Configure a domain controller as a global catalog server

Applies To: Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2003 R2, Windows Server 2003 with SP1, Windows Server 2003 with SP2

To configure a domain controller as a global catalog server

Open Active Directory Sites and Services.
In the console tree, right-click NTDS Settings.

Where?
- Active Directory Sites and Services/Sites/YourApplicableSite/Servers/YourApplicableServer/NTDS Settings
Click Properties.
On the General page, select the global catalog check box.

Notes

To open Active Directory Sites and Services, click Start, point to All Programs, point to Administrative Tools, and then click Active Directory Sites and Services.
Each Windows Server 2003 family site or Windows 2000 site containing MSMQ 1.0 clients running on Windows NT 4.0, Windows 98, or Windows 95 computers must contain at least one Windows Server 2003 domain controller that is running the Message Queuing directory service (Downlevel Client Support) and is configured as a global catalog server or at least one Windows 2000 domain controller that is running a Message Queuing server and is configured as a global catalog server from the domain of each such client. This is required to enable such clients to send queries programmatically to Message Queuing servers.
When a Windows NT 4.0 primary enterprise controller (PEC) is migrated, it is automatically promoted to a domain controller configured as a global catalog server.
The first domain controller in a Windows Server 2003 family forest is automatically configured as a global catalog server.

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