Need advice on Windows 2003 domain layout
Here is what I have..
2 offices in 2 locations connected with a WAN (point-to-point T1 lines that are wide open with no traffic control) and each office has its own LAN. Both offices share resources such as Internet and some applications like Instant messaging and other WAN bandwidth friendly applications.
Here is what I need...
I want to create a PDC domain controller in office #1 that runs DHCP, DNS and ADS for the whole company and applcaitions for office #1. I also want to create a domain child server in office #2 to host applications for office #2. I want to setup DFS to replaicte a shared files directory between office so that network shares are local but replicated.
Here is what I need advice on...
Is this setup the best way to handle the office structure as described? My current problem is traffic across the WAN. How can that be resolved? Also, would having a child controller in office 2 keep the users in office 2 from logging on using the PDC in office #1 and vice versa? I ask this because the last network I setup was just one domain with a server in each office and when the users logged on their computer would sometime use a server in another office across the WAN to login with. Not a good thing. Also, do I need to setup each office with its own subnet? (192.168.1.XXX and 192.168.0.XXX)? Or can I use the same subnet in both offices but just join the computers to their respective domain controllers?
2 offices in 2 locations connected with a WAN (point-to-point T1 lines that are wide open with no traffic control) and each office has its own LAN. Both offices share resources such as Internet and some applications like Instant messaging and other WAN bandwidth friendly applications.
Here is what I need...
I want to create a PDC domain controller in office #1 that runs DHCP, DNS and ADS for the whole company and applcaitions for office #1. I also want to create a domain child server in office #2 to host applications for office #2. I want to setup DFS to replaicte a shared files directory between office so that network shares are local but replicated.
Here is what I need advice on...
Is this setup the best way to handle the office structure as described? My current problem is traffic across the WAN. How can that be resolved? Also, would having a child controller in office 2 keep the users in office 2 from logging on using the PDC in office #1 and vice versa? I ask this because the last network I setup was just one domain with a server in each office and when the users logged on their computer would sometime use a server in another office across the WAN to login with. Not a good thing. Also, do I need to setup each office with its own subnet? (192.168.1.XXX and 192.168.0.XXX)? Or can I use the same subnet in both offices but just join the computers to their respective domain controllers?
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theruck,by default in a typical wan connection all broadcast trafic is disabled.
I don't know any network engineer that would create a default setup allowing broadcasts through a wan link.
I don't know any network engineer that would create a default setup allowing broadcasts through a wan link.
you are right i thougt it is a dedicated line
ASKER
it IS a dedicated line that is treated just like a regular node on the switch. that is the bad part about it. my main concern is that right now the computers randomly pick whichever domain controller to logon with and that traffic alone is overwhelming and the logons are slow if the computer picks the controller on the far end of the WAN. if I create a PDC on the first LAN and then create a child controller on the other LAN will the computers use their local controllers to logon with or will they still randmonly contact any one of them? let's start there first then move forward
Like a regular node? You mean they will be on the same subnet?
ASKER
right now the WAN is treated like a regular node (a port) on the network, believe it or not , and all of the computers are on the same subnet. the broadcast T1 terminations that are used just break out channels for data but give us no control over the traffic. picture a long CAT5 cable linking 2 switches together and that is what we have. the T1 line is the long cable.
I would router them , assign diferent subnets and perheap change a bit my first picture:
Internet
|
|
yourdomain --------------------------
PDC1 wan link pdc2
dhcp dhcp
dns dns
192.168.0.x 192.168.1.x
site A siteB
Wan traffic managed by site implementation
Internet
|
|
yourdomain --------------------------
PDC1 wan link pdc2
dhcp dhcp
dns dns
192.168.0.x 192.168.1.x
site A siteB
Wan traffic managed by site implementation
ASKER
what is the lowest cost router I could use on each end?
I have one at my office PII 64Mb running SmoothWall (50Mb install size), cost me the trouble to clean its dust, insert 2 nics, download the software and configure it (10m). www.smoothwall.org
If you are going to use 2 DHCP servers - one for each office network, you have to disallow the DHCP broadcasting between the two offices on the router/firewall - just the oposite bmquintas says so your clients will ask allways the right DHCP for an IP address. This can be done only if the DHCP in office1 will be serving different range of IP's than the DHCP in office2 - so you will not have conflicts between IPs