specify authentication server?

[volleyman]

We have approx. 7 AD domain controllers. Wondering if its possible to specify which server a particular group of users will authenticate against. These DCs are distributed across WAN links. We would like each branch office to authenticate on the server located at that location, but that is not happening.

From command line, running the "set" command shows logonserver=servername, where servername is a domain controller not located close to them.

thanks for your help...

 

[somebigguy]

You have to set up sites and site links to do this. Go to the Active Directory Sites & Services tool under Administrative Tools. You create sites based on the IP addresses at each location which the clients use to discover a domain controller closest to them.

The site links are used for domain replication between each of the sites, they should be created automatically by the KCC, but you should still monitor them to make sure they're being created and working because if they're not, you won't get any Active Directory replication working between sites.

It's Sites & Services tool is kind of confusing at first, but not too bad, online help should help you out with this.