First we need to change the computer name. Windows
provides a default name in the form of WIN <random characters>
1. To do it Go to
Server Manager > Dashboard screen, click on Local Server and then click on
the computer name hyperlink. This will take you to the all familiar System
Properties
2. Click Change, enter a
Computer Name and then click OK.
3. You will be prompted
to restart your computer to apply the changes. Click Ok and then Click on
restart now.
4. After your computer
has restarted, we will be presented with the Server Manager Screen. Now
we are ready to configure this server as an Active Directory Controller.
Second
Assign a Static IP
1. To do so, from the Server Manager
> Dashboard screen, click on Local Server and then click on the Ethernet IP
hyperlink.
2. Right click on the Ethernet
adapter > Click on Properties from the context menu.
4. In the Ethernet properties select
the Internet Protocol version then click on Properties to assign an static IP.
Note: You can use the Gateway IP address as your Primary DNS,
Once you install Active Directory and DNS it will change to point to itself.
Third Make sure you have set the proper time and timezone on the
server before (AD DS)
Adding the Active Directory Domain Services Role
1. From the Dashboard
click on “Add roles and features”. You will be presented with the
“Before you begin screen. Click Next.
2. In the “Installation
Type” screen Select “Role-base or feature-based installation”. Click
Next
3. Select a destination
server. This is a new feature of Windows 2012 where you have the ability
to deploy roles and features to remote servers and even offline virtual hard
disks.
4. In our case, we are
selecting the current server from the server pool.Click Next
5. Select the “Active
Directory Domain Services”
6. You will then be
prompted to add features that are required for Active Directory Domain
Services. Click on Add Features, Click Next
7. If you want to add
additional features, you can do so from the next screen, otherwise click Next
8. You will now be
presented with the Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS) screen outlining
some information about AD DS and its requirements. Click next
9. You now provided with
a summary of installation selections, The installation will now begin
10. Upon completion you
will see an installation succeeded message. Click Close.
11. Back in Server
Manager, you will notice that AD DS has been added to the left navigation
tree.
12. Click on it and then
click on More… on the right navigation pane where it states that
Configuration is required for Active Directory Domain Services.
13. In the All Servers
Task Details Window, you will click on Promote this server to a domain
controller under Action.
14. The Deployment
Configuration screen appears and we will select “Add a new forest” as
this is the first domain controller.
15. Enter your Root
domain name and then click Next.
16. The following screen
will then appear in which you will enter and select your Domain Controller
Options.
17. You will then get a
warning in which you can ignore for now. Click Next
18. The NetBIOS domain
name will then be inputted automatically. In the event of a conflict, it
will suggest an alternative by appending the original name with a 0. Click Next
19. Confirm or change
the locations of your database folder, log folder and SYSVOL folder. Click Next
20. Review your
selections and then Click Next.
21. If all of the
prerequisites checks have passed successfully, you will be able to click on
Install to proceed. Click Install
22. The installation
will now proceed and you will see the progress being displayed.
23. The computer will
most likely restart on its own to complete the installation so don’t be alarmed
if it does.
Upon restart, you should
be able to login using your domain credentials for the user administrator.