Introduction of Active Directory
A domain controller (DC) is a server that responds to security authentication requests within a Windows Server domain. The DC is the core of the Windows Active Directory service. Authenticates users, stores user account information and is used to implement the security policy for a Windows domain. The Active Directory domain controller allows you to create user accounts and manage them centrally using tools such as Active Directory users and computers. Before installing the domain controller, it is important to understand some of the domain controller terminologies:
Active Directory Domain: is a collection of network objects in a Microsoft Active Directory network. An object can be a single user or a group or it can be resources, such as computers or printers. Active Directory domains are recognized by names like supinfo.local or supinfo.com, defined by the administrator.
Active Directory Forest: is the highest level of organization within Active Directory. A forest is a collection of trees that share a common global catalog, a directory scheme, a logical structure and a directory configuration. The first domain controller in a forest is called the forest root domain.
Domain controller: is a server that runs the AD DS server role and stores the Active Directory database (NTDS.DIT) and the SYSVOL folder. NTDS.DIT is a database file that stores identities and other information. SYSVOL contains all the template settings for Group Policy Objects.
Basic system requirements for domain controllers
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Windows Server 2012 R2 Hardware Requirements
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Getting Started
Setup and install your Windows Server 2012 machine
Before going to install Domain controller you must be configure static IP on that system.
- Right click a computer icon located on a task-bar and scroll to Open Network and Sharing Center and click on it.
- Click on Internet
- Click on properties
- Select Internet protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) and click properties
- By default selected obtain an IP address automatically but you have to select use the following IP address and Enter appropriate IP address as per your network class and in the DNS, you have to Enter loop back address , 172.0.0.1 OR also you can Enter same IP address.
Now your system ready to install and configure Active Directory.
Setting Up Domain Controller Functionality
Step 1: Open the Server Manager console and click on Add roles and features
- Click on Next
- Select Role-based of featured-based installation and select Next.
- Click Select a server from the server pool, click the name of the server to install Active Directory Domain Services to, and then click Next.
- Select Active Directory Domain Services then click Next.
- When the Add Roles and Features Wizard dialog box opens Select Add Features, then click Next.
- On the Active Directory Domain Services page, there will be some features to be selected. You can select any of them or can just click on Next.
- Click on Next
- The Active Directory Domain Services Role will install the following in a new environment:
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DNS Services
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DFS Namespaces Services
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DFS Replication Services- Replication Services
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Group Policy Management
- The confirmation page will display all components that will be installed. On a new server, a reboot is not required to install the Active Directory Domain Services role. Click on Install and wait for the installation to finish.
- Installation successfully click close, if you want promote this Server to a domain controller then click on red circle (Promote this server to a domain controller) OR follow the next screen.
- After the installation open Server Manager and you will receive a notification to promote the server to a DC. Select Promote this server to a domain controller.
- In the Configuration Wizard select the “Add a New Forest” and provide the Root Name (As per your Organization) then click on Next.
- You must provide a DSRM (Directory service Restore Mode) password so that in case a problem occurs you can recover from it, and click on Next.
- Click on Next after seeing the DNS delegation error. This error is normal because we do not have any DNS server yet.
- Leave default for the NetBIOS name and click on Next.
- here you can provide various location OR you can leave default location and click next
- You can View script and save Windows PowerShell script for AD DS Deployment, if you want to create AD from command you can use it script.
- Close it then click on Next
- If all prerequisite checks were passed successfully you can click on Install.
- Check if your server was successfully promoted on the results page, then click Close. A reboot is required and it happens automatically after restart Server you can See below login screen.
- After login with Administrator Account you have to verify you installed domain controller, Click Start-Run ….Type dsa.msc and click OK
- You can see your Domain Name.
- Netdom is a command-line tool that is built into Windows Server 2012 R2. It is available if you have the Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS) server role installed. It is also available if you install the Active Directory Domain Services Tools that are part of the Remote Server Administration Tools (RSAT). For more information,
- See What is FSMO Role, How to Seize FSMO Roles in Windows Server 2012
To use netdom, you must run the netdom command from an elevated command prompt. To open an elevated command prompt, click Start, right-click Command Prompt, and then click Run as administrator.
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Very helpful information about Active Directory.