Microsoft Server 2022 Active Directory and Domain DNS Installation? Microsoft Server 2022 is one of the latest versions of Microsoft’s server-based operating systems. As businesses become increasingly reliant on technology, the need for reliable and secure server infrastructure is more important than ever. One of the most popular and widely used solutions to meet these needs is Active Directory Domain Services.
Active Directory is a centralized platform that allows you to manage user accounts, group policy management, security policies, and other features of your IT infrastructure. It enables easy management of these components in a single location. Active Directory works in conjunction with DNS (Domain Name System). If DNS doesn’t work, the Active Directory system will not function properly. The setup of Active Directory and Domain Controllers is done in the same way for Microsoft versions 2012, 2016, 2019, and 2022.
Active Directory Preparations
Before starting the installation of Active Directory and Domain DNS, there are some initial settings that need to be configured on the server side. We recommend performing these preparations before proceeding with the installations. They are as follows:
- After installing Windows Server 2022, we recommend installing all available updates.
- Change the default computer name (hostname) of your physical server to a name that is suitable for your environment. For example, rename it to ‘server1’. Restart your server after renaming.
- Assign a static IP address manually to your physical server, based on your network configuration.
- Ensure that you have a server with sufficient hardware resources to support your needs.
If our preparations for the above transition are complete, we can now move on to how to setup Server 2022 Active Directory and Domain DNS.
Server 2022 Active Directory Installation
To install Active Directory on Server 2022, follow these steps:
- Open the Server Manager console on your Server 2022 operating system and click on “Add roles and features” in the Dashboard section.
- In the “Before you begin” screen, since there are no actions required, click the “Next” button to proceed.
- In the “Select Installation type” screen, there are two options to explain:
– Role-based or feature-based installation: Select this option to install the required roles and features on Windows Server 2022.
– Remote Desktop Services installation: Choose this option if you need to configure Remote Desktop Terminal services.
Since we are installing new roles, specifically Active Directory Domain Services, select “Role-based or feature-based installation” and click “Next” to continue.
- In the “Server Selection” section, choose the server where you want to install Active Directory. If this screen appears empty, check your network configuration and local server IP addresses. Select the server with the correct IP address and system information, then click “Next” to continue.
- In the “Server Roles” section, you will see various server services available. Since we are installing Active Directory, select the “Active Directory Domain Services” role. After selecting the role, a small popup window titled “Add Roles and Features Wizard” will appear, indicating that Group Policy Management and additional features like Active Directory Module for Windows PowerShell, Active Directory Administrative Center, AD DS Snap-Ins, and Command Line Tools will also be installed. Click “Add Features” and then click “Next” to proceed. (There are no other options available.)
- In the “Select features” screen, you will see the related roles that will be installed. Since the default options are already selected based on the previous screen’s choices, click “Next” to continue.
- The “Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS)” screen is related to Azure cloud integration, which is available after Microsoft Server 2016. If you are not using these services, click “Next” to proceed.
Proceed through the following screens by clicking “Next” since no additional selections are required. Once you reach the final screen, click “Install” to begin the Active Directory installation. It is recommended to restart the server after the installation is complete.
Domain Controller (DNS) Installation
In the Server Manager notification screen, click on the yellow exclamation mark, and then select “Promote this server to a domain controller” to start the DC installation.
In the “Deployment Configuration” screen, you will see three options:
- Add a domain controller to an existing domain: Install a Domain Controller in an existing domain, typically used for redundant configurations with two or more servers.
- Add a new domain to an existing forest: Create a new domain within an existing forest.
- Add a new forest: Create a new forest.
Since we are creating a new domain structure, select “Add a new forest.” Enter the desired domain name in the “Root domain name” field and click “Next” to continue.
- In the “Domain Controller Options” screen, the “Functional level” sections for the forest and domain are displayed. If you have lower version servers in your environment (e.g., Server 2012) for compatibility reasons, select the appropriate levels. Otherwise, the default values will suffice.
- Set a password for the Directory Services Restore Mode (DSRM) in the “Type the Directory Services Restore Mode (DSRM) password” field. This password will be required for recovery and repair operations in case of software issues on the server. It can be different from the admin password.
- In the “DNS Options” screen, no specific selections are required. Click “Next” to proceed.
- In the “Additional Options” screen, the NetBIOS name will be automatically assigned based on the server name. No changes are necessary. Click “Next” to continue.
- The “Paths” screen displays the default locations for the Database, Log Files, and SYSVOL directories. It is recommended to keep the default settings, so click “Next” to proceed.
- Review the options you have selected in the “Review Options” screen and click “Next” to continue.
- The “Prerequisites Check” section performs pre-installation tests for compatibility. Once the check is complete, click “Install” to start the installation.
After the installation is finished, the server will restart. You can then log in to your new domain server using the administrator password.
