tudoradmin
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demoting a small business server
Can a Windows 2003 small business server be changed to act as a member server to another small business server domain controller? I have two small business servers and would like to setup the second server as a standard member server on the other server's domain. Can this be done? how?
smetterd
If you have enough computing power (and I'll bet you do), then don't demote. Microsoft (as well as normal IT folks) recommend at least 2 DC's per AD site for fault tolerance. Leave them both as DC's and you will be better off in the long run. Happy SBS'ing!
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1. smetterd: According to the rulebooks, SBS must be the operations master for the domain so you can not put a second one for fault tolerance.
2. zefiro: You are right. I spoke with Microsoft and tested it. If you demote the server, the sbcore service will find it a violation and shut the computer down 90 minutes later. The only way to keep an SBS server alive it to keep it as the DC with all operations modes running on it.
2. zefiro: You are right. I spoke with Microsoft and tested it. If you demote the server, the sbcore service will find it a violation and shut the computer down 90 minutes later. The only way to keep an SBS server alive it to keep it as the DC with all operations modes running on it.