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Network Advice - Business and Process Network

My question concerns how we would add a Process network for our manufacturing company to mesh with our Business network.   Let me explain.   By Business network I mean the 20 people who use basically applications like MS Office and so forth which are all connected with an Action Directory domain controll traditional style of network.  We have a file server, sql server and about 20 workstations all defined within our domain.  This configuration works fine for the business side of the network.

Now lets move out onto the manufacturing floor where we have about 15 computers which manage different parts of our manu. process.  These computers use things like PLC networks but are not connected to each other at all.  Basically 15 standalone computers, each managing different machines on the floor.  We want to create a network for these Process computers.  To have these computers connected in a network would let us perform backups, transfer data to the business network, etc.

People are telling me we need two separate networks, that we do not want our Business and Process machines to be on the same network.  So here are my questions.   How do we create this second network for the process machines so that they are linked and are able to communicate with servers and computers on the business network ?   Can we have two networks in one domain or are we talking two domains here ?

We want to have a file server within the process network that can access the file server in the business network.  Do the two networks require a firewall between them.  As you can tell I am certainly not a networking expert.  Would appreciate any suggestions on how to put this network together.  Thanks much.
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motnahp00
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You can have two networks within a single domain. Configure your subnets and sites through Active Directory Sites and Services.
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PRRcomputers
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Excellent explanation, thank you very much.