RE: [ActiveDir] Virtual DCs

[Brian Desmond]

Title: Virtual DCs

I have no problem with VMWare or Virtual Server DCs if done correctly. Frankly, 7K users is like pocket change if you ask me. Really, the users generate no load – they logon to the PC and change their password. Things like Exchange (and OLK), machines, and other AD aware apps do. If properly written and the virtual hardware properly configured everything should still jive. If I had to make a one off guess with no more info I’d say go for it. The price war with MS and EMC on virtualization has made this far more economical, and if you’re going to be doing branches, you can play your sacred card and virtualize stuff and quasi isolate it. There have been a couple lengthy discussions on that subject recently – Tony has a search widget on the website for this DL. :)   Thanks, Brian Desmond [EMAIL PROTECTED]   c - 312.731.3132   From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Molkentin, Steve Sent: Tuesday, June 06, 2006 8:50 AM To: ActiveDir@mail.activedir.org Subject: RE: [ActiveDir] Virtual DCs   Ada,   I am intrigued as to why "management" are directing you to do this. What benefits do they percieve? Do they understand the nature of the 2K3 directory and the load 7,000 users puts on it?   This is not a criticism - just a curious thinking out loud moment...   Personally - I wouldn't do it. Some would say a DC is a sacred thing, not to be toyed with. Proof of concept is always good in these scenarios...  if you were to set this up in a lab, even with just two VMWare-ed DC's, you could show the overhead this would place on the machine and help them to understand the additional cost this will bring.   Remember, a DC that is just a DC (AD, DNS, maybe DHCP) doesn't need to be a gutsy box - it can just be a PC rebuilt with Win2K3 server on it. However it does need to stay up all the time.  ;)   themolk.     From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Rivera, Ada Sent: Tuesday, 6 June 2006 9:51 PM To: ActiveDir@mail.activedir.org Subject: [ActiveDir] Virtual DCs We have a single domain forest with about 7,000 users. Currently we 8 AD regional sites and one HQ AD site. The regional sites each have a DC serving their local regional area and there are multiple DCs in our HQ site. The environment is currently running Windows 2000 SP4 and we are looking to upgrade our DCs to W2K3. The direction from management is that we will put all of our domain controllers on VM Ware when we upgrade the DCs to W2K3. Does anyone have any thoughts on this? Good or Bad idea?