Hi, I have 2003 standard Server which is the primary DC & runs AD, Exchange, DHCP & DNS. Also I have a Seconday DC runs on windows server 2008 standard R2 (only acts as a redundant DC + running company intranet). What happen previously I had a prblem with the 2003 server so I had to shut down the server, At that time users cannot connect to the Internet or to a shared drive on the 2008 server because DNS & DHCP was also down! So here after I want to make sure eventhought the 2003 server is down they can access the shared on the 2008 server + Internet. So I assume I need to install DHCP + DNS on the 2008 server. But How to I configure this to work when the 2003 server is down? Or is there any other options I have ? many Thanks

These ones may help. Design Options for DHCP Availability and Fault Tolerance http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd296672(WS.10).aspx Adding a Secondary DNS Server to a Zone http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc816885(WS.10).aspx Regards, Dave Patrick .... Microsoft Certified Professional Microsoft MVP [Windows]

Hello, user logon require a running DNS server for the domain and that the clients are configured to use it on the NIC. So make the second DC also DNS server, use AD integrated zones, and make it also Global catalog server. For DHCP configure split scopes with 50/50 rule, so both DCs have the half of the DHCP scope active and the other half inactive, that way you can enable on the DHCP server that is active the other half of the scope until the down DC?DHCP is active again. Are you aware of the facts that running Exchange on a DC is not recommended, even not from Microsoft? Also webservices should not run on a DC. Keep in mind that a DC has the major information of your complete domain and should NEVER be connected to the internet. Primary and secondary terms are not to be used for DCs as all of them are the same and only the FSMO roles are different on them and belong to some rules. Best regards Meinolf Weber Disclaimer: This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties or guarantees , and confers no right

Yes, I agree with Meinolf. You should not install Exchange on DC. For DNS and DHCP failover. Thanks

How to add a Secondary DNS server with AD Integrated Zones http://networkadminkb.com/kb/Knowledge%20Base/Windows2003/How%20to%20add%20a%20Secondary%20DNS%20server%20with%20AD%20Integrated%20Zones.aspx