SharePoint 2010: How to Add Domain Controller on Windows 2012 (Scripting) and Windows Server 2008R2 (UI)

There are three PowerShell cmdlets, which coincide with the three deployment options:

Install-ADDSDomainController	Creates a new domain controller in an existing domain
Install-ADDSDomain	Creates a new domain in an existing forest
Install-ADDSForest	Creates a new forest

How to Add a Domain Controller using PowerShell

To use Install-ADDSDomainController, only three things are required:

• domain name - which must be passed through the DomainName parameter
• credentials - that are in the Domain Admins group of the domain
• Directory Services Restore Mode password - which can either be passed through the SafeModeAdministratorPassword parameter, or it can be provided when prompted.

There are many more optional parameters that can be used, which specify everything from where to find the installation media, to whether or not to reboot when it's completed.

How to Add a Domain Forest using PowerShell

To use Install-ADDSDomain, you must also specify the parent domain name. Just as when using PowerShell to add a domain controller, you may either supply the Directory Services Restore Mode password in the cmdlet, or provide it when prompted.

How to Add a New Forest with PowerShell

To use Install-ADDSForest, all that needs to be provided is the forest name. A prompt will allow the Directory Services Restore Mode password to be entered, and DNS is installed by default during a forest installation.

Conclusion

Though Windows Server 2012 removes the dcpromo that system engineers have been using since 2000, they have not removed the functionality. If a GUI is preferred by an active directory engineer, they may still have much of the look and feel provided through Server Manager. If a script or a command line interface is preferred, new cmdlets in PowerShell provide all of the flexibility of the GUI, with the added benefit or scalability and reusability.

Install Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS) on Windows Server 2008R2

When you create a new SharePoint DEV Environement you need a Domain Controller for your Authentication. Sharepoint can't be installaed without a Domain Controller.

On Microsoft Servers a domain controller (DC) is a server that responds to security authentication requests (logging in, checking permissions, etc.) within the Windows Server domain. A domain is a concept introduced in Windows NT whereby a user may be granted access to a number of computer resources with the use of a single username and password combination.

This is the first server that you should configure for your environement.

Before we run DCPROMO, we need to make sure we have a Static IP Address set. If this is your first Domain Controller on your network set the DNS server to the same IP address you set for the server itself. This is because we will be installing DNS with this Domain Controller. For clients in an Active Directory domain they must point to a DNS server located on a Domain Controller.

So, type DCPROMO under **RUN. **You will receive a welcome screen, just click on Next

Again on Next

You have to select "Create a new domain on a new forest".

Give your Full Qualified Domain Name for your Forest.

If your on a Test environement, you have to write "DOMAIN.Local".

Select your Forest functional Level:

The first Domain Controller in a forest must be a global catalog and the DNS must be installed on the first domain controller.

So Select DNS Server and press Next 

On this screen you have to select your folders where windows should write his logs.

When you open a case on Microsoft and your Logs are on the same server, they won't consider your case. So it's always prefered to separate the folders on a other server.

Provide a Password

Check the summary and click Next

When the installation is finished just click Next.

Once finished, do not forget to create separate OU for SharePoint Users like shown. This will help you to remember witch users was a service account or not.

This will even be usefull for other people to understand the structure of SharePoint 2010