Aerrow's blog

Session 6: Configuring Active Directory on Server 2008

As i have already discussed about the AD(Active Directory) in my previous blog, I would like to go rather on practical on this part of my blog.

First I would like to go on the consideration when installing a new Windows Server 2008 Forest. when you are installing AD to create the first domain controller in a new Windows Server 2008 forest, you must be alert on the following consideration.

• You must make a forest and domain functional level decision that determine whether your forest and domain can contain domain controllers that run windows 2000 server,Windows server 2003, or both.
• Domain controllers running the Microsoft Windows NT server 4.0 operating system are NOT supported with Windows Server 2008.
• Server running Windows NT server  4.0 are NOT supported by domain controllers that are running Windows Server 2008,meaning you MUST have additional DCs(Domain Controllers) running Windows 2000/2003 to support older NT 4.0 servers.
• The first Windows Server 2008 domain controller in a forest must be a global catalog server and it cannot be an RODC.

Installing Active Directory  Domain Services (AD-DS)

In Windows Server 2008, unlike previous server operating Systems, there is an additional steps that needs to be taken before running DCPROMO to promote the server to Domain Controller and installing Active Directory on it. This step is the installation of Active Directory Domain Services (AD-DS) role on the server. In fact, the AD-DS role is what enables the server to act as a Domain Controller, but you will still need to run DCPROMO the regular way. we can configure AD-DS by 2 methods.

Method 1—>Server Manager.

Roles can and should be added from Server Manager(but also they can be initiated from the Initial Configuration Tasks Wizard that auto-opens the first time you log on to the server).

Open your Server Manager by clicking on the icon in the Quick Launch toolbar,or Administrative Tools folder or if you have initiated initial configuration task you can go through it also.

or

Servermanagercmd.exe is the command prompt equivalent of Add Roles and Add Features wizards in Server Manager. Also using the various command line options, you can easily add or remove features and roles from your server , including the AD-DS roles. To install AD-DS by using servermanagercmd.exe, Simply enter the following command in the command Prompt windows:

1. Click on Roles—>Add Roles.
2. In the Before you begin window, click Next.
3. In the Select Server Roles window, there are other services too click to select Active Directory Domain Services, and then click Next.
4. In the Active Directory Domain Services window read the provided information if you want to, and then click Next.
5. In the Confirm Installation Selections, read the provided information if you want to, and then click Next.
6. Wait till the process completes. and When it ends, click Close.   
7. still the DCPROMO is not running so just going back to Server Manager, click on the Active Directory Domain Services link, you can activate the DCPROMO.
8. Now you can click on the DCPROMO link, or read on.
9. Now the remaining process is followed up by DCPROMO.

Method 2—>DCPROMO

This is the most used process, and i also prefer to do this process because it should be done manually. and there are some stuffs that we love to do manually rather then doing it automatic.Here the process goes to promote your server to DCs by using DCPROMO

1. To run DCPROMO, Enter the command in the Run command.
2. Depending upon the question if AD-DS was previously installed or not, the Active Directory Domain Services Installation Wizard will appear immediately or after a short while. Click Next.
3. In the Operating System Compatibility window, read the provided information and click Next.
4. In the Choosing Deployment Configuration window, click on "Create a new domain in a new forest" and click Next.
5. Enter an appropriate name for the new domain. Make sure you pick the right domain name, as renaming domains is a task you will not wish to perform on a daily basis. Click Next.

   Note: Do NOT use single label domain names such as "mydomain" or similar. You MUST pick a full domain name such as "mydomain.local" or "mydomain.com" and so on.

   The wizard will perform checks to see if the domain name is not already in use on the local network.

6. Pick the right forest function level. Windows 2000 mode is the default, and it allows the addition of Windows 2000, Windows Server 2003 and Windows Server 2008 Domain Controllers to the forest you're creating.
7. Pick the right domain function level. Windows 2000 Native mode is the default, and it allows the addition of Windows 2000, Windows Server 2003 and Windows Server 2008 Domain Controllers to the domain you're creating.
8. The wizard will perform checks to see if DNS is properly configured on the local network. In this case, no DNS server has been configured, therefore, the wizard will offer to automatically install DNS on this server.
9. It's most likely that you'll get a warning telling you that the server has one or more dynamic IP Addresses. Running IPCONFIG /all will show that this is not the case, because as you can clearly see, I have given the server a static IP Address. So, where did this come from? The answer is IPv6. I did not manually configure the IPv6 Address, hence the warning. In a network where IPv6 is not used, you can safely ignore this warning.
10. You'll probably get a warning about DNS delegation. Since no DNS has been configured yet, you can ignore the message and click Yes.
11. Next, change the paths for the AD database, log files and SYSVOL folder. For large deployments, carefully plan your DC configuration to get the maximum performance. When satisfied, click Next.
12. Enter the password for the Active Directory Recovery Mode. This password must be kept confidential, and because it stays constant while regular domain user passwords expire (based upon the password policy configured for the domain, the default is 42 days), it does not. This password should be complex and at least 7 characters long. I strongly suggest that you do NOT use the regular administrator's password, and that you write it down and securely store it. Click Next.
13. In the Summary window review your selections, and if required, save them to an unattend answer file. When satisfied, click Next.
14. The wizard will begin creating the Active Directory domain, and when finished, you will need to press Finish and reboot your computer.

Your server now acts as a Domain Controller. Make sure you properly back it up. You can test functionality by using AD management tools such as Active Directory Users and Computers, examine the Event Logs, services and folders and shares that have been created.