Make second server Domain or Member server

[alexs0628]

I am setting up two w2k servers. One is already in place and is the Domain server. The second server will have SQL on it and that will be its only purpose. Do I make the SQL server a domain server, or just a member server?

 

[technome]

The best setup would be to leave the second server as a member server.

If the SQL is not heavily used....
You do not have a second domain controller which is important in case your FSMO goes down. I would make the second server a domain controller with DNS server running. I have a server as a FSMO and running SQL 2000, and SQL runs fast; mind you this is a 2.8 ghz, 2 gig ram, u320 raid 5. Should you do this, make sure you have the global catalogue on it. On this server the client runs Great plains Dynamics for 10 people, I define this as lightly used

If the SQL is heavily used....
Purchase a third server, can be a cheapy with mirrored u320 scsi, set this up a s domain controller with DNS as a backup. Disk can be small, as I have setup one client with 2 36gig drives, with the sole purpose as a backup to the FSMO.