Add Additional Domain Controller

If the DNS is integrated with Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS), then as many domain controllers can be added to an existing domain as possible.

The following shows on how to add an additional domain controller to an existing domain in windows 2003.

1. Run dcpromo /adv on command prompt.
2. Check the "Active Directory Installation wizard" and click next.
3. Check the "Operating System Compatibility" Dialog box and click next.
4. Select "Additinal Domain Controller for an existing domain" option in Domain Controller dialog and click next.
5. select "over network from domain controller" option and click next. 6. Enter the user name, password and Domain Name "mydnstest" in "network Credentials dialog" and click next.
7.Enter the domain name "mydnstest" in Additional Domain Controller dialog and click next.
8.Click "yes" on active directory installation wizard. 9. Click next in Database and Log Folders dialog.
10. Enter shared volume location in Share System Volume dialog and click next.
11. Enter the restore mode administrator password in "Restore mode Administrator Password" dialog and click next.
12. Click next on summary dialog. Adding additional domain controllers gives the ability to locate the servers in sites more efficiently by DNS clients. In addition, Having multiple Domain controller results in load balancing and thus improves overall performance of DNS. Some times installation of additional domain controllers fails. The link Unable To install Additional DNS lists some possible reasons for failure.