Link to home
Start Free TrialLog in
Avatar of drlargepants
drlargepants

asked on

Active Directory Implementation Thoughts.

We currently have two sites at over ends of the country with numerous workstations at each.  We have an NT 4 domain with the PDC at one site and the BDC at the other.
We wish to migrate to Active Directory using 2003 server, and are wondering what the best implementation would be
One forest with two domains, one at each site (each site also then being an Active Directory site), or perhaps just one domain spread across two logical and physical sites, in both cases having a domain controller at each site.
ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION
Avatar of Mike Kline
Mike Kline
Flag of United States of America image

Link to home
membership
This solution is only available to members.
To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.
Start Free Trial
Avatar of drlargepants
drlargepants

ASKER

Why one domain and two sites, rather than two domains and two sites ?
Because you don't really gain anything with the extra domain and it just increases your costs (need 4 DCs instead of 2) and administrative burden.  
Not sure if you have seen this but a really good article over at activedir.org about this exact question
http://www.activedir.org/Articles/tabid/54/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/68/Default.aspx
Multiple Domain Forests: Still a Valid Design Model?
If you start off with one and for some reason you do need to add another domain down the road it is not hard to do.  I think one should meet your needs though.
Thanks
Mike
Excellent article, thanks for that.  I guess having one domain makes migration easier as well.

Mnay thanks :)