Little question about Windows 2003 SBS

[Tsaico]

Here is the scenario, the little company I work for with less than 25 users, wants to move to AD. I have been looking into SBS because of all the extra value in it, but I feel uncofortable with having all this run only on one machine, especially since i have 2 servers. Can i install regular windows 2003 standard on the 2nd machine to handle redundancy in repsects to the global catalog, dns, wins, etc? ( i know things like exchange and the other sbs included software is no, but that is fine with me, it is more in regards to the core infrastructure.

Also, can we do this? Install Regular windows 2003 as the first domain controller, then later add SBS, transferring the operations master, fsmo roles and such to it, or does SBS have to be first in any given domain?

 

[stash]

Yes, you can have additional 2003 domain controllers in an SBS domain.

SBS does have to be first in the domain however, and it has to hold all FSMO roles. I don't think making the 2003 standard box an additional GC will be a problem though.

 

[RebateMonger]

According to this SBS MVP, you can have multiple GCs in an SBS Domain. Microsoft's requirements for SBS only say it has to be a GC....not that it has to be the ONLY GC in the Domain.