We have a domain controller at our site that does not seem to be doing its implied job. There are two DC's on site, an older Compaq Proliant running Windows 2000 (named C-BDC) and a newer Dell PowerEdge 2850 running Windows 2003 (named G-BDC). We would very much like to get the 2K server out of the mix so that we can elevate to native 2k3 operation, but if C-BDC goes down, our users are cannot log in, etc.
While investigating this, I ran the dcdiag tool against G-BDC, and got the following two errors:
Testing server: Corning\G-BDC
Starting test: Connectivity
The host 5b5d2ee3-c7b9-4d43-9213-d6
Although the Guid DNS name
(5b5d2ee3-c7b9-4d43-9213-d
......................... G-BDC failed test Connectivity
Starting test: FsmoCheck
Warning: DcGetDcName(GC_SERVER_REQU
A Global Catalog Server could not be located - All GC's are down.
Warning: DcGetDcName(PDC_REQUIRED) call failed, error 1355
A Primary Domain Controller could not be located.
The server holding the PDC role is down.
......................... ladarling.com failed test FsmoCheck
I dont know if this is directly related to our problem, or if its just symptomatic of some larger problem.
To provide some background, all of the AD roles (infrastructure master, GC, PDC emulator) are on an offsite machine at a sister company. Our network is operating O.K. in general, but this issue makes me think that there is some more sinister problem, possibly network wide. I have read, for instance, that IM and GC roles should not be on the same server, which is what our domain has now. I just dont have enough AD experience to judge what is making this one server freak out.
As for me, I am a programmer by training, so the network side of the house is a learn-as-I-go situation. Obviously, I dont want to even worry about mothballing the compaq if I cant get this dell DC to stand up correctly. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
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With that said, are either (or both) of your Win2000 and Win2003 DCs set as Global Catalogs?
No. There is only the one throughout the domain, which does not seem right since between the 4 sites we have 5 DC's and around 20 member servers.
What is really bugging me is that the local Windows 2000 server seems to be the go-to server for all of the devices at our site (approx. 200 workstations, and numerous other network devices). If C-BDC is down (which is becoming more frequent of late), they dont 'see' G-BDC. Why would that be the case?
I don't think you can locate a login server without a global catalog available.
"Warning: DcGetDcName(GC_SERVER_REQU
"Users in the site belong to a Windows 2000 domain running in native mode. In this case, all users must obtain universal group membership information from a global catalog server. If a global catalog is not located within the same site all logon requests must be routed over your WAN connection to a global catalog located in another site."
http://technet.microsoft.c
So the workstations are reaching the GC via C-BDC over the WAN? I mean, if thats not the case, why are the workstations not running login scripts or accessing the proxy server when C-BDC is offline? G-BDC runs the proxy software, and the workstations dont connect to it if C-BDC is down. Very annoying, to say the least.
I'm not seeing how that 2K server is so tangled up in this mess. What do you guys think the implications of me creating a local GC on the 2k3 server would be in that regard (removing dependence on that 2K machine, that is)?
Just for the posterity of this question, I will explain what I found (after much digging):
G-BDC is the newest addition of the DC servers on the network, it was initially setup as an application server only (IIS), and then later promoted to DC. However, the TCP/IP settings were still pointing to other servers for DNS. I changed the settings to look at itself, not really expecting that to be the problem. After a few replication cycles, however, 'dcdiag' passes *ALL* tests, and I can see that the GC and PDC operation masters correctly display in the Operations Masters task in ADUC. Sweet.
But, I agree with you guys that our site needs to have a GC, so I am going to hook that up ASAP. My next task will then be to monitor workstation activity against the server to see if its being used when C-BDC is down. Stay tuned, I will most likely be back with new and interesting problems (if my history with this machine is any indication). Thanks to all for your help.
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by: MikealclPosted on 2008-10-21 at 13:08:18ID: 22770928
I think you just need another global catalog(or add that roll to your 2nd dc)?
IM and GC I believe only required to be separated when you get into multiple domain situations. I think with single domain your fine.