How to Configure a Global Catalog Server

Manage multiple domains with a global catalog server.

A domain controller answers security verification requests such as logging in or permission credentials. Multiple domains are stored within a global catalog. A global catalog server manages multiple global catalogs and allows you to search for any domain stored on the server without having to know the domain name. The global catalog server can also be used to locate and identify objects within any domain stored on the server. Configuring a global catalog server requires a few steps to set up.

Instructions

1. Set up your global catalog server by opening your Microsoft Management Console and clicking "Active Directory Sites and Services." Click "Sites" and locate the domain controller you wish to configure to become your global catalog server.

2. Click "Sites" and the "Server" object of the domain controller you are converting to a global catalog server, then right-click "NTDS Settings" and choose "Properties." Make sure the box next to "Global Catalog" is checked and click "OK."

3. Open a command prompt within your global catalog server and enter "dcdiag /v /s: servername| find "%"", where "servername" is the name of your server. Eliminate the quotation marks except for the ones around "%." This will give you the ability to monitor your global catalog server activity.

References

• Microsoft: Designate a Domain Controller to Be a Global Catalog Server