WDS - multiple locations - each location need a domain controller?

Mario

2009-03-03 16:22:08 UTC

Hello James,

Take a look at this article from Technet-Magazine:
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/magazine/2007.11.extendingbdd.aspx

We're intending to use this concept in our Environment too. The Article is
for BDD, but can be applied to MDT without problems.

The servers in the sublocation are not required to be DCs.

Regards
Mario

Post by James
Hello,
I'm using a combination of MDT 2008 and WDS for deploying servers. I have
the system setup at one location and its working great. Now I need to setup
a few other locations. I know WDS requires Active Directory and this first
location's deployment server is a domain controller created just for this
deployment system.
The other locations will have WAN connectivity and I intend on using DFS-R
to replicate my deployment share to the other sites... this also requires
active directory so the servers at the other locations will need to be at
the very least, member servers. I'm not sure if I should just make them
additional domain controllers though? Is there anything about WDS that would
dictate this decision? Each location is a seperate subnet of course and I
want to setup each location with it's own WDS server for network booting the
LTI boot image.
so what does needing WDS at each location mean with regard to active
directory requirements? should I make each server a DC? or just a member
server? ....keeping in mind each location is connected via WAN.
any input would be appreciated, thanks.