AD replication topology looks strange

[Guest]

aI have 30 Active Directory sites. Each site has one Windows 2003 domain
controller. The servers are physically spread out all across the U.S. One of
the DCs appears to be a replication hub for all the other DCs around the
country. The topology looks like a star, with the one DC at the center. When
I run REPLMON it indicates that the replication role of all the other DCs to
this DC is a "Bridgehead Connection". REPLMON also indicates that this DC's
role to all the other DCs is "Transitive Replication Partner".

I know in addition to other things, the KCC uses subnetting information from
Sites & Services to generate the replication topology. Supposedly the KCC
defines the most efficient replication paths for Active Directory. However,
mt topology looks rediculous. I'd like to "fix" it.

Does anyone have any thoughts?

Thanks,

Dave

 

[Herb Martin]

aI have 30 Active Directory sites. Each site has one Windows 2003 domain
controller. The servers are physically spread out all across the U.S. One of
the DCs appears to be a replication hub for all the other DCs around the
country. The topology looks like a star, with the one DC at the center. When
I run REPLMON it indicates that the replication role of all the other DCs to
this DC is a "Bridgehead Connection". REPLMON also indicates that this DC's
role to all the other DCs is "Transitive Replication Partner".

I know in addition to other things, the KCC uses subnetting information from
Sites & Services to generate the replication topology. Supposedly the KCC
defines the most efficient replication paths for Active Directory. However,
mt topology looks rediculous. I'd like to "fix" it.

Well it probably looks EXACTLY like you described
your network to the KCC (using Sites and Services to
create the Sites, Subnets, and Site Links) -- so be
careful who you call ridiculous <GRIN>

Here's the KEY: Sites, Subnets, and Site Links are
your means of telling the KCC about your network.

IF you describe it accurately the KCC will replicate
intelligently -- if you describe it poorly the KCC
might create something that "looks ridiculous" and
which will GENERALLY be correct for the network
described.

Apparently you definition looks something like this:

Hub Site appears in a Site Link (one each) with
every other SpokeSite.

You never described YOUR ACTUAL WAN topology
(the connectivity not so much the media type) to us
so I cannot build you an example substitute, but if
you had a ring of sites you would have put each
site in two Site Links each with the nearest site to the
right and to the left (very unusual but accurate if that
is what you have for a WAN.)

Tell us about your WAN network and we can tell
you if you created the Sites and Site Links optimally
or perhaps suggest another design....

BTW, does it work? Does it cause you any problems
other than looking odd?