What is the best solution????

[Guest]

Hello there:

This is the situation I have, I have 3 Windows 2000 Servers (1 has exchange,
dns, dhcp, wins and active directory installed), (2nd has active directory
and wins and is the primary dc) and the (3rd is a member server not running
active directory). We just got a brand new 2003 server that we pulled the
Active directory into and have installed wins on. We will be installing
exchange 2003 on it. Should we be running dns on this box and make it the
primary dc??? If so, do you think this box should also have dhcp and should
dns be ran as active direcory or primary standard? We are having an issue
right now with our 98 boxes not authenticating when the 2003 server is
online. Do you think the things I suggested would fix that situation????
Thanks so much for your help.

Rebecca Owens

 

[Tim Springston [MS]]

Hi Rebecca-

Your Windows 9x computers are probably trying to authenticate to the Windows
2003 domain controller and failing as a result of the SMB signing
requirement on the 2003 server (Windows 9x does not natively support that).

I would recommend altering the setting for "Microsoft network
serverigitally sign communications (always)" from Enabled to 'Not
Defined'. This setting is located in the Default Domain Controller Policy
under Computer Configuration->Windows Settings->Local Policies->Security
Options.

I would also suggest using the DS Client for Windows 98 on your Windows 98
computers for their domain logon. It can be downloaded from:

Directory Services Client Update for Windows 98
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;323455

Adding the DNS service to your Windows Server 2003 domain controller and
distributing it as an additional DNS server via DHCP would add reliability
and fault tolerance for your environment.