mvogts
asked on
Networking planning, MS Domains
A general question about network topology. My company currently has 2000 AD server running on our main campus with about 200 total clients, and maybe 10 other 2000 servers. We also have a variety of Netware file and app servers.
We are in the planning stages of bringing up a remote location. This location will in all likelyhood be connected back to the main campus using a leased T1 line, and will consist of around 10-15 workstations initially, though this could grow in the future. We will be responsible with providing service to this remote location, including internet access, file sharing, apps, email, support for workstations, the whole 9 yards.
My question is regarding how this remote location should be integrated into AD. Should I look at deploying a backup domain controller (or sub-domain?) local to the remote locations VLan, or is this overkill? Can we join all those workstations to our main domain directly over the T1, and expect performance to be acceptable, taking into account the traffic from all the other services?
If anyone has any links to Microsoft KB articles or "best practice" white papers related to this topic as well, I would very much appreciate the links.
We are in the planning stages of bringing up a remote location. This location will in all likelyhood be connected back to the main campus using a leased T1 line, and will consist of around 10-15 workstations initially, though this could grow in the future. We will be responsible with providing service to this remote location, including internet access, file sharing, apps, email, support for workstations, the whole 9 yards.
My question is regarding how this remote location should be integrated into AD. Should I look at deploying a backup domain controller (or sub-domain?) local to the remote locations VLan, or is this overkill? Can we join all those workstations to our main domain directly over the T1, and expect performance to be acceptable, taking into account the traffic from all the other services?
If anyone has any links to Microsoft KB articles or "best practice" white papers related to this topic as well, I would very much appreciate the links.
ASKER
After looking at a couple more things, I'm wondering now about AD Sites and Services, and whether this is something I need to look into or not?
If you plan to install a domain controller you need to consider configuring Sites - one for the Central Site and one for the remote one.
NetoMeter
NetoMeter
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ASKER
My apologies on losing track of this post, points awarded.
I think that setting a Domain Controller for just 10-15 machines/users is going to be an overkill.
It turns out that the authentication requests which the users will send over the WAN very small packets which take less bandwidth compared to the bandwidth required for replication between the Domain Controllers.
You might consider setting a File/Application server for the users at the remote location.
Another consideration could be whether you have experienced Network Admin(s) at that location or the administratiion tasks will be performed from the central site.
If there is not going to be admin staff at that location it will bve easier if you set an OU for that location.
In case you expect significant growth of the number of users combined with a difference in the company policies for its users like different security settings, restricted access to resources there, different e-mail addresses for the e-mail etc. you might consider deploying a child domain. That is not difficult and I preffer such configuration in places where there are 40-50 and more users/machines.
NetoMeter