Domain Master Browser

[Genet]

How do you tell which DC is the Master Browser?

 

[Jorge de Almeida Pinto [MVP]]

use BROWMON (NT or W2K resource kit)
for more info see: http://www.windowsitlibrary.com/Content/155/05/1.html

--

Cheers,
(HOPEFULLY THIS INFORMATION HELPS YOU!)
# Jorge de Almeida Pinto #
MVP Windows Server - Directory Services
BLOG --> http://blogs.dirteam.com/blogs/jorge/default.aspx

 

[Herb Martin]

"Jorge de Almeida Pinto [MVP]"

use BROWMON (NT or W2K resource kit)
for more info see: http://www.windowsitlibrary.com/Content/155/05/1.html

Cool. I have always used the (really irritatingly complex)
Browstat.exe -- it works and seems to have more features
but it is has unnecessarily complex switches required to get
it to do something simple.

 

[Herb Martin]

How do you tell which DC is the Master Browser?

Jorge offered BrowMon; there is also BrowStat.exe
and putting a network monitor on the line (which is
not a particularly good method.)

Notice that there will be a Master Browser for each
Domain (or workgroup), on each Subnet (broadcast
domain actually), for each PROTOCOL (IP, IPX, NetBEUI).

For most modern networks, the protocol is always
IP but still there is a separate Master Browser per
Domain/Subnet.

For a Domain (not a workgroup) one of these Master
Browsers will be the Domain Master Browser.

So each Domain has a DMB which is responsible
for replicating browse list between it's own Master
Browsers (on other subnets) and between itself and
the Domain Master Browser of other domains.

In a complex (IP) Network the key to enterprise wide
browsing is having the Domain Master Browsers (for
each domain) find each other, and find their own
Master Browsers (on other subnets.)

In the general case (multiple subnets), WINS Server(s)
become a practical necessity.

For a single subnet the DMBs of the domains can find
each other by broadcasts but this is never the case for
the DMB and it's own Master Browsers (since those
are on additional subnets by definition.)