How many GCs per site

[Guest]

Does anyone know where there is some doco on technet regarding Global catalogue servers. I am trying to determine what the pros and cons are for having single or multiple GCs in a single sit
TIA

 

[Laura E. Hunter \(MVP\)]

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=216970

If you're in Native Mode, your users will need to be able to contact a GC at
logon to determine Universal Group memberships. If they can't contact a GC
and don't have cached credentials on the workstation they're trying to log
onto, they won't be able to logon. The MS party line is to have at least 1
GC in each site to speed the logon process, though you can have more than 1
depending on your performance and fault-tolerance requirements.

This KB is also useful if you're in a multi-domain environment, to
understand how the GC role interplays with the various FSMO roles:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;223346

 

[Matjaz Ladava [MVP]]

If you have one domain/forest configuration, that all DC's can be GC's as
they already have aa copy of all data in the domain. Can you provide more
info on your domain setup ?

--

Regards

Matjaz Ladava, MCSA, MCSE, MCT, MVP
Microsoft MVP Windows Server - Active Directory
(e-mail address removed), (e-mail address removed)

 

[Eric Fleischman [MSFT]]

I'd add a few anecdotal pearls of wisdom here....take em for what they're
worth:
0) If you are in a single-domain forest, I recommend making all DCs in to
GCs. There's really just no reason not to.
1) There's no real answer here that is more accurate than test and monitor.
No matter what estimates you use you can't totally predict your user load.
If you have 1000 employees like me, you'll have a higher GC load than 1000
people that don't send as much mail. It's hard to compensate for that before
you deploy unless you just toss tons of hardware at it.
2) I recommend taking out a white board one afternoon and mapping out your
domains, users, workstations, etc. A huge map of who is where, what sites
they are in, what domains they are in, and where they access resources.
Sometimes after doing it people realize "wow, my domain structure doesn't
actually map what my people do every day".

My $0.02
~Eric

 

[MStrider]

with regard to point 0, how do I makeboth of my DC's into GC's, just in case
one fails.

I'd add a few anecdotal pearls of wisdom here....take em for what they're
worth:
0) If you are in a single-domain forest, I recommend making all DCs in to
GCs. There's really just no reason not to.
1) There's no real answer here that is more accurate than test and monitor.
No matter what estimates you use you can't totally predict your user load.
If you have 1000 employees like me, you'll have a higher GC load than 1000
people that don't send as much mail. It's hard to compensate for that before
you deploy unless you just toss tons of hardware at it.
2) I recommend taking out a white board one afternoon and mapping out your
domains, users, workstations, etc. A huge map of who is where, what sites
they are in, what domains they are in, and where they access resources.
Sometimes after doing it people realize "wow, my domain structure doesn't
actually map what my people do every day".

My $0.02
~Eric


--
Eric Fleischman [MSFT]
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights
Use of included script samples are subject to the terms specified at
http://www.microsoft.com/info/cpyright.htm

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=216970

If you're in Native Mode, your users will need to be able to contact a GC
at logon to determine Universal Group memberships. If they can't contact a
GC and don't have cached credentials on the workstation they're trying to
log onto, they won't be able to logon. The MS party line is to have at
least 1 GC in each site to speed the logon process, though you can have
more than 1 depending on your performance and fault-tolerance
requirements.

This KB is also useful if you're in a multi-domain environment, to
understand how the GC role interplays with the various FSMO roles:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;223346

 

[Chriss3]

Make a Domain Controller become a Global Catalog Server:
http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/en/server/help/msmq_inst_set_gc.htm

--
Regards
Christoffer Andersson

No email replies please - reply in the newsgroup
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.chrisse.se - Active Directory Tips

with regard to point 0, how do I makeboth of my DC's into GC's, just in case
one fails.

I'd add a few anecdotal pearls of wisdom here....take em for what they're
worth:
0) If you are in a single-domain forest, I recommend making all DCs in to
GCs. There's really just no reason not to.
1) There's no real answer here that is more accurate than test and monitor.
No matter what estimates you use you can't totally predict your user load.
If you have 1000 employees like me, you'll have a higher GC load than 1000
people that don't send as much mail. It's hard to compensate for that before
you deploy unless you just toss tons of hardware at it.
2) I recommend taking out a white board one afternoon and mapping out your
domains, users, workstations, etc. A huge map of who is where, what sites
they are in, what domains they are in, and where they access resources.
Sometimes after doing it people realize "wow, my domain structure doesn't
actually map what my people do every day".

My $0.02
~Eric


--
Eric Fleischman [MSFT]
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights
Use of included script samples are subject to the terms specified at
http://www.microsoft.com/info/cpyright.htm

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=216970

If you're in Native Mode, your users will need to be able to contact a GC
at logon to determine Universal Group memberships. If they can't

contact

a

 

[Eric Fleischman [MSFT]]

In AD sites and services simply expand each server, right click on the ntds
settings object under it, select properties and check the global catalog
check box.

--
Eric Fleischman [MSFT]
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights
Use of included script samples are subject to the terms specified at
http://www.microsoft.com/info/cpyright.htm

with regard to point 0, how do I makeboth of my DC's into GC's, just in
case
one fails.

I'd add a few anecdotal pearls of wisdom here....take em for what they're
worth:
0) If you are in a single-domain forest, I recommend making all DCs in to
GCs. There's really just no reason not to.
1) There's no real answer here that is more accurate than test and monitor.
No matter what estimates you use you can't totally predict your user
load.
If you have 1000 employees like me, you'll have a higher GC load than
1000
people that don't send as much mail. It's hard to compensate for that before
you deploy unless you just toss tons of hardware at it.
2) I recommend taking out a white board one afternoon and mapping out
your
domains, users, workstations, etc. A huge map of who is where, what sites
they are in, what domains they are in, and where they access resources.
Sometimes after doing it people realize "wow, my domain structure doesn't
actually map what my people do every day".

My $0.02
~Eric


--
Eric Fleischman [MSFT]
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
rights
Use of included script samples are subject to the terms specified at
http://www.microsoft.com/info/cpyright.htm

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=216970

If you're in Native Mode, your users will need to be able to contact a GC
at logon to determine Universal Group memberships. If they can't
contact a
GC and don't have cached credentials on the workstation they're trying to
log onto, they won't be able to logon. The MS party line is to have at
least 1 GC in each site to speed the logon process, though you can have
more than 1 depending on your performance and fault-tolerance
requirements.

This KB is also useful if you're in a multi-domain environment, to
understand how the GC role interplays with the various FSMO roles:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;223346
--
******************************
Laura E. Hunter - MCSE, MCT, MVP
Replies to newsgroup only


Does anyone know where there is some doco on technet regarding Global
catalogue servers. I am trying to determine what the pros and cons are
for having single or multiple GCs in a single site
TIA

 

[MStrider]

so this will give me redundacny if my first dc fails?

In AD sites and services simply expand each server, right click on the ntds
settings object under it, select properties and check the global catalog
check box.

--
Eric Fleischman [MSFT]
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights
Use of included script samples are subject to the terms specified at
http://www.microsoft.com/info/cpyright.htm

with regard to point 0, how do I makeboth of my DC's into GC's, just in
case
one fails.

I'd add a few anecdotal pearls of wisdom here....take em for what they're
worth:
0) If you are in a single-domain forest, I recommend making all DCs in to
GCs. There's really just no reason not to.
1) There's no real answer here that is more accurate than test and monitor.
No matter what estimates you use you can't totally predict your user
load.
If you have 1000 employees like me, you'll have a higher GC load than
1000
people that don't send as much mail. It's hard to compensate for that before
you deploy unless you just toss tons of hardware at it.
2) I recommend taking out a white board one afternoon and mapping out
your
domains, users, workstations, etc. A huge map of who is where, what sites
they are in, what domains they are in, and where they access resources.
Sometimes after doing it people realize "wow, my domain structure doesn't
actually map what my people do every day".

My $0.02
~Eric


--
Eric Fleischman [MSFT]
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
rights
Use of included script samples are subject to the terms specified at
http://www.microsoft.com/info/cpyright.htm


message http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=216970

If you're in Native Mode, your users will need to be able to contact

a
GC

at logon to determine Universal Group memberships. If they can't
contact a
GC and don't have cached credentials on the workstation they're

trying
to

log onto, they won't be able to logon. The MS party line is to have at
least 1 GC in each site to speed the logon process, though you can have
more than 1 depending on your performance and fault-tolerance
requirements.

This KB is also useful if you're in a multi-domain environment, to
understand how the GC role interplays with the various FSMO roles:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;223346
--
******************************
Laura E. Hunter - MCSE, MCT, MVP
Replies to newsgroup only


Does anyone know where there is some doco on technet regarding Global
catalogue servers. I am trying to determine what the pros and cons are
for having single or multiple GCs in a single site
TIA

 

[Eric Fleischman [MSFT]]

GC redundancy, but there are other forms too. Critical services (such as
DNS) also need be made redundant.
It's hard to say "yes" to a question like this as every environment is
slightly different.

~Eric


--
Eric Fleischman [MSFT]
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights
Use of included script samples are subject to the terms specified at
http://www.microsoft.com/info/cpyright.htm

so this will give me redundacny if my first dc fails?

In AD sites and services simply expand each server, right click on the ntds
settings object under it, select properties and check the global catalog
check box.

--
Eric Fleischman [MSFT]
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
rights
Use of included script samples are subject to the terms specified at
http://www.microsoft.com/info/cpyright.htm

with regard to point 0, how do I makeboth of my DC's into GC's, just in
case
one fails.


I'd add a few anecdotal pearls of wisdom here....take em for what they're
worth:
0) If you are in a single-domain forest, I recommend making all DCs in to
GCs. There's really just no reason not to.
1) There's no real answer here that is more accurate than test and
monitor.
No matter what estimates you use you can't totally predict your user
load.
If you have 1000 employees like me, you'll have a higher GC load than
1000
people that don't send as much mail. It's hard to compensate for that
before
you deploy unless you just toss tons of hardware at it.
2) I recommend taking out a white board one afternoon and mapping out
your
domains, users, workstations, etc. A huge map of who is where, what sites
they are in, what domains they are in, and where they access
resources.
Sometimes after doing it people realize "wow, my domain structure doesn't
actually map what my people do every day".

My $0.02
~Eric


--
Eric Fleischman [MSFT]
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
rights
Use of included script samples are subject to the terms specified at
http://www.microsoft.com/info/cpyright.htm


message http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=216970

If you're in Native Mode, your users will need to be able to contact a
GC
at logon to determine Universal Group memberships. If they can't
contact
a
GC and don't have cached credentials on the workstation they're trying
to
log onto, they won't be able to logon. The MS party line is to have at
least 1 GC in each site to speed the logon process, though you can have
more than 1 depending on your performance and fault-tolerance
requirements.

This KB is also useful if you're in a multi-domain environment, to
understand how the GC role interplays with the various FSMO roles:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;223346
--
******************************
Laura E. Hunter - MCSE, MCT, MVP
Replies to newsgroup only


Does anyone know where there is some doco on technet regarding Global
catalogue servers. I am trying to determine what the pros and cons are
for having single or multiple GCs in a single site
TIA

 

[MStrider]

I have 2 servers, both running DNS, and ADS. (fileshare etc is on different
machines)

DHCP is run from a different machine, so in theory if I have GC on both
DC's - if one goes down I will be ok?

GC redundancy, but there are other forms too. Critical services (such as
DNS) also need be made redundant.
It's hard to say "yes" to a question like this as every environment is
slightly different.

~Eric


--
Eric Fleischman [MSFT]
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights
Use of included script samples are subject to the terms specified at
http://www.microsoft.com/info/cpyright.htm

so this will give me redundacny if my first dc fails?

In AD sites and services simply expand each server, right click on the ntds
settings object under it, select properties and check the global catalog
check box.

--
Eric Fleischman [MSFT]
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
rights
Use of included script samples are subject to the terms specified at
http://www.microsoft.com/info/cpyright.htm


with regard to point 0, how do I makeboth of my DC's into GC's, just in
case
one fails.


I'd add a few anecdotal pearls of wisdom here....take em for what they're
worth:
0) If you are in a single-domain forest, I recommend making all DCs

in
to

GCs. There's really just no reason not to.
1) There's no real answer here that is more accurate than test and
monitor.
No matter what estimates you use you can't totally predict your user
load.
If you have 1000 employees like me, you'll have a higher GC load than
1000
people that don't send as much mail. It's hard to compensate for that
before
you deploy unless you just toss tons of hardware at it.
2) I recommend taking out a white board one afternoon and mapping out
your
domains, users, workstations, etc. A huge map of who is where, what sites
they are in, what domains they are in, and where they access
resources.
Sometimes after doing it people realize "wow, my domain structure doesn't
actually map what my people do every day".

My $0.02
~Eric


--
Eric Fleischman [MSFT]
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
rights
Use of included script samples are subject to the terms specified at
http://www.microsoft.com/info/cpyright.htm


message http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=216970

If you're in Native Mode, your users will need to be able to

contact
a

GC
at logon to determine Universal Group memberships. If they can't
contact
a
GC and don't have cached credentials on the workstation they're trying
to
log onto, they won't be able to logon. The MS party line is to

have
at

least 1 GC in each site to speed the logon process, though you can have
more than 1 depending on your performance and fault-tolerance
requirements.

This KB is also useful if you're in a multi-domain environment, to
understand how the GC role interplays with the various FSMO roles:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;223346
--
******************************
Laura E. Hunter - MCSE, MCT, MVP
Replies to newsgroup only


Does anyone know where there is some doco on technet regarding Global
catalogue servers. I am trying to determine what the pros and

cons
are

for having single or multiple GCs in a single site
TIA

 

[Eric Fleischman [MSFT]]

If both are replicating properly and clients point to both for DNS a client
should not have issues with core AD functionality.
There could of course be other applications that have a dependency on a
specific DC, I don't know, I can only speak to core AD.

~Eric

--
Eric Fleischman [MSFT]
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights
Use of included script samples are subject to the terms specified at
http://www.microsoft.com/info/cpyright.htm

I have 2 servers, both running DNS, and ADS. (fileshare etc is on different
machines)

DHCP is run from a different machine, so in theory if I have GC on both
DC's - if one goes down I will be ok?

GC redundancy, but there are other forms too. Critical services (such as
DNS) also need be made redundant.
It's hard to say "yes" to a question like this as every environment is
slightly different.

~Eric


--
Eric Fleischman [MSFT]
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
rights
Use of included script samples are subject to the terms specified at
http://www.microsoft.com/info/cpyright.htm

so this will give me redundacny if my first dc fails?


In AD sites and services simply expand each server, right click on the
ntds
settings object under it, select properties and check the global catalog
check box.

--
Eric Fleischman [MSFT]
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
rights
Use of included script samples are subject to the terms specified at
http://www.microsoft.com/info/cpyright.htm


with regard to point 0, how do I makeboth of my DC's into GC's, just in
case
one fails.


I'd add a few anecdotal pearls of wisdom here....take em for what
they're
worth:
0) If you are in a single-domain forest, I recommend making all DCs in
to
GCs. There's really just no reason not to.
1) There's no real answer here that is more accurate than test and
monitor.
No matter what estimates you use you can't totally predict your
user
load.
If you have 1000 employees like me, you'll have a higher GC load than
1000
people that don't send as much mail. It's hard to compensate for that
before
you deploy unless you just toss tons of hardware at it.
2) I recommend taking out a white board one afternoon and mapping out
your
domains, users, workstations, etc. A huge map of who is where, what
sites
they are in, what domains they are in, and where they access
resources.
Sometimes after doing it people realize "wow, my domain structure
doesn't
actually map what my people do every day".

My $0.02
~Eric


--
Eric Fleischman [MSFT]
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
rights
Use of included script samples are subject to the terms specified
at
http://www.microsoft.com/info/cpyright.htm


message http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=216970

If you're in Native Mode, your users will need to be able to contact
a
GC
at logon to determine Universal Group memberships. If they can't
contact
a
GC and don't have cached credentials on the workstation they're
trying
to
log onto, they won't be able to logon. The MS party line is to have
at
least 1 GC in each site to speed the logon process, though you
can
have
more than 1 depending on your performance and fault-tolerance
requirements.

This KB is also useful if you're in a multi-domain environment,
to
understand how the GC role interplays with the various FSMO
roles:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;223346
--
******************************
Laura E. Hunter - MCSE, MCT, MVP
Replies to newsgroup only


Does anyone know where there is some doco on technet regarding
Global
catalogue servers. I am trying to determine what the pros and cons
are
for having single or multiple GCs in a single site
TIA

 

[Bjarne Duelund]

GC redundancy, but there are other forms too. Critical services (such as
DNS) also need be made redundant.

And FSMO roles has to be taken care of manually.