How To Promote BDC to PDC Through RAS

This article was previously published under Q139343

A Backup Domain Controller (BDC) can be connected to a remote domain using Windows NT Server Remote Access Service (RAS). To promote a BDC that is connected through RAS to a primary domain controller (PDC):

1. Configure the BDC as a Dial-out-only RAS client. The Remote Access Server service should not be running on this BDC. By having just the RAS client dial out services on this BDC, it can function as a PDC because that functionality does not depend on Netlogon.
2. If you promote the RAS-connected client, Netlogon stops, changes roles and restarts. RAS is dependent on Netlogon, so when Netlogon stops, the connection is lost.
3. A RAS-connected BDC that has been promoted to PDC functions as it should, but possibly with slower response time, depending on line speed.