I am noticing a very slow network access response. While connecting through network neighborhood, a netowork share, and also while opening through Word the connection is very slow. I suspect DNS, So I want to first verify my current DNS configuration. Current server configuration SERVER 1, SERVER 2, SERVER 3 >all configured the same 2003 standard edition AD/ DHCP/DNS/WINS. The servers were installed in order 1, 2, 3. Server 1 and 2 reside at site 1. Server 3 is located in another office and connected to site 1 through VPN. Server1 DNS settings>interface points to itself, Forwarders point to local ISP TCP/IP DNS preferred points to itself, alternate points to server 2 WINS points to itself Server 2 DNS settings>interface points to itself, Forwarders point to local ISP TCP/IP DNS preferred points to itself, alternate points to server 2 WINS points to itself Server 3 DNS settings>interface points to itself, Forwarders point to local ISP and server 1 TCP/IP DNS preferred points to itself WINS points to itself All clients inside site 1 DNS settings are pointed to server 1. All clients at site 2 DNS pointed to server 3. The replication process is taking place but I want to verify that server 2, and 3 are replicating from server 1 (if this makes a difference).

Do you have a reason to run WINs? If not, I would remove it. AD does not need it for anything. I've alway preferred to not have DNS servers point to themselves. In Windows 2000 there was the issue with DNS Islanding that has for the most part been corrected in 2003 however I still prefer to have the DNS servers point to a 'main' server. If you suspect DNS problems, I'd try point all DNS servers to server 1. In this case server 1 would be the only server pointing to itself. You could then have server2 point to 3 for Alternate and have server3 poing to 2 for Alternate. Clients appear to be using the proper DNS server.