New Apartment - Computers from Domain

[TC10284]

Hey all,

I finally got a decent tech job about two hours from my house. Needless to say I had to move. My apartment is small, so I took only about four laptops and five desktops with me. My issue is, the systems were joined to a Windows domain.

I am wondering if I should just either; disjoin the computers from the domain altogether and just use the systems in a workgroup (not preferred), setup a new DNS/DC at my new apartment (which is no problem and preferred), or simply setup VPN at home on an SBS 2003 server so systems still on the domain can VPN to home when I need/want them to and still be a part of the domain there.

I have already tried creating another DC at home and seeing if it would survive being separated from the other DCs without a huge amount of problem. This didn't go over too well, or I missed a configuration step some where.

Or, if there is an easier or more efficient way of doing this, how would you go about it?

I would prefer to keep the systems on a domain for easier PW management and logon scripts (such as for mapped drives).

Thanks guys...

 

[stash]

You're trying to make your apartment part of your office's domain? Why?

Yes, configuring a new DC and then moving it your house won't work unless you have a persistent (or at least semi-persistent) VPN connection back to the office so that the DCs can replicate with each other. If they don't do this within 60 or 120 days (depending on setup), the DC in your house will be useless.

As for the desktops and laptops, what domain were they connected to? If it's the new job's domain, you can use cached credentials to log on. Then you can periodically VPN in and they will pull down Group Policy, allow you to change passwords, etc.

Or just make them members of your own domain in your apt, and VPN to the office when you need to do stuff. Then you can just RDP into whatever office machines you need.

 

[TC10284]

Originally posted by: stash
You're trying to make your apartment part of your office's domain? Why?

My main intention is that if/when I ever take the desktop PCs back to my home, I won't have to worry with rejoining the domain there again.

Yes, configuring a new DC and then moving it your house won't work unless you have a persistent (or at least semi-persistent) VPN connection back to the office so that the DCs can replicate with each other. If they don't do this within 60 or 120 days (depending on setup), the DC in your house will be useless.

I understand. I really wouldn't worry about setting up a new DC here to begin with if I can just VPN back home and have any credential updates applied upon VPN'ing in.

As for the desktops and laptops, what domain were they connected to? If it's the new job's domain, you can use cached credentials to log on. Then you can periodically VPN in and they will pull down Group Policy, allow you to change passwords, etc.

Most of the laptops are only XP Home, so of course those aren't joined. Only one of the laptops and the rest of the desktops (except the router PC) were joined to my domain back home.
How would I go about using Cached Credentials?

Or just make them members of your own domain in your apt, and VPN to the office when you need to do stuff. Then you can just RDP into whatever office machines you need.

What I've done so far is promote a new DC here at my new place. My current thoughts are that if/when I ever take the systems back home, all I will have to do is just rejoin the domain and all the previous user files/settings will still be there when I login to the old domain again.

At least until I can get back home and setup SBS 2003 and a VPN, then login to the VPN and test rejoining the domain at home.