puzzling issue with exchange 2003 and AD sites
HiShort question is how do I change the AD site in which a exchange 2003 server sits?Long version is that I'm currently sorting out the Active Directory design at work, and now have each main physical site setup in AD sites and services as sites with the relevant subnets attached, as well as the domain controllers.we have 5 sites defined along with 8 DCs and 10 servers in the exchnage organisation, I have been using the AD toplogy diagrammer for Visio to graphically document the topology but it has thrown up some thing strange. Most EX servers are fine, but 2 of the Ex servers are showing as being part of an AD site which is on the end of a 2MB wan link. The subnet for those servers is attached to the correct site. Is this a) a problem? and B) how do I change the site?I would guess that the EX servers would use AD sites to find and use the DC(s) in the same AD site which would mean that physically they are commuicating with a DC 50m miles away over a slow WAN link rather than the 2 DCs in the same physical computer room. Does anybody know if this theory is correct or am I talkiing utter rubbish!Thanks for any assistance or shed light.Gary
May 30th, 2008 12:05am
Site membership of non-DCs is determined through subnet membership.
It is possible to put a 10.10.X.X subnet on site A, and a 10.10.1.X on site B in AD sites and services. In this scenario a server with the IP of 10.10.1.2 will belong to the more exact match of the subnet linked to site B, even though it could be a member of the subnet definition on site A. So in theory you could define a smaller part of an existing subnet in AD sites and services and link it to a site, even thought the actual subnet is in realtiy not carved up that way (I did that once for a 512 node subnet to but 20 Exchange servers and DCs into their own "site).
So I recommend going through your subnet definitions and making sure they are set up correctly. I would also check the DSAccess component of the Exchange 2003 server showing up in the 2 remote sites. If the DSAccess component (under the server properties in ESM) shows that the two Exchange servers are using DCs in the remote sites, then they agree with Visio in that they think they live in those remote sites. If they are using DCs in the main sites, then they are probably in the main site and Visio is confused somehow.
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May 30th, 2008 10:54pm