Single Master replication in mixed mode?

[Jeff Hague]

I have always assumed (from what MS publishes) that when
operating AD in mixed mode, the PDC emulator pretends to
be an NT 4 PDC for replication with NT 4 BDCs and provides
PDC functions to downlevel Windows clients (among other
things) but that AD replication with other Win2K DCs in
the domain is multi master. I have been reading Mark
Minasi's "Mastering Windows 2003 Server" book and he seems
to indicate that in mixed mode, AD replication is single
master to all DCs - NT 4 and Win 2K - with the PDC
Emulator holding the only writable copy of the database.
Can anyone clarify this for me?

Jeff Hague
MCSE
Network Manager
Randolph-Macon College
Ashland, VA

 

[Mike Brannigan [MSFT]]

I have always assumed (from what MS publishes) that when
operating AD in mixed mode, the PDC emulator pretends to
be an NT 4 PDC for replication with NT 4 BDCs and provides
PDC functions to downlevel Windows clients (among other
things) but that AD replication with other Win2K DCs in
the domain is multi master. I have been reading Mark
Minasi's "Mastering Windows 2003 Server" book and he seems
to indicate that in mixed mode, AD replication is single
master to all DCs - NT 4 and Win 2K - with the PDC
Emulator holding the only writable copy of the database.
Can anyone clarify this for me?

Jeff,

I cannot comment on the content of the book you mention.
But in a Windows Server 2000 or 2003 Domain. Operating in mixed mode and
supporting Windows NT 4.0 BDCs then the Active Directory is operating in
multi master mode with all DCs being read/write replicas.
The PDC operations master role holder continues to act as the single master
replica of the down-level NT 4.0 BDCs.

--
Regards,

Mike
--
Mike Brannigan [Microsoft]

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