[Samba] PDC & file server on same machine?

[steve]

On 08/12/11 12:15, Adam Tauno Williams wrote:
> On Wed, 2011-12-07 at 17:03 -0600, John Heim wrote:
>> How much of a resource hog is a PDC? My understanding is that authentication
>> is done vs a BDC if available. I configured my new file server as the domain
>> PDC because I figured it would already have to run samba. I have two other
>> machines configured as BDCs to serve as logon servers
>> I'm looking for opinions on whether I'm asking for performance problems by
>> making my file server the PDC. Actually, this machine is already serving as
>> PDC but its not in production yet as a file server. So right now, its just
>> the domain PDC. When I log into the domain and "echo %logonserver%", it
>> shows that one of the BDCs was the logon server, not the PDC. It doesn't
>> look like the PDC has to do anything but handle joining machines to the
>> domain.
>
> There really isn't an answer for your question.  The load implied by
> being a DC depends on the number of clients and how heavily they are
> used.  If you have only a hundred or so clients, in my experience, the
> load is pretty mild [for modern hardware/networks].
>
> With Samba3 domain control there isn't really a BDC/PDC distinction.
> Every box is a PDC that operates in parallel with the other DCs.  That
> is a bit different than a true NT4 domain.
>
>
Maybe what the OP is asking here is for examples. I realise that for 
security reasons admins may not be allowed to reveal their setup but it 
would be helpful to give some concrete figures of hardware, clients and 
servers that works for us.
Cheers.