[dmm7709]

I have a domain server, small business server 2003, which we use at my. I have another system just like it that I want to use on the same internet access. I know I need to point to the same firewall / router to achieve this goal. My problem is, how can I make sure the new server will NOT talk to the other server in any way and NOT fight over which one will be the master browser? I don’t want the second server to be part of the office domain. I just want to use it as an offline server with just me attached to it using the same internet access as the office server.

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if the other server isn't joined to the production domain (i.e. your office domain) and it's not a part of it's own domain (though that's irrelevant) it SHOULDN'T advertise as a master browser anyway....and if it were to...any machine that's NOT in it's domain would ignore the master browser advertisement anyway....also....except for possible ARP or DNS requests it shouldn't "talk" to the other server unless there's an explicit request....if they're not on the same domain they won't talk anywhere past the network layer

[dsenette]

if the other server isn't joined to the production domain (i.e. your office domain) and it's not a part of it's own domain (though that's irrelevant) it SHOULDN'T advertise as a master browser anyway....and if it were to...any machine that's NOT in it's domain would ignore the master browser advertisement anyway....also....except for possible ARP or DNS requests it shouldn't "talk" to the other server unless there's an explicit request....if they're not on the same domain they won't talk anywhere past the network layer

[dmm7709]

Thanks for the reply dsenette. Also will the two domain controllers fight with each other or not? I just don’t want to turn on the second system to configure and install and have the office network shutdown or start receiving errors.

[dsenette]

well...you didn't mention in the beginning that the other server will be running a domain...but it shouldn't make a difference

at work i've got one domain that's got two DC's (one primary and one backup) and then a completely separate domain running another DC....ideally when you've got two domains running in a single physical location you would separate the two domains' ip scopes (have one on one subnet and the other on another) and if possible set up VLANS on your switches to completely segregate the traffic...in my setup i wasn't fully able to do either...the DC for the secondary domain actually has an IP on my primary domain's subnet....and i don't have any issues with them "cross communicating"...as long as the domains are completely separate and there are no connections (other than the physical fact that they're connected to the same router) between the two domain systems there shouldn't be any problems

[dmm7709]

Great! thanks for your help dsenette. That’s was pretty much what I was thinking but just wanted to make sure. In the future we will have this setup the way you have yours, one primary and the new one backup, but I have another project for it first.

Thanks Again