Domain redundancy

28 Jan 2006 3:03 PM

SHAMMY

Hi all

I have a windows server 2003(standard) configured as a domain controller and
another server 2003(standard) configured as additional DC for that domain.
I thought that will be enough for domain level redundancy.But when i make
the primary server offline users are not able to access each other.They are
being prompted for user name and password.Why that is so?The backup DC should
take care of these things no?The dns functionality is working fine with the
backup server even when the primary is down.
Any help in this matter will be great.

28 Jan 2006 5:20 PM

Jorge de Almeida Pinto [MVP]

if the first DC is shutdown can users still logon?

are both servers DNS servers?
are clients pointing to both DNS servers?

--

Cheers,
(HOPEFULLY THIS INFORMATION HELPS YOU!)
# Jorge de Almeida Pinto #
MVP Windows Server - Directory Services
BLOG --> http://blogs.dirteam.com/blogs/jorge/default.aspx
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* This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties and confers no rights!
* Always test before implementing!
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"SHAMMY" <SHA***@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:66132149-E0C0-4F52-ABE7-A0BDCBD79AAC@microsoft.com...
> Hi all
>
> I have a windows server 2003(standard) configured as a domain controller
> and
> another server 2003(standard) configured as additional DC for that domain.
> I thought that will be enough for domain level redundancy.But when i make
> the primary server offline users are not able to access each other.They
> are
> being prompted for user name and password.Why that is so?The backup DC
> should
> take care of these things no?The dns functionality is working fine with
> the
> backup server even when the primary is down.
> Any help in this matter will be great.

30 Jan 2006 8:03 AM

SHAMMY

Hi
I've configured the dns in the first dc as active directory integrated and
replication to all dns servers in the active directory domain.The clients are
pointing to both dns servers.DNS functionality is working fine even when the
first dc is down.Users can still logon using cached logon credential(for 10
login).

There is no DHCP server in the network.Only the primary DC is a global
catalog server.There was nothing specific in the eventviewer.
Please give me a suggestion
Show quoteHide quote

"Jorge de Almeida Pinto [MVP]" wrote:

> if the first DC is shutdown can users still logon?
>
> are both servers DNS servers?
> are clients pointing to both DNS servers?
>
> --
>
> Cheers,
> (HOPEFULLY THIS INFORMATION HELPS YOU!)
> # Jorge de Almeida Pinto #
> MVP Windows Server - Directory Services
> BLOG --> http://blogs.dirteam.com/blogs/jorge/default.aspx
> -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
> * This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties and confers no rights!
> * Always test before implementing!
> -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>
> -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
> "SHAMMY" <SHA***@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:66132149-E0C0-4F52-ABE7-A0BDCBD79AAC@microsoft.com...
> > Hi all
> >
> > I have a windows server 2003(standard) configured as a domain controller
> > and
> > another server 2003(standard) configured as additional DC for that domain.
> > I thought that will be enough for domain level redundancy.But when i make
> > the primary server offline users are not able to access each other.They
> > are
> > being prompted for user name and password.Why that is so?The backup DC
> > should
> > take care of these things no?The dns functionality is working fine with
> > the
> > backup server even when the primary is down.
> > Any help in this matter will be great.
>
>
>

28 Jan 2006 5:22 PM

Cary Shultz

Shammy,

Are your clients getting both DNS Servers IPAddresses via the DHCP Lease?
So, if DC01 goes down do they also have the IPAddress for DC02 (assuming
that both DC01 and DC02 are also DNS Servers...). And, are both Domain
Controllers also Global Catalog Servers? One way that you would check this
in Active Directory Sites and Services.

It is very good that you have two Domain Controllers. Sorry that you are
having problems. Now, the next logical question is: why is one of the DCs
going down? Hopefully the answer to that questions is scheduled
maintenance. But, if that is the case you should probably be doing that
when there are as few people as possible on the network.

Have you installed the Support Tools and used dcdiag and netdiag on both
Domain Controllers? Have you looked in the event logs on both Domain
Controllers? There might be something there that will help.

--
Cary W. Shultz
Roanoke, VA 24012

Show quoteHide quote

"SHAMMY" <SHA***@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:66132149-E0C0-4F52-ABE7-A0BDCBD79AAC@microsoft.com...
> Hi all
>
> I have a windows server 2003(standard) configured as a domain controller
> and
> another server 2003(standard) configured as additional DC for that domain.
> I thought that will be enough for domain level redundancy.But when i make
> the primary server offline users are not able to access each other.They
> are
> being prompted for user name and password.Why that is so?The backup DC
> should
> take care of these things no?The dns functionality is working fine with
> the
> backup server even when the primary is down.
> Any help in this matter will be great.

30 Jan 2006 8:11 AM

SHAMMY

Hi,
All the clients and servers are assigned ststic ip addresses.
Dns server is installed on the second server and the first DC's dns server
is configured to replicate to all dns servers in the domain.So clients are
able to resolve using the second dc.DC02 is not a Global catalog server.
Show quoteHide quote

"Cary Shultz" wrote:

> Shammy,
>
> Are your clients getting both DNS Servers IPAddresses via the DHCP Lease?
> So, if DC01 goes down do they also have the IPAddress for DC02 (assuming
> that both DC01 and DC02 are also DNS Servers...). And, are both Domain
> Controllers also Global Catalog Servers? One way that you would check this
> in Active Directory Sites and Services.
>
> It is very good that you have two Domain Controllers. Sorry that you are
> having problems. Now, the next logical question is: why is one of the DCs
> going down? Hopefully the answer to that questions is scheduled
> maintenance. But, if that is the case you should probably be doing that
> when there are as few people as possible on the network.
>
> Have you installed the Support Tools and used dcdiag and netdiag on both
> Domain Controllers? Have you looked in the event logs on both Domain
> Controllers? There might be something there that will help.
>
> --
> Cary W. Shultz
> Roanoke, VA 24012
>
> "SHAMMY" <SHA***@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:66132149-E0C0-4F52-ABE7-A0BDCBD79AAC@microsoft.com...
> > Hi all
> >
> > I have a windows server 2003(standard) configured as a domain controller
> > and
> > another server 2003(standard) configured as additional DC for that domain.
> > I thought that will be enough for domain level redundancy.But when i make
> > the primary server offline users are not able to access each other.They
> > are
> > being prompted for user name and password.Why that is so?The backup DC
> > should
> > take care of these things no?The dns functionality is working fine with
> > the
> > backup server even when the primary is down.
> > Any help in this matter will be great.
>
>
>