new bdc server

[brianjay]

I am part of a 2 city domain. My city has 1 NT4 BDC server that's nothing more than a file server while our Texas office has 4 Win2000 BDC's and 1 Win 2000 PDC server. My questions are:
1) If I build a Win2003 server, will it try to become the PDC or will it stay as a BDC?

2) Is there anything I need to watch for before putting the server on line?

3) We are running a Win2000 MS Exchange server in Texas. Will the Win2003 sever screw me over?

Thanx for any and all assistance.

brianjay

 

[PHead2]

1) There isn't really a PDC or BDC in Win2K or 2003. There is a role known as the PDC emulator which one DC must hold. If you add a new (2K or 2003) DC to an NT domain it won't take on the PDC emulator role. If you add DCs to 2K or 2003 domains it won't take the role (assuming one DC already has it) - no problems here.

2) Read this article:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?kbid=325379

Although it covers DC upgrades it is applicable to your situation.

3) See that article again. Honestly, I'm not 100% sure what the implications are with this (have been trying to determine this but haven't had time to really find out).