Windows 2003 Server Infrastructure Design

[Guest]

I am redesigning my network infrastructure and would like some advice. I
have three seperate buildings that is backboned with fiber at 100mb. The
longest distance is 2000 feet. I have about 20 xppro workstations per
building.
Qestion: Should I be segmenting each building or keep everything in one
subnet? Should I have one domain for each building or just have one for all.
I was thinking of staying with one subnet and domain but have a 2003 server
as backup domain and file print sharing at each building.

Thanks for your advice,
Steve

 

[Robert L [MS-MVP]]

assuming you have fiber cable connecting to each other, I would keep one segment and one domain.
For more and other information, go to http://howtonetworking.com.

Don't send e-mail or reply to me except you need consulting services. Posting on MS newsgroup will benefit all readers and you may get more help.

Bob Lin, MS-MVP, MCSE & CNE
How to Setup Windows, Network, Remote Access on http://www.HowToNetworking.com
Networking, Internet, Routing, VPN Troubleshooting on http://www.ChicagoTech.net
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties.
I recommend Brinkster for web hosting!

I am redesigning my network infrastructure and would like some advice. I
have three seperate buildings that is backboned with fiber at 100mb. The
longest distance is 2000 feet. I have about 20 xppro workstations per
building.
Qestion: Should I be segmenting each building or keep everything in one
subnet? Should I have one domain for each building or just have one for all.
I was thinking of staying with one subnet and domain but have a 2003 server
as backup domain and file print sharing at each building.

Thanks for your advice,
Steve

 

[Phillip Windell]

I "ditto" Robert.

Subnets are for combating broadcasts and it isn't likely you would have that
problem with that few of machines. A single segment "switched" system will
be perfectly fine.

One of the concepts of Active Directory Domain design was to reduce the
number of Domains as you would have seen in the old NT4 ways of doing
things. One single Active Directory Domain can go a long-long way.

 

[Guest]

Ok thanks for the information and that is what I will do. The buildings are
fiber backboned 100mb vi 3com 24 port switches. I have problems with
computer using dhcp on the building that is the farthest away. Would it help
to have backup domain serviers at each building that can also share printing
and files? I had the fibers tested and are good. But the distance is 2000
feet away.

I "ditto" Robert.

Subnets are for combating broadcasts and it isn't likely you would have that
problem with that few of machines. A single segment "switched" system will
be perfectly fine.

One of the concepts of Active Directory Domain design was to reduce the
number of Domains as you would have seen in the old NT4 ways of doing
things. One single Active Directory Domain can go a long-long way.


--

Phillip Windell [MCP, MVP, CCNA]
www.wandtv.com

I am redesigning my network infrastructure and would like some advice. I
have three seperate buildings that is backboned with fiber at 100mb. The
longest distance is 2000 feet. I have about 20 xppro workstations per
building.
Qestion: Should I be segmenting each building or keep everything in one
subnet? Should I have one domain for each building or just have one for all.
I was thinking of staying with one subnet and domain but have a 2003 server
as backup domain and file print sharing at each building.

Thanks for your advice,
Steve

 

[Phillip Windell]

fiber backboned 100mb vi 3com 24 port switches. I have problems with
computer using dhcp on the building that is the farthest away. Would it

help

That would indicate a problam that really isn't DHCP's fault. There may be
a "quality" problem with that longest connection and the DHCP is just making
it noticable. Putting another DHCP at the other end may "band-ade" the
problem but is not solving the core issue which may degrade further later
on.

You need to have that fiber connection tested throughly. Some types of fiber
can run up to 2 kilometers and some cannot. You may have to replace
equipment or maybe the firber itself,...impossible for me to say, but you
need to have it tested. If you don't have the equipment, find someone who
does,...it would be worth the "one-time" cost of having it accuartely tested
so you know what you are dealing with. A network will only be as good as
the Physical Layer that it sits on.

There are a lot of cabling problems that Windows and MS get "blamed" for
when they didn't have anything to do with it.