Adding second domain controller to Windows 2008

I would accept the defaulr nad have your second DC both a global catalog and DNS server - there is nothing to be lost and a lot to be gained in terms of redundancy and resilliance.

There is no point in making it a RODC though - this is designed for remote/insecure sites.

Where did you read that you should only have one GC.  Try to make every DC a GC.  See bullet one here:  

http://adisfun.blogspot.com/2009/04/lessons-learned-from-eric-fleischman.html

No one can really challenge Eric F :)

demazter nailed it as usual.

Thanks

Mike

Thanks for getting back on this so fast.

Your questions:
1. Why would I want to make this second domain controller, read only?
2. By default "Global Catalog server" is checked. Do I want to have this second domain controller be a GC server as well as the first? From what I understand, you can/should only have one GC server.
3. Should I also install a DNS server on this second DC? Is that a good idea in terms of redundancy or is it not necessary?

My answers:

1. Why are you adding the second DC and where are you placing it? Second DCs are usually for redundancy and load balancing. If it is not a question of physical security in a branch office, then there is no reason to make it a RODC.

2. Microsoft recommends that all DCs in a domain should be Global Catalogue servers except when the DC hosts the Infrastructure Master role. However, in most cases, all DCs are GCs.

"The Infrastructure Master (IM) role should be held by a domain controller that is not a Global Catalog server (GC). If the Infrastructure Master runs on a Global Catalog server it will stop updating object information because it does not contain any references to objects that it does not hold" - http://www.petri.co.il/understanding_fsmo_roles_in_ad.htm

3. Make the second DC a DNS and use Active-Directory integrated DNS. That way you have full redundancy as both DNS servers hold writeable zones. Otherwise, you will have to recreate your DNS zones if the server holding the primary zone fails.

So the short version of the answers is:

1. You wouldn't.
2. Yes. You can and should have many Global Catalogue servers.
3. Yes and yes.

LOL, you closed it as I was answering :-)

The GC/IM placement only becomes an issue in multiple domain forests.

Have a look at a great article from tigermatt here, which explains the FSMO roles: https://www.experts-exchange.com/Software/Server_Software/File_Servers/Active_Directory/A_2796-Demystifying-the-Active-Directory-FSMO-Roles.html

Thanks sighar. Your answer was very complete. I'm sorry but I already assigned points before your answer came in.
I'll likely have more questions though as I move along in this process.

Thank again.

Mike