Suppose you have one domain controller in your network. In that case, you may wonder how to add a new domain controller to an existing domain to avoid discontinuity in case of server failure. When you add new domain controllers to an existing domain, they replicate the active directory database with each other. If the primary domain controller fails, you can use the second domain controller to respond to authentication requests and perform the DC’s tasks. Overall, multiple domain controllers increase fault tolerance and load balancing. The following article will elaborate on the steps required for adding a new domain controller to an existing domain in Windows Server 2022.

To demonstrate it in detail, I have two servers (SR1-technig and SR2-technig) running Windows Server 2022. The SR1-technig server acts as a primary server and is also a domain controller. Since the SR1-technig is already a domain controller, I will add the new domain controller in the SR2-technig server and make both SR1-technig and SR2-technig domain controllers.

Step One: Join your server in the domain

At first, I will join the SR2-technig (The second server) to the domain and make it a member of the primary domain controller. To do that, I need to assign the IP address of the existing domain controller to the DNS of the second server that I want to make a domain controller.

1. Open Server Manager, and click on the Local Server option on the left-hand side.
2. In the Local Server window, click on IP Address (Ethernet)

3. Double-click on the network to that you are connected.
4. In the Ethernet Status window, click on Properties.

5. Double-click on Internet Protocol Version 4.

6. Set your DNS Server address manually to the IP address of the domain controller you want to join. Click OK.

7. Close the windows and return to the local server window.
8. In the Local Server Window, click on WORKGROUP to join a domain.
9. On the system properties, click on the Change button.
10. Check the domain box, write the domain name you want to join, and click OK.

11. Provide the credential and click ok.
12. Restart your computer.

Step Two: Install Active Directory Domain Services

In the second step, you need to install the Active Directory Domain Services on the server you want to promote to the domain controller.

1. Click on Manage > Add Roles and Features in the server manager window.
2. Click next on the before you begin Wizard.
3. Select the installation type and click next: Role-based and Feature-based installation.
4. After selecting the destination server, click next.
5. Find the Active Directory Domain Services Roles and, select it, click Add features.

6. Click on the Next button till the installation button activates.
7. Finally, confirm the installation and click on the Install button. The installation takes a few seconds.

Related: How to Install Active Directory Using PowerShell on Windows Server 2022

Step Three: Promote the Server to Domain Controller

Now that your server is a member of the domain controller and you have installed the Active Directory Domain Services roles in your server. It is time to promote or add the new domain controller to the existing domain.

1. In the Server Manager screen, click on the notification flag next to the Manage.
2. Click on the Promote this Server to Domain Controller to open the DC’s promotion wizard.

3. In the Deployment Configuration wizard, select the deployment operation. I CHOOSE THE FIRST OPTION since I add a new domain controller to an existing domain.

4. Specify the domain information: you can click on the Select button next to the text box, select your domain name, and click Ok. If you are already a member of the domain controller, it automatically finds the domain name.
5. After selecting the domain name, click on the Change button to provide credentials to perform the task. Click next.

6. Specify the domain controller capabilities. The DNS server, Global Catalog, and Site Name are already selected by default. I provide the Active Directory Services Restore Mode password and click next.

7. Click the next button to pass the DNS options wizard.
8. Specify from which domain controller it should replicate the Active Directory database, and click next.

9. Although I can change the location of the AD DS database and log files, I keep its default location and click next.
10. After reviewing the configuration, click Next.
11. The Prerequisites Check verifies the prerequisites for domain controller operation. If the prerequisites checks passed successfully, click on the Install button.
12. The installation will complete after a few seconds, and your server will restart automatically.

How to check if the new domain controller has been added?

After installing the Active Directory Domain Services and promoting it to the domain controller, you can check whether the domain controller has been added successfully or not.

1. In the server manager window, click on Tools management.
2. Click on Active Directory Users and Computers.
3. Expand the domain and click on the Domain Controllers Organizational Unit.

You will see the domain controller(s) in your current domain.

Conclusions

To conclude, we talked about the steps required for adding a new domain controller to an existing domain in Windows Server 2022. You can share your thoughts and questions in the comment section of this page.

The post How to Add New Domain Controller to Existing Domain appeared first on TECHNIG.

The users in a network using a different operating system like Windows, Mac OS, and Linux. One of the most popular is Windows 10, the latest client-side Microsoft operating system. Here we just try to join Windows 10 to domain server 2016. The process of joining a PC to a domain name is the same. You can use this article for other operating systems as well.

Before you join Windows 10 to domain server 2016. You must check the network connectivity between Windows Server and Windows 10 client. You might have a DHCP server that provides IP address for network clients. If you don’t have a DHCP server or router, you need to configure IP address manually for client machines.

Related: DHCP configuration guide on Windows Server and Cisco Router.

The process to join a Windows 10 to Domain Server 2016.

1. Set a unique name for the client computer.
2. Check the IP address and network connectivity.
3. Create a user in the Active Directory.
4. Join Windows 10 to Domain.
5. Restart client computer.
6. Log in with the domain account.
7. Customize your Windows desktop environment.

That’s all you need to apply for joining a Windows 10 PC to a domain Windows Server 2016 or another version of Windows server.

Join Windows 10 to Domain Server

In a short video, we describe how to join Windows 10 PC to a domain Windows server. But I just note some important commands and parts here. Joining a PC to the domain is not complicated but sometimes it doesn’t join easy. Anyway, if you have any issue with joining client PC to the domain, comment us your issue.

Read the important notes about how to join Windows 10 to domain Windows server 2016. The notes are important parts, if you face any problem, feel free to ask us.

1. Change Client Computer Name

Before joining a client computer to a domain in the network, change the default name. The default name is name generated when the Windows installed on the system. It is a long name and hard to read. Changing to a short and readable name helps you find the client on the network easy.

1. To change the computer name, type “sysdm.cpl” in Run to open the System Properties.
2. After changing the computer name, once restart your computer to apply the changes.

On Windows 10 you can change the computer name from the different section. Changing computer name with the command line, Windows settings and the above step.

2. Check IP Address and Connectivity

A computer identified by its IP address on the network. If the IP address is not configured correctly, the system will not recognizable. So checking the computer IP address is necessary for connecting to a domain server.

1. To check the IP address of a system type “ipconfig” command on command prompt. It shows the computer IP address, subnet mask, and default gateway.

2. To change IP address just type “ncpa.cpl” on Run top open Network Connection Settings. You can change the IP address manually from network connection settings or with command line “netsh” commands. Windows has many options to change the IP address. The easy way is using the GUI for newbies.

Anyway, right-click the network adapter (Ethernet x) then select Properties. On the properties select Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) and click Properties. Now set the IP address manually on the Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) Properties.

That’s the GUI option for configuring an IP address on Windows system. There are command options for command prompt and Powershell. Windows PowerShell has its own cmdlet for network configuration. The other options are the network shell (netsh) command prompt command. The following articles focus on configuring Windows IP address with PowerShell and Netsh.

• Configure Windows IPv4 Networking with Netsh,
• Configure IP Address with PowerShell,

3. Create a user in the Active Directory

An Active Directory user account allows a computer to join to the domain and works as the workstation of a network. Creating Active Directory objects performs from AD on Windows Server.

• Create a user account in Active Directory.
• Create User Account Using PowerShell.

That’s all necessary configurable options you need to know about joining Windows 10 to domain server 2016 Active Directory. Hope you enjoy the article. Please comment us the related issue with Windows 10 and Server configuration.

The post How to Join Windows 10 to Domain Windows Server appeared first on TECHNIG.

The step by step guide to Install Active Directory in Windows Server 2012 and 2012 R2. Installation and configuration of AD DS in Windows Server 2012 R2 and Windows Server 2016 is bit different from earlier Windows Servers. Dcpromo.exe command has been removed and added some new features like metro, dashboard, and server manager with new style, but the core configuration and Installation is the same.

How to Install Active Directory?

So let’s start to install Active Directory rule and promote the server to Domain Controller.

1. Click the Server Manager to open it.

2. Here you see the Server manager dashboard. Now go to Manage tab and click Add Roles and Features.

3. Just click Next in Add Roles and Features Wizard page.

4. Let the default Role based or feature base installation has selected and click Next.

5. In the Select destination server page, select the server you want to install AD and click Next.

6. Now select the Active Directory Domain Services from Roles list in order to install it. When prompt to add the required features for Active Directory Domain Services within a new window, click Add Features.

7. Now the Active Directory Domain Services has been selected and ready to install. Just click Next.

8. Leave the Windows Features page by default and click Next.

9. Now, you may need to read some information about Active Director domain service. In this page read once and click Next.

10. In the Confirm Installation selections page click Install to begin installation of AD DS.

Be patient, the installation process will take a few minutes to complete.

#2. Promote Server to Domain Controller

1. When the AD DS installation has complete. click the Promote this server to a domain controller.

2. The Active directory Deployment Configuration page will open.

3. In this window select add a new forest and type your domain name in the Root domain name field then click Next. I have chose the domain name Technig.local.

4. Leave the Domain Controller Options by default, just type and password for Directory services restore mode (DRSM) password and click Next.

5. Ignore the delegation for DNS server warning and click Next.

6. On the Additional Options, system will create a NetBIOS name according to your domain name. In this window do nothing and click Next.

7. You can change the default directories for Database folder, Log files, and SYSVOL folder, but in test lab leave it by default and click Next.

8. Finally on the Review Options page once check and review all option to insure and click Next.

9. Once the system has checked prerequisites features for Active Directory, click Install and ignore the DNS delegation warning again.

System will restart automatically when the installation has complete successfully.

You will see the installed roles from Tools tab of Server Manager dashboard.

How to Install Active Directory on Windows Server 2016 – Video Tutorial

That’s all. Ask your question if you have any problem.

The post Install Active Directory in Windows Server 2012 R2 appeared first on TECHNIG.