Adding 2nd server questions …

[Anonymous]

I’m running an Xserve with OS X.3.9 Server as an Open Directory Master for 400+ accounts with network homes (250GB module), accessible from 50+ desktop Macs. This is as a ‘sub’ network within a Windows domain.

The services being run are AFP, Print Service and NetBoot. DNS and DHCP come from a Windows server. Users have a seperate OS X account for the Macs, there is no Active Directory binding at all.

I am expecting more (Mac) clients later this year and have asked for a second Xserve. I’m not sure how I should deploy it. I would like to use it to store more network homes and also to extend the LDAP directory I’m using at the minute to spread the load on the first server.

Can anyone suggest a way forward ? I’ll need to upgrade the first server to OS X.4 first as well. Thanks …

[Anonymous]

OK great, that’s good. I feel like I should be asking questions about load balancing , maximum no. of accounts in the directory and maximum ‘simultaneous’ login requests (since we have 60 macs I guess 60 is the logical maximum at any one time, I think I read the server is happy upto 200/250?).

This will be a straight forward ‘replica’ of the master directory, with the servers being able to share the login requests. I can spread out the network homes between the two servers to ease the load of more accounts as well, right ?

thanks

[andrina]

Your replica will start to take over authentication requests if your primary server is being overburdened – this is done automatically on 10.3.x and up – just point your clients to the primary server in Directory Access. Because your replica is obviously in your OD domain, you certainly can host half of your accounts on the replica machine to spread the load – just change the home directory location in Workgroup Manager for the users that you plan to move.

[Author]

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