Pinging Host Names as opposed to pinging FQDNs

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Yes.  DNS and/or WINS server(s) setup correctly do this
quite easily.

Ok, so both zones are at both sites (Srv A & B each have both)
pinging by name should work just fine IF pinging by number already
works (you did register the names, right?)

Technically it's not a FQDN until you put a DOT. on the END., e.g.,
www.Domain.Com.  <-- DOT there (but lots of people use FQDN
to MEAN a multipart name with several tags ending in a TLD

Host name is not a definitive term, it is commonly just a synonym
for what you are calling a FQDN.

Your machine can ping by just the machine part IF the other machine is in
your machines SAME Domain/Zone OR you add an additional suffix
search list in the NIC properties -- notice this is dependent on being
able to ping by the full name which is dependent on the IP address
working.

Finally, if you wish to use NetBIOS names (like in the Browser)
then you might need WINS -- especially to get the browser to
work across subnets and across domains.

WINS server at each location, local clients use the local WINS
server (clients INCLUDE the WINS server and other servers,
especially DCs), then the two WINS server must be set to
replicate.

I added the Domain Name for DNS Server A in the Suffix tab under TCP
properties for a workstation in the opposite Domain and was able to ping the
corresponding Host name!!!

I also set up replication to take place between the two primary WINS servers
in Domain A and B.  However, I waited a while and still did not see the
Domain A appear in the Network Places of a workstation in Domain B.  Does
this replication take a long time?









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Cool.  See what happens in DNS is the "single name" is
insufficient.  So when you type a bare name like that it's
going to fail -- BUT it works because the resolver sticks
Domain.Com (whatever) on the end.

Two more choices exist for this "auto suffixing":
        checking parent domains (check box in NIC\IP DNS too)
        extra suffixes in the NIC properties (You used that.)
Parent domains/zones work by removing the left-most tag
from the machine's domain-part and trying (each) that.
So if a machine is in a deep tree, e.g.,

            machine.grand.child.domain.com.

First it tries the full name, then it would drop grand, then child.
I have never checked to see if it will try "machine.com" though.
Then it would check the suffixes listed.  Never list the domain
itself as a suffix (it might check twice and we know it won't
help) -- never list a parent domain in 'extra' IF you also told
it to check parents.

servers

You set the schedule right there in the MMC for the replication partner.
Did you remember to go both ways?  (I think that's the default these
days.)
What schedule did you SELECT?

Some people mistakenly believe that "delaying replication" reduces the
load on their WAN -- this is not generally true.  Ok, maybe a touch,
but not by much usually.

If you replicate each hour verses ever 12 hours, then you send about
1/12 of the 12 hour replication each hour -- it's about the same amount
overall and the "little" replications are likely less noticable than 10
times
the size.

Of course, there is some overhead just to set it up each time and if the
same records get updated many times (especially to the same values)
there is little reason to keep sending redundant data (like someone
boots their macine twice an hour).  Generally these contributions to
replication size are small.

You can force replication from the WINS MMC GUI.
You can also "connect" to the other server from the single MMC
and that might prove you have IP working between them.

After waiting a little bit longer replication took place......Everything is
working fine now!!  Thanks for the advice!!









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