[Part 1] Creating a domain: Installing and setting up Windows Server 2003

[Mark]

[Part 1] Creating a domain: Installing and setting up Windows Server 2003

This is step one in Setting up and configuring Windows Server 2003. For these series of tutorials we are using Windows Server 2003 R2, Enterprise edition x86.

At the end of the series we will have a fully functional Domain controller that will also be acting as a DHCP, DNS and File server within the given domain. On top of this we will also be configuring active directory, adding clients and having a play with group policy.

In step one we are

• Installing and configuring Active Directory
  
• Installing and configuring DNS
  
• Installing and configuring DHCP
  

Minimum System Requirements

Processor: 400MHz
RAM: 128 MB
Hard drive: 2 GB
Resolution: 800x600 / Higher


Background knowledge and understanding

Windows Server 2003 which is also referred to as Win2K3 is a server operating system produced by Microsoft. It was introduced on 24 April 2003 and an updated version, Windows Server 2003 R2, was released on 6 December 2005. Windows Server 2003 replaced Windows server 2000 with its better performance and scalability, despite this you will still find Windows Server 2000 in a lot of corporations.

Windows Server is available in 8 editions, Windows Home Server, Windows Small Business Server, Web Edition, Standard Edition, Enterprise Edition, Datacenter Edition, Windows Compute Cluster Server and Windows Storage Server.

The edition we're using and that's in use across a lot of organisations, Enterprise Edition is aimed towards medium to large businesses. It offers support for up to 8 processors, and the 64-bit versions is capable of addressing up to 1 TB of memory.

In a corporate environment you will have two domain controllers as this provides fault tolerance, basically what that means is if one server was to fail you'd have a backup server that you can switch to so that your network doesn't go down. You may also have load balancing set up.


The basics

1) Download the ISO file and either burn it to a DVD or install it in a Virtual Machine. Run through the installer, it's almost exactly the same as a Windows XP install.

2) On your first login you'll be prompted to update and to configure automatic updates. Do so.





Getting started

Let's give this thing some life and start making it tick, to do this we're going to have to assign roles.

1) To give you server roles, go to Start > Manage Your Server.




You'll then be presented with the Server management page.




Click "Add or remove a roll". You're going to see a box come up with a list of all the roles that you can assign, there are 12 in total.




Select "Domain Controller (Active Directory)" and click next, it'll inform you.

Run the Active Directory Installation Wizard to set up this server as a domain controller.

Next all of that until you get to "Domain Controller Type"

We want to select "Domain controller for a new domain".
"This server will become the first domain in the new domain."




On the next page, select:

Domain in a new forest
Select this option if this is the first domain in your organisation of if you want the new domain to be completely independent of your current forest.

Full DNS name for the new domain: mcompute.local
Domain NetBIOS name: MCOMPUTE
Database and Log Folders: Default locations
Shared System Volume: Default Location

"Diagnostic failed", don't panic.. we just need to install and configure the DNS server.
Run through that installer, simple stuff. It'll give you the option to set a static IP, i chose to do that.





Restart Now.

When you reboot you should receive a nice message. "This Server is Now a Domain Controller"




If you go back to Manage your server you can see that it looks different now, with the new roles added.




2) Adding a DHCP server.

Start > Manage Your Server > Add or remove a roll > DHCP Server

New Scope Wizard
Name: Anything
Description: Anything

IP Address Range




You can just Next the rest of the installation.




Authorising the DHCP scope.




You now have a functional server that we can add clients to.

Part two coming soon.

[tx78109]

Can this be done on the sever by remote access.

[Mark]

Your server won't have an IP, DNS or be on a network, so I'd say no you can't, unless you attach it to an existing network, remote into it using tools such as RDP and then do it from there, but I don't recommend that.

[tx78109]

I am using logmein to remote access the server will this connection remain when I set up the domain or do I need to wait till I get back and do it live. Thanks for your help.

[Mark]

I use logmein at work to remotely access clients. It should be OK, I'd recommend turning off DHCP on your router, and setting a static IP on the server before you start as it'll conflict once you start setting things up. I prefer to do these things sitting infront of the box though. :happy