The Global Catalog is crucial to the proper operation of
an Active Directory. Without it, no one can find any of the
objects stored in the directory. So, its proper operation
must be verified on a regular basis.
Global Catalogs contain two types of information: objects
that have been marked as globally useful and therefore
must be available everywhere and at all times, and universal
group memberships. It is for this reason that at least one
domain controller in each site should be designated as a
Global Catalog server (GCS). In addition, each site should
be set to Cache Universal Group Memberships. This
should greatly reduce the amount of replication required
between Global Catalog Servers.
To verify that Global Catalog information is available in
remote sites:
dsquery * -gc -s servername
where servername is the name of the remote server you
want to verify. The -gc switch also makes sure it is a
Global Catalog Server that answers the request. This
command should return a list of 100 results (the default
volume of the output from the dsquery command). If this
query does not work, use Procedure DC-07 to force
replication.
You can also automate this process by placing it in a
command file along with Procedure GS-19.
To make a DC a GCS:
1. Begin by launching the Active Directory Sites and
Services portion of the Global MMC.
2. Navigate to the NTDS Settings (Computer
Management | Active Directory Sites and Services
| Sites | sitename | Servers | servername | NTDS
Settings) where sitename and servername are the
site and server you want to modify, and click it.
3. Right-click on NTDS Settings and select Properties
from the context menu.
4. Check the Global Catalog option on the General tab.
Click OK to close the Properties dialog box.
To set Universal Group Membership Caching:
1. Begin by launching the Active Directory Sites and
Services portion of the Global MMC.
2. Navigate to the site you want to modify (Computer
Management | Active Directory Sites and Services
| Sites | sitename) where sitename is the site you
want to modify, and click it.
3. Move to the right pane and right-click on NTDS Site
Settings to select Properties from the context menu.
4. Check Enable Universal Group Membership
Caching and click OK to close the dialog box.
Tags:activation, check, command, computer, directory, enable, file, Generator, group, listing, queries, replication, server, servers, services, sites, switch, Windows
you can also grab the RSS feed or Subscribe to Techgurulive by Email
