Configuring Active Directory in Windows Server 2022

Posted on 19th June 2023

Introduction

Active Directory (AD) is a directory service that Microsoft developed for Windows domain networks. It is included in most Windows Server operating systems as a set of processes and services. Active Directory stores information and settings in a central location for network users, computers, and other resources, and it gives administrators flexibility and control over how the resources are used. In this article, we’ll show you how to configure Active Directory in Windows Server 2022.

Prerequisites

To follow this guide, you will need:

• A Windows Server 2022 machine that is a member of a domain
• Administrator privileges on the server

Configuring Active Directory

To configure Active Directory on your Windows Server 2022 machine, follow these steps:

1. Open the Server Manager console and select Tools u2192 Active Directory Users and Computers.
2. In the Users container, double-click on the Administrator account to open its properties.
3. On the General tab, make sure that the User must change password at next logon option is not selected, and then click OK.
4. In the Computers container, double-click on the localhost (or the name of your server) entry to open its properties.
5. On the Member Of tab, click Add.
6. In the Enter the object names to select field, type Domain Admins and click Check Names to resolve the name.
7. Click OK.
8. In the Confirm Object Replacement dialog box, click Yes.
9. In the Computers container, double-click on the Default Domain Controllers Policy entry to open its properties.
10. On the Security tab, click Advanced.
11. In the Permissions dialog box, click Add.
12. In the Select Users, Computers, Service Accounts, or Groups dialog box, type Authenticated Users in the Enter the object names to select field, and click Check Names to resolve the name.
13. Click OK.
14. In the Permissions dialog box, select the Allow check box next to the Reset Password permission, and then click OK.
15. In the Confirm Object Replacement dialog box, click Yes.
16. In the Default Domain Controllers Policy properties dialog box, click OK.
17. Close the Active Directory Users and Computers console.

Conclusion

In this article, we showed you how to configure Active Directory in Windows Server 2022. Active Directory is a powerful tool that can help you manage your Windows domain network more effectively. By following the steps in this guide, you can make sure that your Active Directory installation is configured correctly and securely.

Adding an Active Directory Domain Controller to an Existing Domain

If you have an existing Active Directory domain, you can add a new domain controller to it by running the Active Directory Domain Controller Installation Wizard. To do this, open the Server Manager console, click on the Tools menu, and then select Active Directory Domain Controller Installation Wizard.

On the first page of the wizard, you will be asked if you want to create a new domain or add a domain controller to an existing domain. Choose the Add a domain controller to an existing domain option, and then click Next.

On the next page, you will be prompted to enter the name of the domain that you want to add the domain controller to. Enter the domain name, and then click Next.

On the next page, you will be prompted to enter the credentials of a user who has permission to add a domain controller to the domain. Enter the credentials, and then click Next.

On the next page, you will be prompted to select a site for the new domain controller. Select a site from the list, and then click Next.

On the next page, you will be prompted to select the replication source domain controller for the new domain controller. Select a domain controller from the list, and then click Next.

On the next page, you will be prompted to enter the credentials of a user who has permission to replicate data from the selected domain controller. Enter the credentials, and then click Next.

On the next page, you will be prompted to select the DNS server for the new domain controller. Select a DNS server from the list, and then click Next.

On the next page, you will be prompted to select the forest functional level. Select the forest functional level from the list, and then click Next.

On the next page, you will be prompted to select the Domain functional level. Select the Domain functional level from the list, and then click Next.

On the next page, you will be prompted to review your selections. Review your selections, and then click Next.

On the next page, you will be prompted to confirm that you want to create the new domain controller. Click Yes to continue.

On the next page, you will be prompted to provide a Directory Services Restore Mode password. Enter a password, and then click Next.

The wizard will now install Active Directory on the new domain controller. Once the installation is complete, click Finish.

When configuring Active Directory in Windows Server 2022, there are a few key things to keep in mind. First, make sure that the Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS) role is installed. Next, create a domain controller account and set the password for it. Finally, configure Active Directory to allow for secure communications between domain controllers and clients.