4 weeks. I know peachtree is notorious for slowing down systems according to thier forums. I cant avoid it, i can only work around it.

by dumphrey

And keep and eye on endpoint, I have seen it bug out and eat resources until removed, cleaned out, and reinstalled.
Did you enable the windows server firewall at any point? That could cause some slow down.
Also, whe was the last defrag on that server performed?

by xnavydk

I defragged both c and f drives both were more than 30%, both contain sql dp's. Im going to move the one off of C next week. I will keep an eye in endpoint. thanks.

by dumphrey

about SQL server DB's and AV. I just did some digging and found no reason not to scan them, and several reasons to scan them. Scanning a db shpuld be slower then normal files. If you notice no difference in the speed of the machine after disabling on-access scans for the db's, then I would re-enable it to be safe.

by xnavydk

I have obtained a new server, nicer than the old DC. I have also purchase double take to provide fail over. we had a slight hardware failure on the dc which caused a knee jerk reaction to get some backup on line. Which I mentioned when I first started. Now I want to force a fail over to the new server and get some more of my eggs out of the one basket. So, I need a backup to my DNS/AD and I want to make the old server maybe a virtual server in the old server after I failover to be a AD/DNS backup and maybe some other services I need to get off my DC. I now have 3 servers 1 virtual for a total of 4, 3 are connected to my domain and I want to isolate services. Which services should I group together? I have SQL server isolated on one virtual server.

Another problem I have been unable to solve is I cannot access any folder in the network drives from either of the servers I have joined to my domain. I can see them, I just can execute them, move them.

by dumphrey

strategies, you do not want to host your virtual DC on the new, physical DC (well,Duh). As for a back up of AD etc, it would be simpler to promot the new server to a DC, let Ad replicate, seize the FSMO roles to the new server, and then virtualize the old server. You can modify which DC uses access by changing its "weight" in DNS _ladp srv records.

by xnavydk

I was planning on running backup exec and my endpoint on the virtual to get it off my primary dc as well as our accounting software server. Was thinking to run the ad/dns backup on the host after I failover. I don't have to promote the new server, when I hit the failover button, it will just take over all services (assuming I did everything right). Its a complete image of the old server software wise. Im going to test it this weekend. I think after that, I will promote the old server to a dc and as you mentioned let AD replicate on the host.

Better?

by dumphrey

on its own dedicated server if you can, even if it means using a lower end machine. It simplifies backup and permissions. Also, I would run some tests of the virtual images to verify reliability. but overall your plan sounds solid to me. The Endpoint server and Veritas server neither uses tons of physical disk time or space, and really not that much cpu time either, so they make perfect candidates for virtualization. You can even create a Virtual DC with DNS and DHCP, I have made one work for ~ 30 people on a laptop in VMware.

All in all, sounds good :) Let me know how the testing goes.

by dumphrey

that the accouting software may be able to be installed on an XP machine (or Vista) as its "server". If you only have a few people connecting to it at a time. Check the software specifics and see.

by xnavydk

we are using Doubletake software for the failover and was told (by dell) it was a fullproof one button push solution. Well, you know I'm a rookie and that's why we bought it. The stuff works to a point but fails on the user friendly one button push for domain controllers. It does not copy FSMO roles, or any service (critical) that is running. Global Catalog or DNS without jumping through serious High end IT stuff (meaning out of my knowledge.)

so. I am just going to swap the harddrives to the new machine and cross my fingers...

then try to learn scripting required to do a full failover.

I also have to use my VM as my backup DC, even though I dont want to. I still have no backup for my DC.

by dumphrey

DC. Some organizations run all server in VM's. Its better to have a plan in place, and an existing VM to be used, even if temporary, while the real DC is repaired/replaced.

by xnavydk

we are using Doubletake software for the failover and was told (by dell) it was a fullproof one button push solution. Well, you know I'm a rookie and that's why we bought it. The stuff works to a point but fails on the user friendly one button push for domain controllers. It does not copy FSMO roles, or any service (critical) that is running. Global Catalog or DNS without jumping through serious High end IT stuff (meaning out of my knowledge.)

so. I am just going to swap the harddrives to the new machine and cross my fingers...

then try to learn scripting required to do a full failover.

I also have to use my VM as my backup DC, even though I dont want to. I still have no backup for my DC.

by xnavydk

its peachtree, pervasive db. lots of issues with it from what I hear on their website. So far Ive had no problems out of it other than is frags the drive its on. Suggestion appreciated.

by dumphrey

be tough since the database is "active" in many cases. If possible, give the DB its own disk or raid array, and make sure its internal DB maintenance is scheduled. I just use the built in defrag utility to manage drives, its slow, but reliable. I have a scheduled task set to run 2 batch files (well, one file 2 conditions) every other week.

[EDIT -- working batch file, I forgot to add the match literal string to findstr and that you need a the defrag statement separate from the "if errorlevel". The one in production adds a check-day-of-week condition which I will add if interested]

@ECHO off

:CDRIVE
defrag C: -a | findstr /C:"You do not need"
if "%errorlevel%" == "0" GOTO EDRIVE
if not "%errorlevel%" == "0" GOTO DEFC

:DEFC
Defrag c:\
GOTO EDRIVE

:EDRIVE
defrag E: -a | findstr /C:"You do not need"
if "%errorlevel%" == "0" GOTO END
if not "%errorlevel%" == "0" GOTO DEFE

:DEFE
defrag E:\
GOTO END

:END
:eof

by xnavydk

we are using Doubletake software for the failover and was told (by dell) it was a fullproof one button push solution. Well, you know I'm a rookie and that's why we bought it. The stuff works to a point but fails on the user friendly one button push for domain controllers. It does not copy FSMO roles, or any service (critical) that is running. Global Catalog or DNS without jumping through serious High end IT stuff (meaning out of my knowledge, scripting , sigh...)

so. I am just going to swap the harddrives to the new machine and cross my fingers...

then try to learn scripting required to do a full failover.

I also have to use my VM as my backup DC, even though I dont want to. I still have no backup for my DC.

by xnavydk

we are using Doubletake software for the failover and was told (by dell) it was a fullproof one button push solution. Well, you know I'm a rookie and that's why we bought it. The stuff works to a point but fails on the user friendly one button push for domain controllers. It does not copy FSMO roles, or any service (critical) that is running. Global Catalog or DNS without jumping through serious High end IT stuff (meaning out of my knowledge, scripting , sigh...)

so. I am just going to swap the harddrives to the new machine and cross my fingers...

then try to learn scripting required to do a full failover.

I also have to use my VM as my backup DC, even though I dont want to. I still have no backup for my DC.

by xnavydk

I have to graduate my server from mixed to win server 03 first. then I plan to graduate my vm to a domain server and let ad replicate then get my dns copied over to the target server before I do a failover. I am planning on getting my fsmo rolls and catalog over as well ( I can move them back yes?) . Im taking a crash course on scripting because getting the dns over is going to require some knowledge. I remember the scripting post yes LOL. its Karma I think.

by dumphrey

As for moving DNS, just set up another primary zone on the second server, ADintegrated and let it populate from the original DNS server. Then, when you are rdy to take down the original server, just change DHCP to point to the new DNS server as well as changing any static assigned DNS entries. No scripting needed.

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