Selecting domain controllers

How the filer selects a domain controller

By default, after the filer discovers the domain controllers, it randomly selects a domain controller to use, with preference given to those on the same subnet as the filer. If you have Windows 2000 sites set up, the filer will give preference to domain controllers in the same site as the filer.

You can specify the order in which a filer contacts the domain controllers after it discovers them. The specified domain controllers are called preferred domain controllers. If the filer fails to reach any of the preferred domain controllers, it randomly selects a domain controller, with preference given to those on the local subnet or in the same Windows 2000 site.

If you want the filer to use the preferred domain controllers immediately, you can disconnect the filer from the current domain controller, which forces the filer to reestablish the connection using one of the preferred domain controllers.

The selection of preferred domain controllers is persistent across filer reboots, unless the connection fails or you reset the domain controller.

Specifying a list of preferred domain controllers

To specify a list of preferred domain controllers, complete the following step.

Step	Action
1	Enter the following command: *cifs prefdc add domain* address [ address ... ]** domain is the domain for which you want to specify domain controllers. address is the IP address of the domain controller. Example The following example specifies two preferred domain controllers for the lab domain: cifs prefdc add lab 10.10.10.10 10.10.10.11

Step

Action

Enter the following command:

cifs prefdc add domain address [ address ... ]

domain is the domain for which you want to specify domain controllers.

address is the IP address of the domain controller.

Example

The following example specifies two preferred domain controllers for the lab domain:

cifs prefdc add lab 10.10.10.10 10.10.10.11

Displaying a list of preferred domain controllers

To display a list of preferred domain controllers, complete the following step.

Step	Action
1	Enter the following command: *cifs prefdc print [ domain* ]** domain is the domain for which you want to display domain controllers. If it is omitted, the command displays preferred domain controllers for all domains. Example The following example displays the preferred domain controllers for the lab domain: cifs prefdc print lab

Step

Action

Enter the following command:

cifs prefdc print [ domain ]

domain is the domain for which you want to display domain controllers. If it is omitted, the command displays preferred domain controllers for all domains.

Example

The following example displays the preferred domain controllers for the lab domain:

cifs prefdc print lab

Deleting preferred domain controllers

To delete preferred domain controllers, complete the following step.

Step	Action
1	Enter the following command: cifs prefdc delete domain domain is the domain where the preferred domain controllers reside. Example The following example deletes the preferred domain controllers for the lab domain: cifs prefdc delete lab

Reestablishing the filer connection with a domain

To disconnect the filer from the current domain controller and establish a connection between the filer and a preferred domain controller, complete the following step.

Step	Action
1	Enter the following command: *cifs resetdc [ domain* ]** domain is the domain from which the filer disconnects. If it is omitted, the filer disconnects from the domain in which the filer is installed. Example The following example disconnects the filer from the domain controllers for the lab domain and establishes a connection between the filer and one of the preferred domain controllers that you specified earlier: cifs resetdc lab

Step

Action

Enter the following command:

cifs resetdc [ domain ]

domain is the domain from which the filer disconnects. If it is omitted, the filer disconnects from the domain in which the filer is installed.

Example

The following example disconnects the filer from the domain controllers for the lab domain and establishes a connection between the filer and one of the preferred domain controllers that you specified earlier:

cifs resetdc lab