How to Setup Active Directory Domain on Windows Server 2022 (Tutorial)
How to Setup Active Directory Domain on Windows Server 2022. Active Directory (AD) is Microsoft’s directory service that validates and allows users to connect and access network resources. AD runs on Windows Server by the Domain Controller and stores all the files and information as objects (users, groups, applications, and devices). Each object has its individual name and attributes. The Domain Controller also enforces security policies, installs and updates software. For example, as a user logs into a device to access a specific resource, the Active Directory administrator will cross-check and verify the added details. After validation, he decides what information to share and authorizes access to certain resources. The platform also comprises in-built features like replication and redundancy. Under this feature, if a Domain Controller fails, then the other DC available will take up the load and responsibility.
Active Directory on Windows Server 2022 is a database and includes multiple directory services. Domain Services, Lightweight Directory Services, Certificate Services, Active Directory Federation Services, and Rights Management Services are a few of them that help connect users and control access to network resources. Active Directory is highly beneficial for enterprises as it helps improve security by controlling access to network resources, managing user identities, reducing operations expenses, delivering a seamless user experience, and maintaining business continuity.
How Does Active Directory work?
There are Domain Controllers (DCs) assigned in the Active Directory to run Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS), an essential part of the Windows Server operating system. These Domain Controllers have copies of the entire domain’s directory. An organization comprises multiple domain controllers. Thus, as and when a change (updating password or deleting user account) is made to anyone directory or a single domain controller, it immediately creates an automatic replication to the other DCs to stay updated. Administrators do not need to perform manual edits to each Domain controller or directory in the Active Directory service. A Global Catalog server is a type of DC that maintains a copy of all objects present in the domain directory and a partial copy of the domain forest. The server makes it easier for users and applications to locate objects in any domain.
An Active Directory environment includes Desktops, laptops, and any other device running Windows desktop 8/10/11 instead of Windows Server 2022. However, it is not a similar case with Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS). Active Directory Domain Services perform only with established protocols and standards, such as Kerberos, DNS (Domain Name System), and LDAP (Lightweight Directory Access Protocol).
In this post, we will show you how to set up an Active Directory Domain on Windows Server 2022.
Install Active Directory Domain Services On Windows Server 2022
An Active Directory domain is a collection of User, Group types, Computer, or Printers within a Microsoft Active Directory network. It can be identified using a DNS name, organization’s public domain name, a sub-domain, or an alternate version.
Follow the below steps to install an active directory domain service on Windows Server 2022.
Step 1 – Login to Windows Server 2022 as an administrator user and launch a Server manager:
Step 2 – Click on the Add Roles and Features button. You should see the Add Roles and Features Wizard:
Step 3 – Click on the Next button. You should see the Select installation type screen:
Step 4 – Select Role-based or feature-based installation and click on the Next button. You should see the Select destination server screen:
Step 5 – Select “Select a server from the server pool” and click on the Next button. You should see the Select server roles screen:
Step 6 – Select Active Directory Domain Services and click on the Next button. You should see the Select features screen:
Step 7 – Leave all default selections and click on the Next button. You should see the AD DS screen:
Step 8 – Click on the Next button. You should see the Confirm installation screen:
Step 9 – Click on the Install button to start the installation. Once the installation has been finished. You should see the following page.
Step 10 – Click on the Close button to close the installation wizard.
Setup Active Directory Domain 2022
At this point, the Active Directory Domain service has been installed on your server. Now, you will need to set up it on the server.
Follow the below steps to set up the Active Directory Domain:
Step 1 – After the Active Directory Domain service installation, you should see the yellow notification icon on the Server Manager:
Step 2 – Click on that icon and click on the Promote this server to a domain controller. You should see the Deployment Configuration screen:
Step 3 – Select Add a new forest, provide your domain name and click on the Next button. You should see the Domain Controller Options screen:
Step 4 – Provide your directory service restore mode password and click on the Next button. You should see the DNS configuration screen:
Step 5 – Leave the default configuration and click on the Next button. You should see the Additional Options screen:
Step 6 – Provide the NetBIOS name and click on the Next button. You should see the AD DS screen:
Step 7 – Leave all default configurations and click on the Next button. You should see the Review Options screen:
Step 8 – Review all the configurations and click on the Next button. You should see the Prerequisites Check screen:
Step 9 – Finally, click on the Install button to start the installation. Once the installation has been finished, your system will be restarted automatically.
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Verify Active Directory Installation
After installing and setting up Active Directory Domain, you will need to verify whether the Domain Controller is set up or not.
To verify, open the Windows PowerShell and run the following command:
Get-Service adws,kdc,netlogon,dns
You should see the status of all services in the following output:
Status Name DisplayName
------ ---- -----------
Running adws Active Directory Web Services
Running dns DNS Server
Running kdc Kerberos Key Distribution Center
Running Netlogon netlogon
To display the information of your domain controller, run the following command:
Get-ADDomainController
You should see the following output:
ComputerObjectDN : CN=CLOUD-0PMID0K86,OU=Domain Controllers,DC=exampledomain,DC=com
DefaultPartition : DC=exampledomain,DC=com
Domain : exampledomain.com
Enabled : True
Forest : exampledomain.com
HostName : CLOUD-0PMID0K86.exampledomain.com
InvocationId : fbf797ca-0647-45a6-acb7-e510d174e5ef
IPv4Address : 104.219.54.195
IPv6Address :
IsGlobalCatalog : True
IsReadOnly : False
LdapPort : 389
Name : CLOUD-0PMID0K86
NTDSSettingsObjectDN : CN=NTDS Settings,CN=CLOUD-0PMID0K86,CN=Servers,CN=Default-First-Site-Name,CN=Sites,CN=Conf
iguration,DC=exampledomain,DC=com
OperatingSystem : Windows Server 2022 Datacenter
OperatingSystemHotfix :
OperatingSystemServicePack :
OperatingSystemVersion : 10.0 (20348)
OperationMasterRoles : {SchemaMaster, DomainNamingMaster, PDCEmulator, RIDMaster...}
Partitions : {DC=ForestDnsZones,DC=exampledomain,DC=com, DC=DomainDnsZones,DC=exampledomain,DC=com,
CN=Schema,CN=Configuration,DC=exampledomain,DC=com,
CN=Configuration,DC=exampledomain,DC=com...}
ServerObjectDN : CN=CLOUD-0PMID0K86,CN=Servers,CN=Default-First-Site-Name,CN=Sites,CN=Configuration,DC=exam
pledomain,DC=com
ServerObjectGuid : 12ff11b2-6827-480d-8f55-c2239a790e13
Site : Default-First-Site-Name
SslPort : 636
If you want to see detailed information of your domain, run the following command:
Get-ADDomain exampledomain.com
You will get the following information:
AllowedDNSSuffixes : {}
ChildDomains : {}
ComputersContainer : CN=Computers,DC=exampledomain,DC=com
DeletedObjectsContainer : CN=Deleted Objects,DC=exampledomain,DC=com
DistinguishedName : DC=exampledomain,DC=com
DNSRoot : exampledomain.com
DomainControllersContainer : OU=Domain Controllers,DC=exampledomain,DC=com
DomainMode : Windows2016Domain
DomainSID : S-1-5-21-2931533566-3810835548-1451992128
ForeignSecurityPrincipalsContainer : CN=ForeignSecurityPrincipals,DC=exampledomain,DC=com
Forest : exampledomain.com
InfrastructureMaster : CLOUD-0PMID0K86.exampledomain.com
LastLogonReplicationInterval :
LinkedGroupPolicyObjects : {CN={31B2F340-016D-11D2-945F-00C04FB984F9},CN=Policies,CN=System,DC=exampledomain,
DC=com}
LostAndFoundContainer : CN=LostAndFound,DC=exampledomain,DC=com
ManagedBy :
Name : exampledomain
NetBIOSName : EXAMPLEDOMAIN
ObjectClass : domainDNS
ObjectGUID : a9509988-a945-442d-ad03-6346c40c105f
ParentDomain :
PDCEmulator : CLOUD-0PMID0K86.exampledomain.com
PublicKeyRequiredPasswordRolling : True
QuotasContainer : CN=NTDS Quotas,DC=exampledomain,DC=com
ReadOnlyReplicaDirectoryServers : {}
ReplicaDirectoryServers : {CLOUD-0PMID0K86.exampledomain.com}
RIDMaster : CLOUD-0PMID0K86.exampledomain.com
SubordinateReferences : {DC=ForestDnsZones,DC=exampledomain,DC=com,
DC=DomainDnsZones,DC=exampledomain,DC=com,
CN=Configuration,DC=exampledomain,DC=com}
SystemsContainer : CN=System,DC=exampledomain,DC=com
UsersContainer : CN=Users,DC=exampledomain,DC=com
Setup Active Directory Domain on Windows Server 2022 Complete
Congratulations! you have successfully set up the Active Directory Domain on Windows server 2022. You can now explore the Active Directory Domain and start creating user, group, and computer accounts.
