transferring fsmo roles from the first dc in the forest

We recently brought up a second DC (non-GC) in the root forest domain.
The first DC in the root domain is holding all the fsmo roles plus is a GC
except IM since I transferred it to the second DC After bringing up the
second DC in this root domain. The first DC has quite a small hardware.

The second DC has a bigger hardware so I'd like to transfer all the fsmo
roles to it from the first DC and also make this second DC a GC. Then remove
the GC role from the first DC since it has a small hardware. Also planning
to transfer the IM from the second DC back to the first DC since the second
DC will be a GC while the first DC will not be a GC.

Do you see any issues of transferring the fsmo roles from the first DC in
the forest?
And removing the GC role as well?

 

Shouldnt be a problem as long as they all can see each other. Make sure
before you remove the GC on the first server that it is completely replicated
on the second server. Here is a little FSMO document on moving them.

http://www.petri.co.il/transferring_fsmo_roles.htm

Really shouldnt be a problem, unless there are network issues between DCs

 

Yeah probably not a big issue, specially if a smaller environment, I think
best practices are to keep the Infrastructure off the GC if possible, doesnt
Microsoft mention that somwhere

 

Hello study,

In a single forest domain, which you have what i read from your description,
you can/should make all DC's Global catalog server, there is no need to exclude
the IM from this. Also make both DNS servers with AD integrated zones and
configure all machines to use the new one as preferred DNS and the older
one as secondary DNS server.

See also here:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/223346/en-us

Best regards

Meinolf Weber

 

Hi
If all DCs=GCs your IM can be anyware at any DC.

--
I hope that the information above helps you.
Have a Nice day.

Jorge Silva
MCSE, MVP Directory Services

Please no e-mails, any questions should be posted in the NewsGroup
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.

 

This can be a mute point if you have only a single domain in the forest.
Then all dc's can be GC's, even the FSMO role holder of the IM.