Domain controller in remote site

[Clementius]

We are setting up a domain controller for a collocation. Currently the
collocation server is a member server of the domain and reside on the local
site and subnet. Also, we currently run both subnets in the same office with
two Cisco Pix firewalls connected through site-to-site VPN. We are planning
to make the collocation server a domain controller and host it on a remote
site once we move the second Pix firewall to the collocation facility. My
question is: Should we promote the server to domain controller while it
reside on the same subnet, create the second site and subnet in AD and then
move the controller to the new site? Or, should we first create the second
site and subnet in AD, move the server to the new site and then promote it
to a domain controller? What would be best practice? Thank you. C

 

[Massimo]

We are setting up a domain controller for a collocation. Currently the
collocation server is a member server of the domain and reside on the
local site and subnet. Also, we currently run both subnets in the same
office with two Cisco Pix firewalls connected through site-to-site VPN.
We are planning to make the collocation server a domain controller and
host it on a remote site once we move the second Pix firewall to the
collocation facility. My question is: Should we promote the server to
domain controller while it reside on the same subnet, create the second
site and subnet in AD and then move the controller to the new site? Or,
should we first create the second site and subnet in AD, move the server
to the new site and then promote it to a domain controller? What would be
best practice?

I'd recommend promoting it locally and then moving it, since the first AD
replication can generate a lot of traffic even for small domains.

Massimo

 

[Mitch Tulloch]

AFAIK either method should work. To move domain conrollers between sites
see:

KB 318480 http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=318480

KB 214667 http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=214677

 

[Dave Shaw [MVP]]

I'll take the opposing view. Ensure the network configuration is correct
and working, then promote the DC.

There is a reason we describe networking within the context of the OSI model
....

-ds