I want to set up a backup server to my excisting server. I don't want to backup the files. I want a backup server to hold the network incase the main server ever goes down for whatever reason. How do I configure the backup server so that it will do this.

Assuming that the server you want to "back up" is a domain controller, then you need to install another server (stand alone) on the same domain and then promote it to a DC with the program dcpromo. In NT4.0 it was known as creating a backup DC (BDC) to the primary DC (PDC), however in W2k all DC's are equal. That is the official MS proceedure. Howver, I have repeatedly encountered an error when trying to do this. See a copy of my posting re this. To date I have received only one answer, which was completely blank! (not a lot of help). MY OLD MESSAGE: Name: J Date: January 15, 2001 at 00:50:37 Pacific Subject: Windows 2000 Server Installation Comment: In trying to add a second DC to a domain, upon running dcpromo I get the following error message: " The operation failed because: The Directory Service failed to create the server object for CN=NTDS Settings,CN=DELL,CN=Servers,CN=Default-First-Site-Name,CN=Sites,CN=Configuration,DC=Oz on server toto. Please ensure the network credentials provided have sufficient access to add a replica. 'A Service Principal Name (SPN) could not be constructed because the provided hostname is not in the necessary format.' " Additional background info: 1. The first DC is named toto, on domain Oz. The second computer is named Dell. 2. This same error has appeared on three different machines, each when I attempted to promote it as the second DC in the domain. Same result, even on a freshly created domain, fresh first DC and freshly installed stand-alone server which I was attempting to promote as the second DC for that domain. 3. The g. . . sufficient access to add a replicah portion seems irrelevant, as I have had no problems adding servers to the domain: only in promoting to a second DC. Thus, I suspect that the crux of the problem lies in the ghostname is not in the necessary formath portion. Any ideas about what is causing this persistent error??? HELP, PLEASE!!!!!