Recovering from failure of Primary DC

  • Thread starter Thread starter J R
  • Start date Start date
J

J R

How do you recover if your Primary DC fails? If you have a
secondary DC how do you make it the Primary DC.

I know in Windows NT 4.0 if the PDC fails you can
immediately promote the BDC.

How do you do the equavalent with Windows 2000 and recover
the Active Directory?
 
It failover of the fsmo roles is not automatic. It is changed by either
demotion of the DC holding the role or the manual transfer of the role. In
cases where the role holder is no longer available and will not be coming
back online you can force another server to seize the roles.

255504 Using Ntdsutil.exe to Seize or Transfer FSMO Roles to a Domain
Controller
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=255504
255690 HOW TO: View and Transfer FSMO Roles in the Graphical User Interface
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=255690
 
J R said:
How do you recover if your Primary DC fails? If you have a
secondary DC how do you make it the Primary DC.

I know in Windows NT 4.0 if the PDC fails you can
immediately promote the BDC.

How do you do the equavalent with Windows 2000 and recover
the Active Directory?
Click to expand...

There is no concept of PDC and BDC in Active Directory. All DCs in a Domain
are read-write peers
The only case where this is not true is in the Operations Master roles which
do exist on only one machine.
See the online help about the FSMO's.

--
Regards,

Mike
--
Mike Brannigan [Microsoft]

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
rights

Please note I cannot respond to e-mailed questions, please use these
newsgroups
 
Hi-

You need to seize any FSMO roles formerly on your now dead DC to your
working DC. Review the following articles:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;255504
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;223787
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;283595

You will also need to cleanup your database and site topology then rebuild
your failed DC and add it back to the domain (unless you decommission it
permanently.)

--
Thanks,
Richard Moreno
MCSE NT4\2000, MCSA 2000

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
rights.
 
Basically I have a DC with the Active directory and
Exchange 2000 on it. I also have another server acting as
a second DC but with none of the server roles assigned. My
question is what is the best way to recover the Active
Directory and Exchange if I am going to re-install the OS
on my original DC that was running the different roles and
recover the Exchange data from tape backup? I am using
Veritas Backup Exec with the Exchange Agent but without
Disaster recovery.
-----Original Message-----
It failover of the fsmo roles is not automatic. It is changed by either
demotion of the DC holding the role or the manual transfer of the role. In
cases where the role holder is no longer available and will not be coming
back online you can force another server to seize the roles.

255504 Using Ntdsutil.exe to Seize or Transfer FSMO Roles to a Domain
Controller
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=255504
255690 HOW TO: View and Transfer FSMO Roles in the Graphical User Interface
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=255690

--
Richard McCall [MSFT]

"This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
rights."
How do you recover if your Primary DC fails? If you have a
secondary DC how do you make it the Primary DC.

I know in Windows NT 4.0 if the PDC fails you can
immediately promote the BDC.

How do you do the equavalent with Windows 2000 and recover
the Active Directory?
Click to expand...


.
Click to expand...
 
If you have two DC's, just running dcpromo on the one with the fsmo roles
will both demote it to server and also automatically transfer the roles to
the other dc during the demotion process. This works very well, and as long
as dns is working properly is not a problem, but you can of course also
manually transfer them to the other dc prior to the first dc being demoted,
removed from the domain, and then re-installed.
When the server is brought back into the domain again and you install exch
again, the database info can be restored from your tape, but for more
specific steps on exactly how to do this, you might want to post a question
on that in the Exchange newsgroup, as those folks will be monitoring that
more there.

--
David Brandt
Microsoft Corporation

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.
Please do not send e-mail directly to this alias. This alias is for
newsgroup purposes only.
JR said:
Basically I have a DC with the Active directory and
Exchange 2000 on it. I also have another server acting as
a second DC but with none of the server roles assigned. My
question is what is the best way to recover the Active
Directory and Exchange if I am going to re-install the OS
on my original DC that was running the different roles and
recover the Exchange data from tape backup? I am using
Veritas Backup Exec with the Exchange Agent but without
Disaster recovery.
-----Original Message-----
It failover of the fsmo roles is not automatic. It is changed by either
demotion of the DC holding the role or the manual transfer of the role. In
cases where the role holder is no longer available and will not be coming
back online you can force another server to seize the roles.

255504 Using Ntdsutil.exe to Seize or Transfer FSMO Roles to a Domain
Controller
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=255504
255690 HOW TO: View and Transfer FSMO Roles in the Graphical User Interface
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=255690

--
Richard McCall [MSFT]

"This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
rights."
How do you recover if your Primary DC fails? If you have a
secondary DC how do you make it the Primary DC.

I know in Windows NT 4.0 if the PDC fails you can
immediately promote the BDC.

How do you do the equavalent with Windows 2000 and recover
the Active Directory?
Click to expand...


.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
Again the issue I'm trying to get a solution to is if the
DC that is also responsible for the FSMO roles, and has
Exchange install crashs how do I recover it. If I am going
to re-install the OS on that server from scratch how do I
recover the Active directory and the Roles??
 
Hi JR-

When you reinstall the OS you would add the machine to the domain as a
member server. After rebooting you then would run DCPROMO. That will get AD
and the database copied to the rebuilt DC. If you want to move your FSMO
roles back to this rebuilt box, you would do a Transfer of FSMO roles using
the GUIs (AD Users & Computers, AD Sites & Services, or AD Schema).

--
Thanks,
Richard Moreno
MCSE NT4\2000, MCSA 2000

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
rights.



JR said:
Again the issue I'm trying to get a solution to is if the
DC that is also responsible for the FSMO roles, and has
Exchange install crashs how do I recover it. If I am going
to re-install the OS on that server from scratch how do I
recover the Active directory and the Roles??
-----Original Message-----
If you have two DC's, just running dcpromo on the one with the fsmo roles
will both demote it to server and also automatically transfer the roles to
the other dc during the demotion process. This works very well, and as long
as dns is working properly is not a problem, but you can of course also
manually transfer them to the other dc prior to the first dc being demoted,
removed from the domain, and then re-installed.
When the server is brought back into the domain again and you install exch
again, the database info can be restored from your tape, but for more
specific steps on exactly how to do this, you might want to post a question
on that in the Exchange newsgroup, as those folks will be monitoring that
more there.

--
David Brandt
Microsoft Corporation

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.
Please do not send e-mail directly to this alias. This alias is for
newsgroup purposes only.
Basically I have a DC with the Active directory and
Exchange 2000 on it. I also have another server acting as
a second DC but with none of the server roles assigned. My
question is what is the best way to recover the Active
Directory and Exchange if I am going to re-install the OS
on my original DC that was running the different roles and
recover the Exchange data from tape backup? I am using
Veritas Backup Exec with the Exchange Agent but without
Disaster recovery.

-----Original Message-----
It failover of the fsmo roles is not automatic. It is
changed by either
demotion of the DC holding the role or the manual
transfer of the role. In
cases where the role holder is no longer available and
will not be coming
back online you can force another server to seize the
roles.

255504 Using Ntdsutil.exe to Seize or Transfer FSMO Roles
to a Domain
Controller
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=255504
255690 HOW TO: View and Transfer FSMO Roles in the
Graphical User Interface
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=255690

--
Richard McCall [MSFT]

"This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and
confers no
rights."
message
How do you recover if your Primary DC fails? If you
have a
secondary DC how do you make it the Primary DC.

I know in Windows NT 4.0 if the PDC fails you can
immediately promote the BDC.

How do you do the equavalent with Windows 2000 and
recover
the Active Directory?


.
Click to expand...


.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
Does the second DC have to be running DNS while the other
DC is still functioning to be able to do the role transfer
properly or does the process of transferring the roles
also create the proper DNS information??
 
Hi-

Yes, a fully functional DNS server\infrastructure must be operational for a
smooth transfer of roles. Be it on the 2nd server or the rebuilt server it
doesn't matter which as long as it is up and working.

--
Thanks,
Richard Moreno
MCSE NT4\2000, MCSA 2000

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
rights.



JR said:
Does the second DC have to be running DNS while the other
DC is still functioning to be able to do the role transfer
properly or does the process of transferring the roles
also create the proper DNS information??
-----Original Message-----
Hi JR-

When you reinstall the OS you would add the machine to the domain as a
member server. After rebooting you then would run DCPROMO. That will get AD
and the database copied to the rebuilt DC. If you want to move your FSMO
roles back to this rebuilt box, you would do a Transfer of FSMO roles using
the GUIs (AD Users & Computers, AD Sites & Services, or AD Schema).

--
Thanks,
Richard Moreno
MCSE NT4\2000, MCSA 2000

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
rights.



Again the issue I'm trying to get a solution to is if the
DC that is also responsible for the FSMO roles, and has
Exchange install crashs how do I recover it. If I am going
to re-install the OS on that server from scratch how do I
recover the Active directory and the Roles??
-----Original Message-----
If you have two DC's, just running dcpromo on the one
with the fsmo roles
will both demote it to server and also automatically
transfer the roles to
the other dc during the demotion process. This works
very well, and as long
as dns is working properly is not a problem, but you can
of course also
manually transfer them to the other dc prior to the first
dc being demoted,
removed from the domain, and then re-installed.
When the server is brought back into the domain again and
you install exch
again, the database info can be restored from your tape,
but for more
specific steps on exactly how to do this, you might want
to post a question
on that in the Exchange newsgroup, as those folks will be
monitoring that
more there.

--
David Brandt
Microsoft Corporation

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and
confers no rights.
Please do not send e-mail directly to this alias. This
alias is for
newsgroup purposes only.
message
Basically I have a DC with the Active directory and
Exchange 2000 on it. I also have another server acting
as
a second DC but with none of the server roles assigned.
My
question is what is the best way to recover the Active
Directory and Exchange if I am going to re-install the
OS
on my original DC that was running the different roles
and
recover the Exchange data from tape backup? I am using
Veritas Backup Exec with the Exchange Agent but without
Disaster recovery.

-----Original Message-----
It failover of the fsmo roles is not automatic. It is
changed by either
demotion of the DC holding the role or the manual
transfer of the role. In
cases where the role holder is no longer available and
will not be coming
back online you can force another server to seize the
roles.

255504 Using Ntdsutil.exe to Seize or Transfer FSMO
Roles
to a Domain
Controller
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=255504
255690 HOW TO: View and Transfer FSMO Roles in the
Graphical User Interface
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=255690

--
Richard McCall [MSFT]

"This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties,
and
confers no
rights."
message
How do you recover if your Primary DC fails? If you
have a
secondary DC how do you make it the Primary DC.

I know in Windows NT 4.0 if the PDC fails you can
immediately promote the BDC.

How do you do the equavalent with Windows 2000 and
recover
the Active Directory?


.



.
Click to expand...


.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
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