I have 2 W2K AD servers and 2 W2K member servers using MS Terminal Server. I recently purchased a new server and promoted it an AD server with the intentions of taking the first AD server I had offline. I have a total of 3 now, including the server I am going to take offline. Well, my problem is whenever I take that first server offline, none of the workststions or member servers see the domain anymore. I thought all AD components were supposed to replicate across all AD servers. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Usualy the first DC in the forest holds all the 5 FSMO roles, those roles are:
Schema Master - only one per forest (usualy the first DC)
Domain Naming Master - only one per forest (usualy the first DC)
Infrastructure Master - only one per forest (usualy the first DC)
RID Master - only one per forest (usualy the first DC)
PDC Emulator - only one per forest (usualy the first DC)
Before demoting the first DC in the forest you should seize or transfer those roles to other DC's.
There are several Microsoft KB on that mater:
HOW TO: View and Transfer FSMO Roles in the Graphical User Interface
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;255690
Windows 2000 Active Directory FSMO Roles
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;197132
And the one metioned by nisters10 above