When conditions in a site warrant adding a global catalog server, you can configure a domain controller to be a global catalog server. Selecting the global catalog setting on the NTDS Settings object prompts the Knowledge Consistency Checker (KCC) to update the topology. After the topology is updated, read-only, partial, domain directory partitions are replicated to the designated domain controller. When replication must occur between sites to create the global catalog, the site link schedule determines when replication can occur.

Task requirements

The following tools are required to perform the procedures for this task:

• Active Directory Sites and Services
  
  
• Repadmin.exe
  
  
• Dcdiag.exe
  
  

To complete this task, perform the following procedures.

Note
Some procedures are performed only when you are configuring the first global catalog server in a site.

1. Determine Whether a Domain Controller Is a Global Catalog Server
   
   
2. Designate a Domain Controller to Be a Global Catalog Server
   
   
3. Monitor Global Catalog Replication Progress
   
   
4. Verify Successful Replication to a Domain Controller