nm-admin

In this Screencast, we will demonstrate the installation of a Windows Server 2008 Read Only Domain Controller (RODC). Before you proceed with the installation of an RODC in your network, you have to make sure that it covers certain requirements. Here is a brief overview:

– PDC Emulator – the DC holding the PDC FSMO in the domain where you intend to install RODC must be running Windows Server 2008.

– Global Catalog – you need to have a GC running Windows Server 2008.

– Domain Functional Level must be at least Windows Server 2003

– Forest Functional Level must be at least Windows Server 2003

– Schema modification – you must run once in the forest adprep /rodcprep

In addition, you must have in mind the following:

– Global Catalog – if there are Outlook clients in the branch office, the RODC should be configured as GC.

– Authentication Requests – the RODC forwards authentication requests to a Global Catalog, running Windows Server 2008, in a site that is closest to the site with the RODC.

– Multiple RODCs – RODCs in the same site DO NOT SHARE information with each other. If the connection to a writable DC is down, there could be inconsistent logon experiences for the users.

We will cover the administration of a RODC in a separate Screencast.

In the following step-by-step video-tutorial, we demonstrate the installation of RODC.

We have demonstrated the installation of Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS) in Windows Server 2008 in one of our Core Server screencasts – How to Install a Windows 2008 Server Forest – Adding AD Domain Services Role. The process of installing an additional Domain Controller – a Replica DC, is performed in a similar way. Very often, the new Domain Controller is placed in a remote site connected with a broadband connection to the headquarters. During the promotion of the new DC, the initial replications of all Active Directory could be time and bandwidth consuming.

The Install from Media (IFM) option has been available in Windows Server 2003 – you could create installation media by restoring a system state backup of another domain controller.

One of the many new features in Windows Server 2008 is the improved NTDS utility which provides you with a nice and easy way to create AD DS installation media. Once you see it, you are going to love it. You can still use a system state backup as installation media in Windows Server 2008, but a system state backup of a domain controller that runs Windows Server 2008 typically includes more data than is required to perform an IFM operation. In addition, working with System State Backups and Restores is going to be a topic of a different Screencast.

The new ntdsutil ifm subcommand is also recommended, because you can use it to remove secrets, such as passwords, from the AD DS database, so that you can install a read-only domain controller (RODC). When you remove these secrets, the RODC installation media is more secure if it must be transported to a branch office for an RODC installation.

You must use writable domain controller installation media to install a writable domain controller, while you can use writable domain controller installation media or RODC installation media to install an RODC.

You can use a 32-bit domain controller to generate installation media for a 64-bit domain controller, and vice-versa. The installation media can be stored on a local drive, removable media such as a DVD, or on a network shared folder.

In the following Screencast, we demonstrate the whole scenario of adding an additional Server Core Domain Controller in a remote office using Install from Media (IFM). The video steps include creating a new site and adding subnets in Active Directory Sites and Services, Preparing and checking the Active Directory Installation Media, promoting the new DC at the remote site using IFM and checking the result of the promotion.

We have demonstrated the installation of Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS) in Windows Server 2008 in one of our Core Server screencasts – How to Install a Windows 2008 Server Forest – Adding AD Domain Services Role. The process of installing an additional Domain Controller – a Replica DC, is performed in a similar way. Very often, the new Domain Controller is placed in a remote site connected with a broadband connection to the headquarters. During the promotion of the new DC, the initial replications of all Active Directory could be time and bandwidth consuming.

The Install from Media (IFM) option has been available in Windows Server 2003 – you could create installation media by restoring a system state backup of another domain controller.

One of the many new features in Windows Server 2008 is the improved NTDS utility, which provides you with a nice and easy way to create AD DS installation media. Once you see it, you are going to love it. You can still use a system state backup, as an installation media in Windows Server 2008, but a system state backup of a domain controller that runs Windows Server 2008 typically includes more data than is required to perform an IFM operation. In addition, working with System State Backups and Restores is going to be a topic of a different Screencast.

The new ntdsutil ifm subcommand is also recommended, because you can use it to remove secrets, such as passwords from the AD DS database, so that you can install a read-only domain controller (RODC). When you remove these secrets, the RODC installation media would be more secure, if it must be transported to a branch office for an RODC installation.

You can use a 32-bit domain controller to generate installation media for a 64-bit domain controller, and vice-versa. The installation media can be stored on a local drive, removable media, such as a DVD, or on a network shared folder.

In the following Screencast, we will demonstrate the whole scenario of adding an additional Domain Controller in a remote office using Install from Media (IFM). The video steps include creating a new site, adding subnets in Active Directory Sites and Services, preparing and checking the Active Directory Installation Media, promoting the new DC at the remote site using IFM, and checking the result of the promotion.

As we have demonstrated in one of our Core Server screencasts –
How to Install Domain Controller Role on Server Core, running DCPROMO requires that you provide the necessary information either by an unattend file or by switches. By default, Core Server does not come with a DCPROMO wizard.

There are cases, when you need to demote a Server Core domain controller. Again, you will have to use the DCPROMO command. It is still a good idea, to take a look at the DCPROMO parameters, as we have demonstrated in our previous screencast. Depending on your needs, you have to decide which of them will be suitable for your scenario.

In a production environment, it is recomended, to pipe DCPROMO results into a log file and examine it at the end.

In the following screencast, you will see how to demote a Server Core, and how to check the result of DCPROMO.