[There's a reason that Yoda is the unofficial mascot of SBS. Size indeed matters not.] Who says we don't support secondary domain controllers? - THE OFFICIAL BLOG OF THE SBS DIVA
Fri, Apr 21 2006 20:20 bradley

Who says we don't support secondary domain controllers?

David posts in the blog.. "I know that SBS doesn't support secondary domain controllers...:"

Uh. David?

Yes, SBS DOES support additional domain controllers..

Now granted Jeff Middleton will be discussing this in much greater detail at his SBS 2003 presentation at TechEd 2006 because it's truly one of the myths of SBS.... but SBS's Active Directory is normal AD.... so we CAN and DO support additional domain controllers...

Who said we don't?.

 

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# re: Who says we don't support secondary domain controllers?

Saturday, April 22, 2006 7:17 PM by John

I think that is a common myth that SBS won't support secondary Domain Controllers?

I used to think it didn't as well, until Peter Gallagher and the Microsoft Podcast set me straight.

I have a Windows 2003 Server that is a secondary DC to my SBS box.

# re: Who says we don't support secondary domain controllers?

Monday, April 24, 2006 6:09 PM by mikeb

Hmm, I always thought that, too. I think it's from a less-than-precise reading of this FAQ (from http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2003/sbs/evaluation/faq/prodinfo.mspx):

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Windows Server 2003 for Small Business Server is designed for partners who want to deliver a server solution based on Windows Server 2003 as part of their product offering. It provides the same version of Windows Server 2003 that is used by Windows Small Business Server 2003, but it has none of the added features included in the standard edition or premium edition of Windows Small Business Server 2003.

Windows Server 2003 for Small Business Server has the following restrictions:

• Only one computer in a domain can be running Windows Server 2003 for Small Business Server.

• Windows Server 2003 for Small Business Server must be the root of the Active Directory forest.

• Windows Server 2003 for Small Business Server cannot trust any other domains.

• A Windows Server 2003 for Small Business Server domain cannot have any child domains.

• Each additional server must have a Windows Server 2003 for Small Business Server client access license (CAL). You can use CALs for each user or for each device.

# re: Who says we don't support secondary domain controllers?

Monday, April 24, 2006 6:22 PM by mikeb

Wow - now I see that I was even more confused by that FAQ than I thought... Apparently I need to slow down in my reading.

That FAQ is talking about another version of SBS that I never realized existed:

"Windows Server 2003 for Small Business Server"

Which is a different product than

"Windows Small Business Server 2003 - Standard Edition", or
"Windows Small Business Server 2003 - Enterprise Edition"

Note the subtle difference in where "Small Business Server" is placed in the name.

However, that FAQ entry is the only place I've seen it mentioned (but then again, the name is so confusingly similar, I may have seen it but not realized).