### Installing KDCs

The Key Distribution Centers (KDCs) issue Kerberos tickets. Each KDC contains a copy of the Kerberos database. The master KDC contains the master copy of the database, which it propagates to the slave KDCs at regular intervals. All database changes (such as password changes) are made on the master KDC.

Slave KDCs provide Kerberos ticket-granting services, but not database administration. This allows clients to continue to obtain tickets when the master KDC is unavailable. MIT recommends that you install all of your KDCs to be able to function as either the master or one of the slaves. This will enable you to easily switch your master KDC with one of the slaves if necessary. (See Switching Master and Slave KDCs.) This installation procedure is based on that recommendation.