Simplified - How to deploy AD for Windows Server 2008 R2

With the Windows 2008 life has become somewhat simpler. Although I don't have that much love for Powershell (I'm getting there), it can be handy running some simple tasks when deploying a new server.

Here are the steps needed to deploy Active Directory on Windows 2008 R2:

1. Install a default installation of Windows 2008 R2 Enterprise x64

2. From the Server Manager, Turn off Windows Firewall, enable Remote Desktop – Allow connections to computers… (less secure). Note - this is optional

3. Rename your server to the appropriate name and restart the server.

4. From Powershell run the following command:

a. Import-Module ServerManager

b. Add-WindowsFeature Telnet-Client, NET-Framework, RSAT-ADDS –Restart

Install Active Directory Domain Services and run DCPROMO

1. After the server has restarted go to Start --> Run and type DCPROMO

2. Click Next twice, under Choose Deployment Configuration, select Create a new domain in a new forest and click Next.

3. Under Name the Forest Root Domain type the full domain name, example: bizcorp.local

4. Set the forest functional level to Windows Server 2008 R2 (only if you're running windows 2008 r2 exclusively)

5. Accept default (DNS) and click Next. If you get a warning message about …delegation for this DNS server…, click Yes.

6. Click Next for the Active Directory paths

7. Enter a secure password for the Directory Services Restore Mode Administrator Password and click Next twice.

8. After the server has finished installing Active Directory, click Finish and reboot the server.

Add Reverse Lookup Zone for Your Domain

1. Start the DNS Management Console (DNSMgmt.msc)

2. Right-click Reverse Lookup Zones and select New Zone

3. Accept all the defaults

4. On Reverse Lookup Zone Name enter the network ID for your network (e.g. 192.168.1.x), click Next

5. Allow Only secure dynamic updates… click Next and Finish

Some additional notes:

When deploying an AD server there are many different ways of setting up your server.

1 - If you have two disks - configure them for RAID 1 (mirror). This way, if one hard disk fails, you'll have a backup.

2 - Consider 64 bit multiprocessors over 32 bit multiprocessors. This is more applicable to larger environments where you need more than 4gb of memory.

3 - If you have four or more disks, you can have two RAID 1 configurations where your pagefile, sysvol and netlogon folders can be on the second partition.