One or multiple domain

The directory database of a domain is limited to 40Meg in size (although larger ones have been documented it is not recommended). If you can get away with one domain and no trusts your life will be a lot easier. Initially the work involved to go to a single domain with BDC's at remote sites may be overwhelming. Once it is set up properly you will save work in the long run. Beware: politics may prevent you from taking away domains.

It depends on your administration model. Do you have admin in all locations, or do you admin them all from a central location. If the later, then maybe a single domain model works better. If you have administrators locally in all the locations and they keep different security policies, you would then need multiple domains.
I will read into your statement that you have a master domain model with 6 resource domains. The general rule is to consolidate and create sites and OU's for the resource locations.
Unfortunately an AD design cannot be determined from a single paragraph. There are other questions that can play into the design.
Used bandwidth of the sites, client software, existing services, application programs, and so forth.
Good Luck and Plan, Plan, Plan

Personally, I prefer the single domain model but it really should parallel your administrative structure. However, the cool thing in upgrading to W2K is that you can still partition the domain to allow local administrators to do their thing while maintaining some degree of centralized control.

paul

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