are 2 Domain Controllers really necessary?

[chrism]

I manage a small network of one AD Domain. I currently have two domain
controllers and I am starting a server consolidation project. My question
is: Do I really need 2 domain controllers? I have good system images of my
main FSMO DC and would like to get rid of the other DC. Is this a good
idea?

thanks

chrism

 

[Danny Sanders]

Not a good idea at all.

Motherboards go bad.
How long would it take you to recreate your domain from backups and images,
on a new server, with impatient users looking over your shoulder?

DDS

 

[chrism]

it would only take about 15 minutes (I have a sleeper server and am using
Backup Exec System Recovery Server for images).

If the main server that holds the two important Operations Master roles goes
down anyway then I still have to restore that. So why not just put all 5
FSMO roles on one server and image that?

 

[Jorge de Almeida Pinto [MVP - DS]]

no

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# Jorge de Almeida Pinto # MVP Windows Server - Directory Services

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[Jorge de Almeida Pinto [MVP - DS]]

no, not a good idea

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Cheers,
(HOPEFULLY THIS INFORMATION HELPS YOU!)

# Jorge de Almeida Pinto # MVP Windows Server - Directory Services

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[Danny Sanders]

You might want to take a look at this article:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/216993/en-us

It might also be useful to view this one also:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/216243/

Best practice is to have a second DC online. Not totally sure why you would
have a "sleeper server" (not totally sure of that terminology) sitting
somewhere doing nothing when it could be on the domain doing *something*.


DDS

 

[Hank Arnold]

Yes

No

Regards,
Hank Arnold

 

[Hank Arnold]

Restoring a C from a drive image is not a good idea. It can cause
significant problems because of out of date AD changes and tombstone
issues. Keep the second DC. I consider it almost mandatory.

Regards,
Hank Arnold

 

[Jorge de Almeida Pinto [MVP - DS]]

how about SIDs (RIDs) that have already been used in ACLs after the backup?
Suddendly you revert back using an image and the system might re-issue a SID
to another security principal....in other words security issues

DON'T DO IT! (imaging DCs)

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Cheers,
(HOPEFULLY THIS INFORMATION HELPS YOU!)

# Jorge de Almeida Pinto # MVP Windows Server - Directory Services

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