Root domain with childdomains VS. Domain with sites

[Ronald Postma]

Hi all,
A client of mine just took over another compagny and wants to connect the two networks.

both companies just wanted to upgrade from win2000 invirement to a windows 2003 envirement.

We do not want to do an upgrade just create a new invirement and when it is functional, inport all the data from the old in the new and dispose the old domains.

Now we had two ideas here, create a rootdomain and on the other department a childdomain, or create ONE domain with sites.

My question is what are the advantages and disadvantages of both methodes.
Looking at mail (Exchange server), backup (probably Arcserve) Exact Globe 2003 with SQL2000 database server. Ofcource also the rightstructure of users, they must be abel to login everywere.
Also inportent is to keep the setup of the whole network as simpel as possibel. To keep the TCO as low as possibel and with methode has the lowest TCO

Does anyone knows this, can give me some URL's to info about this?

Tnx en regards, Ronald

[Ivan Ferreira]

You should use child domains when you need to delegate the administration.

Sites are used to set parameters for AD replication. Sites are configured when you have a low network connection between LANs.

In this case, the simplest design will be to use one forrest with one domain. Configure sites depending of the network connection bandwitdh.

You can use OUs for every department and use the delegation wizard to delegate the administration of the OUs.

If you use a child domain, by default, you will have differents domain names for user accounts, unless your manually setup the domain for the account.

[Ronald Postma]

tnx for replying,

On both departments their is an own IT staff that will be responsebel for the network at that department. the IT staff of the headdepartment should be responsebel for the connection to the other department. So that looks more like splitting the adminstratiting of the whole comapany.
So if I want to split the administrating of the network a childdomain is the easiest / best way? Maybe you can allaborate why it is easier?
If I use the childdomain configuration what is the disadvantages for users in the childdomain if they want to use resourches in the host domain? I.E the SQL databases are stored in the hostdomain but users of the childdomain also have to access the database, is this easier then working in one domain with sites? Or more difficult because of different domainnames? wich one gives the best performence?

Between the to departments their is going to be a 2mbit line, maybe 4 if nessesarry. So I guess I do not have to worry much about slow connections.

The main thing is that both IT staffs can work seperate for their own department to keep their end of the company working. So can that be done with "domain with sites" and with "hostdomain with childmain"? or is one better then the other.

Personaly I do not have any expierence with this I just need a list of advantages and disadvantages of both methodes.

Have a nice day,
Regards, Ronald

[Ivan Ferreira · Accepted solution]

Instead of creating a child domain, you can create one forrest with two same-level domains. This will allow the administration of the network services independently, and access to resources wont be a problem cause the trust relationship is automathically established, transitive-bidirectional. So, when you run the dcpromo, you need to select "Domain tree in an existing forest"

If you use two domains, then the administration of DNS, DHCP, WINS, User accounts, etc will be independent.

I think that if the management will be indpendent, then you should use a two domain in the same forest scheme.

[Ivan Ferreira]

Also, take a look to these best practices:

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/windowsserver2003/library/DepKit/c283b699-6124-4c3a-87ef-865443d7ea4b.mspx

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/windowsserver2003/library/DepKit/c283b699-6124-4c3a-87ef-865443d7ea4b.mspx

[Ivan Ferreira]

This article is excelent also:

http://www.samspublishing.com/articles/article.asp?p=32080&seqNum=6

[Prashant (I am Back)]

Hi,

What i would try to do is
Single Domain
One DC another ADC
Clients can roam on the network and in case one dc fail autencation tasks can be done by the other server.

Where as if you want step to step guide with snapshot for exchange migration and user migration from 2000 to 2003 i can mail you.

Regards,
Prashant S.

[Ronald Postma]

HI all,
Thanks for all the info, were are going to use a domain with sites.
If any more questions come up, I will drop them, thanks again,

Regards, Ronald