Domain Server vs. Workgroup

andywt · 31st March 2009

I am helping out a friend who as a hodgepodge of systems in his two locations. His business has two locations--Location A has about 15 PCs in it and Location B that has 6 PCs. Each location has a Win2003SP1 server in it that provide Network Shares.

The odd thing is Location B (the small site) has the Server configured as a Domain Controller and Location A (the large site) has the Server configured as a Workgroup server. The only networking done between the two sites is via Remote Desktop.

They have been using a USB drive to synchronize common files between the two locations (they only work in one location at a time). As you might imagine that this has caused a number of operation issues that have to be dealt with from time to time.

I would like to implement DFS between the two locations using a DSL-based VPN to replace the USB drive method but am concerned about the DC/WG differences.

A few questions:

Will the Domain/Workgroup configuration cause any issues implementing DFS?
Would there be an advantage to converting the Workgroup server into a Domain? Or should the Domain be converted into a workgroup?
Anything I should be aware of implementing DFS?

I would love to talk to the person that configured this to begin with but unfortunately he has flown the coop.

Thanks for your advice!

**ReggieB** · 31st March 2009

It is always easier to manage a network of more than 5 users via a domain (active domain nowadays) than via peer to peer (workgroup). Transferring users over to the domain will take some work (tom on the workgroup is a different user to tom on the domain), mainly in copying user's workgroup user profiles to their matching domain user profiles, but the effort is worth it.

andywt · 31st March 2009

Thanks.

Should the Domains be separate or should they be part of a hierarchy?

Any comments/caveats to watch out for when I implement DFS?

**ReggieB** · 2nd April 2009

Separate or part of the same hierarchy will both work. Same hierarchy will mean more network traffic going over the link to maintain the relationship. Separate can mean less slick interaction.

If your DSL is ADSL, I expect bandwidth will be an issue. In this case I'd keep the two separate - if only because it forces systems to treat connections over the WAN differently to connections over the LAN. Microsoft Operating Systems can be very bandwidth hungry for file and print operations, doing things like looking ahead and monitoring shared files. That's not a problem over a LAN but can be if your bandwidth is limited to the upload side of an ADSL link.

bilbus · 4th April 2009

Setup each server at each site as a domain controller for the same domain.

inside AD sites and services, create two sites (office 1 office 2) config the subnet for each. Replication traffic will be very minimal.

You will need a point to point vpn between each office, but that will let you share files and comunicate over the wan.

I would not install rras on the server for a vpn, i would buy 2 identical vpn devices .. it should be cheap to do.

As for dfs, not a good idea if you have a dsl connection. How much data do you expect to transfer?

I would setup the file share on the main office, and use dfs to make it available to the smaller office. If the file changes are minimal, then that should be fine.

Do not create two domains, not a good idea for such a small user base. also do you have SBS or STD?

If both servers are SBS then you will not be able to put both on the same domain. also with SBS you cant create trusts, so thats also out.

If you have STD your fine, single domain and 2 sites. This will minimize traffic across wan. You can even set it up to only replicate after hours.

andywt · 6th April 2009

Today, there is a vpn between the two sites over DSL (6MB down and 750K up). In the current config one site is a Domain and the other site is a Workgroup. I'll plan to migrate the WG to a Domain before I start the DFS implementation. Are there any Best Practices Guides you'd recommend for the migration from WG to DC?

Regarding the DFS, there is probably about 5MB-20MB of data each day that would be replicated. The data does not have to be replicated in real time but needs to be available at the other site by the beginning of the next day.

Each server is running Windows 2003 Standard with SP2.

bilbus · 6th April 2009

ok thats easy then

set your main office server to use the branch office server as it's dns server for tcp-ip settings.

run dcpromo on the server you want to configure as a new dc.

when dcpromo is done, change the dns in each office to be like this

Primary - local serever
Secondary - server on other side of vpn.

Inside AD sites and services create a second site.

Goto subnets, and create a subnet for each site

Drag the DCs into the correct site.

Thats it.