Install Active Directory Domain Services on Windows Server 2008 R2 Enterprise 64-bit

This article provides prerequisites and steps for installing Active
Directory Domain Services (AD DS) on Rackspace cloud servers running Microsoft Windows Server 2008 R2
Enterprise 64-bit.

This article does not provide instructions for adding a Domain
Controller (DC) to an already existing Active Directory Forest
infrastructure.

Note: For information about setting up the Active Directory Role
on a cloud server running Windows Server 2012, see Install Active Directory on Windows Server 2012.

Prepare for AD DS

Before you install AD DS on a Rackspace cloud server running
Windows Server 2008 R2 Enterprise 64-bit, you must perform the
following prerequisite tasks.

Select domain name and password

Select your domain name and know the domain administrator password
that you want to use.

Note: Your domain name should be reliably unique. Do not use the
same domain as your website, for example, and avoid extensions like
.local unless you have registered that domain name in DNS. We suggest
a domain name that is not used for anything else, like
internal.example.com.

Specify the preferred DNS server

Windows Server 2008 can properly install and configure DNS during
the AD DS installation if it knows that the DNS is local. To accomplish
this, assign the private network adapter to the preferred DNS
server address of the same private network adapter, as follows:

1. From the Windows Start menu, open Administrative
   Tools > Server Manager.

2. In the Server Summary section of the Server Manager
   window, click View Network Connections.

3. In the Network Connections window, right-click the private
   adapter and select Properties.

4. From the list of conected items, select Internet Protocol Version 4,
   and then click Properties.

5. Copy the IP address that is displayed in the IP address
   box and paste it in the Preferred DNS server box. Then, click
   OK.

   

6. Click OK in the Properties dialog box, and close the
   Network Connections window.

Add the Active Directory Domain Services role

Adding the Active Directory Domain Services role installs the
framework for Windows Server 2008 to become a DC and run AD DS. It does
not promote the server to a DC or install AD DS.

1. In the Server Manager window, select the Roles directory.

2. In the Roles Summary section, click Add Roles.

3. On the Before You Begin page of the Add Roles Wizard, click
   Next.

4. On the Select Server Roles page, select the Active Directory
   Domain Services check box, and then click Next.

5. On the Confirmation page, click Next.

6. On the Installation Progress page, click Install.

7. On the Results page, after the role is successfully added,
   click Close.

Enable remote management

1. Open the Server Manager window if it is not already
   open.
2. In the Properties area of the Local Servers page,
   click Remote Management.
3. Select the Enable remote management of this server from
   other computers check box.

Install AD DS

Now that you have prepared the server, you can install AD DS (DCPROMO).

Note: As an alternative to performing steps 1
through 3, you can type dcpromo.exe at the
command prompt. Then, skip to step 4.

1. If it is not already open, open the Server Manager
   window.

2. Select Roles > Active Directory Domain Services.

3. In the Summary section,click Run the Active Directory
   Domain Services Installation Wizard (dcpromo.exe).

4. On the Welcome page of the Active Directory Domain Services
   Installation Wizard, ensure that the Use advanced mode
   installation check box is cleared, and then click Next.

5. On the Operating System Compatibility page, click
   Next.

6. On the Choose a Deployment Configuration page, select Create
   a new domain in a new forest and then click Next.

7. On the Name the Forest Root Domain page, enter the domain name
   that you choose during preparation steps. Then, click
   Next.

   The installation program verifies the NetBIOS name.

8. On the Set Forest Functional Level page, select Windows Server 2008
   R2 in the Forest function level list. Then, click Next.

   The installation program examines and verifies your DNS setting.

9. On the Additional Domain Controller Options page, ensure that
   the DNS server check box is selected, and then click Next.

10. In the message dialog box that appears, click
    Yes.

11. On the Location for Database, Log Files, and SYSVOL page,
    accept the default values and then click Next.

12. On the Directory Services Restore Mode Administrator Password
    page, enter the domain administrator password that you chose during
    the preparation steps. This is not your admin password that was
    emailed to you during the creation of your server, although you can
    use that password if you want to. Then, click Next.

13. On the Summary page, review your selections and then click
    Next.

    The installation begins.

    Note: If you want the server to restart automatically after the
    installation is completed, select the Reboot on completion check
    box.

14. If you did not select the Reboot on completion check box,
    click Finish in the wizard. Then, restart the
    server.

15. After a few minutes, reconnect to your server in the Console in the
    Cloud Control Panel or RDP.

16. To log in, perform the following steps:

    a. Click **Switch User**, and then click **Other User.**
    
    b. For the user, enter the full domain name that you chose, followed by a back slash and **Administrator** (for example, **internal.example.com\\Administrator**).
    
    c. Enter the password that was emailed to you when you first built the server. If you changed your password for the local admin account on this server before you began the installation of AD DS, use that password.
    
    d. Click the log in button.
    

The installation of Active Directory Domain Services on your server is
complete.