Name: chris30 Date: September 26, 2004 at 14:16:57 Pacific Subject: Domain controller for Windows 2003 OS: Windows 2003 server CPU/Ram: NA
Comment:
I may be purchasing two Windows 2003 servers for our company. I will be using one as strictly a file/print server, and the second server will function stricly as an Exchange mail server. My question is should I configure the file/print server to be the domain controller, and the mail server as a member server of the domain? I have read that if possible you shouldn't setup Exchange servers as domain controllers. What is your advice for this situation?
Is it just the two Servers, How big will the User base be? If under 50, try looking at SBS2003, as this is all on one box, DC/Exchange2003 SQL, the lot. If you have the Premium Version, then you get ISA2000 on the same machine as well. If the User base is bigger, then would be better for seperate machines.
Basically I agree with Dave, except I think with 50 users SBS might be more expensive than Windows Server + Exchange server because of the licensing, but don't take my word for that - check it out. Also, SQL is not included with the cheapest version of SBS - just Exchange.
I would have two servers and make them both DCs regardless, which means with SBS getting one more Windows Server package. Just being a DC doesn't seem to add a lot of overhead, but it gives you some redunancy. You do not want to be an IT Manager when your only machine with active directory goes down for the count, that you _can_ take my word on. One disadvantage of SBS is it has to be the FSMO holder so you can't transfer the roles to a secondary server if it goes down, or you want to take it down. (Check the docs on FSMO if you don't know what that is).
You should use one server as a DC and the other as Exchange server as a member server. I've set it up that way because referring to "Mastering Exchange 2003 Server" book it seems to have a reasons for not converting your Exchange Server 2003 to DC. Its performance and replication issue within Active Directory objects. Just join the Xchange server to the domain and login as Administrator than you should be good to go. Unless, you really need dual Active Directory for redundancy, but I dont' believe its a big issue for small number of users. Its all about ur personal preference.
