Remove and rebuild first domain controller

[GSDPack]

I originally had two domain controllers (Windows 2000
SP4) which are essentially identical. The first
installed active directory DC (Server1) has hard disk
problems that can not be corrected and it is running as a
degraded RAID 5 pack. I have moved the five DC roles to
the second installed DC (Server2) and removed the global
catalog from Server1. I have also setup an additional
(insurance policy - ServerDC1) DC in order to remove the
first DC.

I plan to removed ADS from the first DC and rebuild it
from scratch. I think that the last issue that concerns
me is the Exchange 2000 server. In the environment it
still shows Server1 as the LOGONSERVER but I have not re-
booted it since removing the global catalog on Server1.
If I look in Active Directory Sites and Services it shows
a folder named Exchange Settings under Sites - Default-
First-Sites-Names - Servers - Server1

The folder is a container with the following properties.
mysite.org/Configuration/Sites/Default-First-Site-
Name/Servers/NEWMAN5/Exchange Settings

Is this object something that I need to replicate under
Server2?

I think I should be at a point where I can shut-down
Server1 and see if everything is all right. This seems
too simple, am I missing something?

Thanks,

Lester

 

[Cary Shultz [A.D. MVP]]

Lester,

Exchange 2000 is very dependent on a Global Catalog Server being available.
I am thinking that you will need to make either - or better yet, both - of
your remaining Domain Controllers a Global Catalog Server. You should
reboot them for this to take effect. Give time for everything to replicate.
I would then reboot the Exchange Server. Now you should have no problems.
BTW - you do not really need to reboot the Exchange Server IIRC. You would
just have to wait for things to find their way to the Exchange Server....

Well, let's not forget about DNS. You will need to make sure that you
modify - if necessary - the TCP/IP configurations on all of the servers and
please remember to fix the DHCP Options so that all of your DHCP Clients
will have the correct information.

To verify this simply go to the Exchange Server ( or to a Workstation that
has the correct Admin Tools ) and open up the ESM. Go to Administrative
Groups | First Administrative Group ( or whatever you might have named it )
| Servers | <servername> and right click it. Select Properties and then go
to the Directory Access tab. You should see all of the Domain Controllers
and Global Catalog Servers listed...

HTH,

Cary