This download about planning for a branch office may help:

http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?displaylang=en&id=5838

Also, see this link:

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc749943.aspx

I would keep both offices in the same domain. Best is to have a DC in each office. You can design the site link between the two offices to minimize traffic, but keep the two DC's in sync. However, I'm assuming you have a link between the two offices, even
if it is slow.
Richard Mueller - MVP Directory Services

There is an amazing pack of free network admin tools. click here to download it

our main office has server 2003 running a domain.
the company has just taken ovfer another office with 5 workkers in it about 5 hrs drive from the main office.
they also run server 2003 but as a workgroup.
I would like to make the second office on a domain and sync the 2 active directories together.
both offices dont have a great deal of internet bandwidth, so i dont want masses of data going between the 2 office.
Can anyone point me to any documents that explain in easy steps the best way to do this.
1: can i run a DHCP server at each office
2: do i run a DC at both offices
3: is it possible to real time sync the AD at both offices or will this take too much bandwidth.
I have never linked 2 offices before so looking for any ideas, thoughts or info.

There is an amazing pack of free network admin tools. click here to download it

This download about planning for a branch office may help:

http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?displaylang=en&id=5838

Also, see this link:

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc749943.aspx

I would keep both offices in the same domain. Best is to have a DC in each office. You can design the site link between the two offices to minimize traffic, but keep the two DC's in sync. However, I'm assuming you have a link between the two offices, even
if it is slow.
Richard Mueller - MVP Directory Services

Need to support users over the internet? click here try our remote control online beta

As explained above I can see you really dont have the much users so you can install domain controller and dhcp both on one computer and create a site link to from HO to BO to control the Ad Traffic.
Configuring DHCP server

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/300429

Planing Active Directory Deployment on the Branch Office

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc749944.aspx






you can control the replication traffic using the site link created in the Active Directroy






http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc736536(v=ws.10).aspx



http://www.arabitpro.com


There is an amazing pack of free network admin tools. click here to download it

thanks for the info
I plan on giving both domain controllers 2 nic interfaces 1 public IP and 1 private IP.
Can the AD sync over the ADSL in each office and will it be real time or do I have to specify when and how often the sync will take place.
I dont see that many changes will take place maybe 1-2 users per week, but would like it that if a users password needs to be changed its available at both AD's within a very short time span.
the head office is on 10.20.40.x 255.25.255.0 and the newly aquired office is on 192.168.2.x 255.255.255.0 as each office will have its own DHCP can this arrangement stay of is it best to get them all in the same IP block

Need to support users over the internet? click here try our remote control online beta