Active Directory provides a central location for network administration and security. Server computers that run Active Directory are called domain controllers. An AD domain controller authenticates and authorizes all users and computers in a Windows domain type network—assigning and enforcing security policies for all computers and installing or updating software.
- Go to Server Manager from the Administrative Tools folder.
- To add the “Active Directory Domain Services” Role click on the Role Directory within Server Manager and select Add Roles in the Roles Summary.
- Click Next at the “Before You Begin” section.
- Now simply check mark Active Directory Domain Services and click “Next” twice, “Install” and finally “Close” when complete.
- Now that the Server has been prepared the installation of AD we can proceed.
- Within Server Manager, if you expand the Roles directory you will see the Active Directory Domain Services directory. Select that and you will find in the Summary “Run the Active Directory Domain Services Installation Wizard (dcpromo.exe)” Simply click that to begin the installation.
- Click next to move on.
- Click Next again.
- In the Choosing Deployment Configuration window, click on “Create a new domain in a new forest” and click Next.
- 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.
The wizard will perform checks to see if the domain name is not already in use on the local network.
- After the installation verifies that the NetBIOS Name, you will choose the Forest function level. I chose 2008 R2. After selecting click Next.
- It will examine and verify you DNS setting. DNS server should already be checked. Now click Next.
- It’s most likely that you’ll get a warning telling you that the server has one or more dynamic IP Addresses. Since no DNS has been configured yet, you can ignore the message and click Yes.
- Next, change the paths for the AD database, log files and SYSVOL folder. click Next.
- Choose a STRONG Active Directory Restore Mode Password and click next twice to kick off the configuration.
- In the Summary window review your selections, and if required, save them to an unattended answer file. When satisfied, click Next.
- The wizard will begin creating the Active Directory domain, and when finished, you will need to press Finish and reboot your computer.
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