WINDOWS NT 4.0 DOMAIN Question?

[wisdomwarrior23]

I have a Windows NT 4.0 Server which is setup as a stand alone out at a field office of ours. We have a PDC at our main office. The users out at our field office, log onto our DOMAIN via a VPN to the main office. They don't have their own domain to log into and there local server was not setup as a BDC or it wasn't setup with their own DOMAIN and trusted between the other DOMAINS on our network. A problem occurred the other day where the internet connection between that office and us went down, and they were unable to logon to the network, they couldn't even logon to their local server and access their F:\drive. What is a better solution to this problem when something like this was to happen again. Can you setup user accounts on their local server and if the connection between us and them ever goes down again and the server can't find the Domain Controller, would they still be able to log on and get to their local f:\drive. any suggestions please, and if this is unclear I can explain! Thanks you guys and gals!

 

[Jpoandl]

I would set up a BDC in the remote office. This remote BDC will handle logon authentication and could also provide other services like WINs/DNS/DHSP etc. This way if the WAN link went down, the remote office could still work in their localized environment.

This is a better solution in my opinion then creating user accounts on the remote member server. If you did this, you would cause more work for the administrator..passwords, NTFS access, etc. The BDC idea is much better.

To do this, you would either have to rebuild the member server as a BDC or install a new BDC. Seeing how server prices are very very cheap right now, I would buy a new server. (Top of the line DC level Compaq servers are like $5,000. You could even use a desktop machine if money is an issue. )

-hope this helps. Joseph L. Poandl
MCSE 2000

If your company is in need of experts to examine technical problems/solutions, please check out

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[epohl]

BDC is definitely the way to go, but you might want to look at some third party applications like this one that will allow you to convert a standalone server to a BDC without reinstalling.

http://www.algintech.com/UTools/UPromote.asp

 

[Kjonnnn]

Yup. BDC.

 

[wisdomwarrior23]

Yeah this is what I figured, but tell me this-cause one of our consultants suggested that I add the user accounts on the local server out at the field office for those guys just in case the WAN link ever goes down between them and out office, would that still work since they are logging on to a DOMAIN and the server can't find the DOMAIN Controller. All of your suggestions do help. Thanks fellas.

 

[epohl]

I think he was just looking for a quick fix, and he actually meant creating a local account on that server for each user. Yes it would work but as Jpoandl stated it would be an admin nightmare because you would have to add the local account and the domain account to each share and permission to work correctly. A BDC is a much better solution, might want to ask your consultant why he did not suggest that instead. Also setting up their own domain with atrust is not a bad solution either just depends on the size of the office.

 

[Jpoandl]

No problem....Good luck... Joseph L. Poandl
MCSE 2000

If your company is in need of experts to examine technical problems/solutions, please check out

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[wisdomwarrior23]

That office is about 7 users not very big so it wouldn't be so bad I guess, they only work off of a couple shares on the server so It wouldn't be too much work. Also how easy would it be to set them up with their own Domain? That doesn't call for rebuilding the server since it was setup as a member server and not a BDC or does it. Thanks for all the brilliant help fellas this is right on time! Go home and have a beer on me after work!

 

[Jpoandl]

I think you would be better off ADDING a new BDC. Like I said hardware is cheap right now, and you could use an old pentium pro 200 machine with 128MB of RAM....very very inexpensive.

I probably wouldn't set these guys us as thier own domain. Again, for the administration efforts involved. Adding a new domain would involved creating all new user accounts, providing NTFS and share access all over agian...and setting up trusts with the master domain.

Creating a NEW BDC in the remote location is your easiest bet. The BDC would get a replica of all accounts already created on the PDC. Very simple to do...would take about an hour to configure the hardware, another two hours to load the OS and verify stability. The consultant should be able to do everything in 8 hours...(4hours of work time...but usually you would have to pay for the whole day anyway.)

-(who should we address the "beer" bill to?) Hope this helps. Joseph L. Poandl
MCSE 2000

If your company is in need of experts to examine technical problems/solutions, please check out

http://www.esavio.com