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MCSA Servers

How to Create Users and Computers in Server 2016?

The Active Directory is a depository of all information computers, users, and services and the Active Directory users and computers are the container of all the information about the users and computers and more than the information, you can manage users and computer accounts through this management tool whether you create, remove or manage users. In this article, I’ll show you how to create users, computer accounts in Windows server 2016.

Create Users and Computers in Server 2016

#1: Create users

1. Open Server Manager and click on Tools tab then select Active Directory Users and Computers.

Active Directory Users and Computers
Active Directory Users and Computers

2. Expand the server node and click on the Users node, when you see all the default users and groups just click on the Create a new User button on the top as shown to create a new user account.

Create User button
Create User button

3. Enter the user details like name, last name, logon name etc. The logon name is the name that you want to logon to the network through, you will be given an email address in the network like mine is mehdi@tactig.com as shown then hit Next.

User details
User details

4. Now enter a complex password then confirm your password and below the password box you’ll see some options that should know them;

  •  User must change the password at next logon; is used when you create a user and give a simple password as a network administrator then you want the user to change the password at first logon.
  • User cannot change password; is used when you don’t want a user to change his account password.
  • Password never expires; is used when you don’t want users to change the password frequently. Most organizations force the users to change the password after a particular time. It is good to have the most secure account.
  • Account is disabled; is used when you want to disable unused accounts. Leave the first option selected and hit Next.
Password
Enter Password

5. When the user is created in Users container, finish the wizard by clicking on the Finish button.

Finish wizard
Finish wizard

#2: Create group

After creating users, now it’s time to create the groups we need for our specific team, location or jobs. Groups are created for simplifying the management. When you create a group, specify some people as member of that group, you give some rights to that group instead giving ever single user that right. Members of the group is not users only, they can be admins. You can make a group member of other group which is called nesting-group.

1. In order to create a group click on the Users node, then click on Create a new group button on the top as shown.

Create new group
Create new group

2. Enter the group name and you’ll see group scopes are available, select the Global scope. It is used when you want to make a group according to geography, common job, department, functions. Now choose the Group type (Security option: It is used when you want to specify which group can have access to which resource.

New object - group
New object – group

#3: Group Membership

1. If you want someone to be member of a group, you can do it from user properties > member of and make it member of a group. Also you can go to group properties > members and add a user. I follow the first way, right-click on the user and select Properties.

User Properties
User Properties

2. Here click on the Member Of tab then click on the Add button to add your account to a group.

Member Of tab
Member Of tab

3. Type name of the group in the box as shown then click on the OK button.

Select group
Select group

4. And now you’re in the group of KabulUsers. Now just click on the OK button to finish the wizard and apply the function.

Apply changes
Apply changes

Conclusion: Active Directory Users and Groups is an important title in network. I hope you learn this easy steps, how to create users and computer accounts. For advanced details of the users and groups, other articles will be published here. For any question leave a comment.

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MCSA MCSE Servers

Configure DNS Server Zones Fully on Windows Server 2016?

After installing DNS, of course, you need to configure DNS because it is an important task to make DNS work correctly. DNS stands for Domain Naming System and the goal of DNS is to change name to IP address and and IP address to name like when you open a server or a web page, you enter a name like www.tactig.com, here the DNS server changes the name to the IP and you can visit the web page or get access to server sources. In this article, I show you how to come along to configure DNS Server fully on Windows Server.

Configure DNS Server Fully Step by Step

The DNS configuration is somehow like installing it, means you don’t need to worry or call any administrator to do it because you can do it along by this article, let’s move towards it.

1. When the DNS Server role installed, open the Server Manager window, click on tools tab that the dropdown menu appears and click on the DNS icon to open the DNS. Here I have named my server tactig-dc01.

Server Manager
Server Manager

2. At the first, what we need to do is creating a zone, it is a part of a DNS that the records are restored, for that purpose right click on your computer DNS server name and click on the New zone.

DNS Manager
DNS Manager

3. Skip the welcome page and on the next page, you’ll see three kinds of zone available.

  • Primary zone: is rewritten zone that is not copied from somewhere.
  • Secondary zone: is the copy of another zone, when you create a secondary zone you should copy the records from another source.
  • Stub zone: is providing information whatever server holds a special zone. We want to create a primary zone, then click on that then hit Next.
Primary zone
Primary zone

4. In the next page, you will be asked about replication method.

  • The first option, (To all DNS servers running on domain controller in this forest: <domain name> is used when you want to replicate with the domains and subdomains in the forest but that increases the network traffic.
  • The second option, (To all DNS servers running on domain controllers in the domain: <domain name> is used when you want you DNS server replicate with all DNS servers in in your own domain.
  • The third option, (To all domain controllers in this domain (for Windows 2000 compatibility): <domain name> is used when you want your server replicate with only domain controllers in your own domain. Select the 2nd option. Hit Next.
Replication Scope
Replication Scope

5. In the forward or reverse lookup zone page, select Forward lookup zone. The Forward lookup zone translates DNS name to IP address and the 2nd option, Reverse lookup zone translates IP to DNS name, just select Forward lookup zone then hit Next, we will configure the Reverse lookup zone later.

Forward lookup zone
Forward lookup zone

6. Specify a name for the zone then click on the Next button.

Zone name
Zone name

7. How do you want your zone contents update mode? The recommended option is Allow only secure updates. This option helps you DNS server not to be affected by spywares and viruses,  select the first option and hit Next.

Dynamic update
Dynamic update

8. After continuing, your primary zone is created, just click on the Finish button to start working it.

Finish wizard
Finish wizard

Now the zone has created successfully but the DNS configuration is not done fully yet and the secondary zone as mentioned before is copy of another zone. It means you should copy the contents from somewhere else. Now I want to show you how to create a secondary zone. You need one another server, DNS server installed on. I name the new DNS server: tactig-dns02. The new server that we try to use as a second DNS server should be member of the Active Directory Directory Services. You can do that. If not read the articles about in this website.

1. Now we’ll work on tactig-dns02 server,  open the DNS Manager tool and right-click on the Forward lookup zone, click on the New zone then skip the welcome page by hitting Next. In the Zone Type page, select the Secondary zone.

Secondary zone
Secondary zone

2. In the forward or reverse lookup zone page, select the Forward lookup zone option. It changes the DNS names to IP address. Then click on Next button.

Forward lookup zone
Forward lookup zone

3. Specify a name for the zone. Enter name of a zone that you’ve created before as a primary zone. Here you will have copy of the primary zone as a secondary zone.

Zone name
Zone name

4. In the Master DNS Servers page, you need to specify the master server. The Master server is the server that you’ve a zone out there and you want to copy its contents in your new secondary zone. Enter the master server’s IP address and the IP will be resolved. If the IP is correct, a green check mark will appear next to the IP address box then click on Next button.

DNS Master Servers
DNS Master Servers

5. When the Secondary zone is created, just click on the Finish button.

Finish zone wizard
Finish zone wizard

6. Now click on the new zone you just created, you’ll see the Red x means no content is present and not working properly as mentioned before you should copy the contents from somewhere else.

No Records
No Records

7. Go back to tactig-dns01 server, expand the Forward lookup zone mode and right-click on the zone that you want to get a copy from then select Properties.

Properties
Properties

8. Here select the Name Servers tab and add the server that you’ve installed the secondary zone on, here. When you add the name in the list you can copy the contents. For the purpose click on the Add button.

Name Servers
Name Servers

9. Type the server’s fully qualified domain name (FQDN) in the box as shown and below that box, enter the server’s IP address. When you resolve the server a message appears, don’t be worried because the message tells you that your server is not authoritative for the zone that’s what we know that. We just we want to make a copy of the zone  and click on OK button.

Name Server Record
Name Server Record

10. Now come back to tactig-dns02 server, right-click on the zone you created and select Transfer from Master.

Transfer form master
Transfer form master

11. Refresh the page clicking on the Refresh button and you’ll see all the records you could see in tactig-dns01 server zone, now the secondary zone is created and configured properly.

Secondary zone records
Secondary zone records

Another next important point for the DNS configuration is that you should learn what is Reverse Lookup Zone. The Reverse Lookup Zone do opposite to what Forward Lookup Zone does means It change IP address to DNS name, when you’ve or give an IP address, it gives you the DNS name. For doing this, we need just one DNS server and I’ll use my root DNS server (tactig-dns01).

1. It is created the same as primary and secondary zones so expand the server name and right-click on the Forward Lookup Zone then select New Zone. When the page appears, skip the welcome page and select Primary zone then hit Next, leave the next step as default and hit Next. Here Select IPv4 Reverse Lookup Zone or IPv6 reverse lookup zone then hit Next, we use IPv4 version in our networks so you can choose the one you want to use.

IPv4 Reverse Lookup Zone
IPv4 Reverse Lookup Zone

2. At this point, the Network ID is needed for the zone, specify the Network ID then hit Next ( The Network ID is your network’s IP address.

Network ID
Network ID

3. Select the Allow only secure dynamic update option and click on Next button then finish the wizard to completely finish the configuration.

Finish Wizard
Finish Wizard

4. Run PowerShell as administrator. Type this command: ipconfig /registerdns. Press Enter button.

Register DNS
Register DNS

5. Refresh the Forward Reverse Zone node, you will see that an IP address is added there and you are done!

Forward Reverse Zone
Forward Reverse Zone

Conclusion: The DNS configuration is completely done. Yes, this was the basic configuration of DNS and the Advanced configuration of the DNS is more complicated, Practice till the time you feel you’ve already learned the configuration. For any further question leave a comment below.

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MCSA MCSE Servers

Install DNS Server on Windows Server 2016 fully step by step

When you install windows server it is just a box, nothing it there like services, if you want to use the services you should install and configure the services when you need them. The DNS stands for Domain Name System. When you create an account on a server or domain controller, your computer, and server communicates with each other by their IP addresses; you can’t remember a lot of IP addresses. Here the DNS comes to action. It means it changes the IP address to the name and name to the IP address. When you type a server name like tactig-dc01, it changes the name to IP:192.168.10.1 and vice versa. In this article, you’ll learn how to install DNS on Windows server 2016 server graphically and through PowerShell.

Topics covered in this article:

  • Install DNS server graphically
  • Install DNS server through PowerShell

Install DNS Server Graphically

1. In order to open Server Manager, press the Start Menu button; click on the Server Manager icon.

Start Menu
Start Menu

2. When the Server Manager opened, click on the Add roles and features option.

Add roles and features
Add roles and features

3. Skip the Before you begin page clicking on Next button. In the Select installation type page, just let Role-based or featured-based installation option selected. Click on Next button.

Role-based or feature-based installation
Role-based or feature-based installation

4. In the Select server destination server page, select the Select the server from server pool.  Select the server from server pool which you want to install the DNS role on. Click on Next button.

Select destination server
Select destination server

5. Select the DNS from roles. A page will open that wants you to give permission to install management tools for DNS server. Click on Add features button. At the end click on Next button.

 

DNS Server
DNS Server

6. Here on the Select feature page, no feature is needed to be installed. So just hit Next. On the DNS Server page you can read some important information about the DNS server and hit Next button. Click on the Install button to install the role on the server. Be patient; it will take some time.

No reboot is needed after the role installation. So directly go toward configuring DNS server.

Install server
Install server

Install DNS server through PowerShell

You easily can install DNS server through PowerShell. If you’re preparing for MCSA or MCSE certifications, make sure that you learn this easy command line: Install-WindowsFeature DNS -IncludeManagementTools.

Install-WindowsFeature is PowerShell command which is used for installing Windows server roles and feature. After that type name of the role, in this case DNS. Install-WindowsFeature DNS command installs the core services for the DNS. You need to install the management tools. For the purpose type -IcludeManagementTools for adding management tools to the core services.

Maybe it looks scary to install DNS server through PowerShell, but is really easy. PowerShell makes your life easy.

Install DNS Server
Install DNS Server

Conclusion

The DNS server is now installed and ready for configuration, no reboot is needed. To configure it check out the below article and read it out. For any question, feel free and leave a comment. I would answer your questions as soon as possible. As well as, don’t forget to configure it to start and let it work otherwise you can’t.

We are done with the installation of DNS role. It is the time to move on and configure the DNS server and use the services.

Don’t Forget: Configure DNS Server Fully on Windows Server 2016?

The best way to learn is practice. Don’t forget to do it till the time that you feel you’ve completely learned.

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MCSA MCSE Servers

Install Windows Server 2016 on VMware Workstation step by step

Installing Windows Server 2016 upgrades us once again from Windows Server 2012/R2 that provides the latest and the essential updates we need. As well as this time, it has includes lots of new and features. In this lesson, you will learn about installing Windows Server 2016 step by step. Also, before installing, make sure you have pre-planned for selecting which edition to install and what to do in it.

Before installing Windows Server 2016 you need to plan for the installation. Making plan means you should choose an appropriate edition of Windows server. You should think of Hyper-v server you need for your network. You must choose an edition which have enough the Hyper-v license. Also think of more licenses you may need in the future.

Every edition of Windows server may support limited number of users. Choose the edition that meets your needs. When we talk about limitations, we don’t talk about software limitations. If you want more license you should pay for. You can upgrade from one edition to another edition. And you can buy more license for physical and virtual servers also users.

Windows server 2016 editions

  • Datacenter: Highly virtualized, enterprise network and cloud environment.
  • Standard: Only different with Datacenter edition is the number of Virtual servers. Datacenter edition supports more virtual servers.
  • Essential: For small business up to 25 users and 50 devices.

Hardware Requirements

  • Processor: 1GHZ
  • RAM memory: Minimum of 2GB
  • Hard Drive Space: 20GB free space

Installing Windows Server 2016 on VMware

Like the previous versions (Windows Server 2012…), the Windows Server 2016 installation is simple, what’s new is the editions that you can choose them wisely during installation.

In order to install Windows Server 2016, first, you must have an ISO image file of it and also make sure you have pre-planned choosing which edition of Windows Server 2016 and have fulfilled the system requirements.

Download Now: Windows Server 2016

Create and Customize the Virtual Machine

1. Open VMware and click on the Create a New Virtual Machine(Ctrl+N) icon. If you don’t have VMware installed on your computer, click here to download one.

Create new virtual machine
Create new virtual machine

2. Now select Custom (Advanced) option to specify the virtual machine with advance options. If you want you can create virtual with less options, click on Typical option. When you are finished here, click on Next button.

New Virtual Machine Wizard
New Virtual Machine Wizard

3. Leave the Virtual Machine Hardware Compatibility settings as default. If you want you can select your VMware version. Then click Next button.

Hardware Compatibility
Hardware Compatibility

4. Here you should add an installer image into the virtual machine. Select the Installer disc image file (ISO) option and click on the Browse button. Specify .iso file path and import it. Then click on Next button.

Note: Make sure that you are using an ISO image file, otherwise unzipped file won’t boot.

OS image path
OS image path

5. Specify which operating system type you want to install on the virtual machine. Select Windows Server 2016 version from the dropdown menu and click on Next button.

Select operating system type
Select operating system type

6. Enter a name for the virtual machine and browse a place where you want to store the installation files. For the purpose click on Browse button and specify the place. When finished, click on Next button.

Virtual machine name and location
Virtual machine name and location

7. On the Processor Configuration specify then number of processors your server need to use and click on Next button. Also notice that it refers to your virtual machine speed that how much speed the server should be.

Number of processors
Number of processors

8. Specify the amount of the memory for the virtual machine (based on MB) and click on Next button.

Amount of memory for this machine
Amount of memory for this machine

9. Select Use Network Address Translation(NAT) or Use bridged networking to directly connect and use internet, as a network type. Then hit Next.

Network address translation
Network address translation

10. Let the I/O Controller types by default because you don’t have the option to change the SCSI type. just hit Next.

LSI Logic SAS
LSI Logic SAS

11. Now to create new virtual disk, select create a new virtual disk for the virtual machine.

Create new virtual disk
Create new virtual disk

12. Specify the disk amount by typing the disk size(Recommended 60 GB) and click on Next button.

Maximum disk size
Maximum disk size

13. At this point, just check out the settings you’ve done or you can customize if you want and click Next.

Finish the wizard
Finish the wizard

Step 2. Install Windows Server 2016

Now it’s time to boot up and start the virtual machine, just click on Power on this virtual machine then wait until it boots.

1. Open VMware Workstation on your host computer. Click on Power on this virtual machine in top left.

Start the virtual machine
Start the virtual machine

2. When the virtual machine powered on, specify the language, time zone and keyboard then click Next.

Specify language, time, keyboard
Specify language, time, keyboard

3. Install now to install the windows server 2016 on virtual machine.

Install now
Install now

4. Select one the Windows Server editions you’ve decided and click on Next button.

Select server edition
Select server edition

5. Put a mark in the box next to I accept the license terms, then click on the Next button.

I accept this term
I accept this term

6. Go on and click on the Custom: Install Windows only (Advanced) option for installing the server custom.

Custom: install windows only
Custom: install windows only

7. Select the disk, you want to install the widows on and select the disk, click on New, then specify the amount (based on MB) and click on Apply button then click on Next button.

Select installation drive
Select installation drive

8. Now the server copies all the files to the disk, amount the files from the windows image, install features, updates, so it will take time and when finished it will reboot.

Copy files
Copy files

9. After the reboot, type a complex password composed of (uppercase, lowercase, symbols and numbers) and click on Finish button.

Press Ctrl+Alt+Del buttons
Press Ctrl+Alt+Del buttons

10. When the customization finished, now you’ll need to sign in, but first click on the button that is composed of three buttons (ctrl+alt+del) shown in image below or simply press Ctrl+Alt+Del and sign in to Windows Server.

Login to Windows Server
Login to Windows Server

And that’s it, after you have signed in, your windows server installation is completed like the shot below.

Windows Server 2016 Installed on VMware
Windows Server 2016 Installed on VMware

Conclusion

 The Windows server 2016 is installed successfully and your server is now ready to work now. But before doing that don’t forget to install VMware tools + do initial configuration of Windows Server from the article below. For any questions, leave a comment.

Check out: Install Active Directory on Windows Server 2016 step by step

If you find it helpful, let your friends know it too by sharing this article on social media.

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MCSA MCSE Servers

Create DHCP Server Scope on Windows Server 2016 step-by-step

Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) Server is one of the critical parts of today’s enterprise networks. When somebody request for IP (Internet Protocol), instead of a network administrator, a server distributes IP for the device. It is more effective and less expensive. Also, DHCP server provides more information to the clients such as default gateway, subnet mask. DHCP allows hosts to acquire necessary TCP/IP configuration information from a DHCP server and do more. In order to configure DHCP Server follow the steps.

DHCP Server Post-installation configurations

After installing the DHCP role on Windows server, you need to configure DHCP server.

1. When the DHCP role installed, open Server Manager. Click on flag. Then click on Complete DHCP configuration hyperlink.

Complete DHCP Configuration
Complete DHCP Configuration

2. Skip the Description page by clicking on Next button. Now enter the credentials in both boxes, for entering the alternative credential click on Specify button and type the username and password. Make sure you use credentials that have permissions to perform these tasks. Then click on Commit button.

Authorization page
Authorization page

3. The Summary page show you the summary of post installation configurations. Click on the Close button.

Summary page
Summary page

Create DHCP scope

You need to create a DCHP scope. DHCP scope is the range of possible IP addresses that can be assigned to clients. Every scope defines a physical subnet.

1. Now open Server Manager and click on Tools tab then click on the DHCP to open it.

Open DHCP server
Open DHCP server

2. When the DHCP opened, expand DHCP server name and right-click on IPv4 then click on the New Scope option to create an IP scope for distribution.

New scope
New scope

3. Type an scope name. Add a description for scope. Then click Next button.

Scope name and description
Scope name and description

4. Specify the IP Address Range by entering the start IP Address and End IP address. The length automatically assigns, based on you IP address class and the subnet mask assigns automatically. Then click on Next button.

IP address range
IP address range

5. You can exclude some of the IP addresses for the servers or  especial services. The IPs excluded will not be assigned automatically. IPs before and after the exclusion range are assigned. IPs excluded are assigned on servers manually. Specify the IP range you want to exclude, add the IP range and click on Next button.

Exclusion and Delay
Exclusion and Delay

6. On the Configure DHCP option page, select this option: Yes, I want to configure these options now. Clicking on Next button.

Configure DHCP Option
Configure DHCP Option

7. Enter your Router’s IP address in the box and click on add button to add the IP address. Then click on Next button.

Router (Default Gateway)
Router (Default Gateway)

8. DNS (Domain Name System) server translates the name to IP address and IP address to name. Type the DNS server’s name in the box. Then type IP address in the box below then click on Add button to add to the IP address. At the end click on Next button.

Parent domain
Parent domain

9. WINS Server translates NetBIOS computer name to IP address. Type WINS server name in Server name box. Type the WINS server’s IP address and click on Add button. Then click on Next button.

WINS server
WINS server

10. Finish the wizard clicking on Finish button.

Finish wizard
Finish wizard

 

DHCP Server Console

We are done with the creation of new scope. It is the time to know more about DHCP server console. Below the DHCP server name, you see IPv4 and IPv6 options. It means that Windows server 2016 can support both IPv4 and IPv6 versions of IP address. Expand IPv4 to see the scope you have created. Also Server Options, Policies and Filters.

Expand the scope. Things you see are these:

  • Address Pool: IP address range can be assigned to clients and exclusion range is listed here.
  • Address Leases: IP address which have been assigned to clients dynamically are listed here. IP address which have been assigned manually won’t be listed here.
  • Reservations: Reserved IP range is listed here.
  • Scope Options: Some options like Router, PXE client and etc.
  • Policies: Policies created for DCHP server are listed here.
DHCP Server Console
DHCP Server Console

Conclusion

DHCP has been successfully configured and ready to be used. For any question, suggestion, feel free and leave a comment. I answer your question as soon as possible.

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MCSA MCSE Servers

Install Active Directory on Windows Server 2016 step by step

Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS) is the center for management tasks (Users, Groups, Computers, Organizational Units, Schema) in Windows networks. You can manage the network by AD DS easily. Imagine if you were a network administrator. You could create user accounts and gave them access to special files manually. It was practical if you were engaged with less than 50 users and computers. If you were engaged with 12000 users and computers, what did you do? You can do the complete the task with AD DS easily. You create a group and add user accounts as members and define to which files the group access by installing Active Directory to manage the network easily. It is a simple task that you can do in Windows network using AD DS.

You can find every kind of information about the users, computers, hardware, software and etc in the Active Directory Domain Services. Windows Server 2016 is the latest version of Windows Server and in this article I show you how to install active directory.

Install AD DS Graphically

Follow the steps below to install Active Directory Domain Services on Windows Server 2016.

1. Press the Start Menu button and click on the Server Manager icon which is the management tool in Windows Server 2016.

Open Server Manager

2. Active Directory Domain Services is a Windows Server role. Click on Add Roles and features option to install the role.

Add roles and features
Add roles and features

3. In the Before you begin you have nothing to do. Click on Next button. In the Select Installation Type page, Select the Role-based or Feature-based Installation option. Click Next on button.

Role-based or feature-based installation

4. Let the Select a server from the server pool option selected. Specify the server that you want to install the role on, from the Server Pool. Click on Next button.

Select a server from the server pool

5. Select the Active Directory Domain Services role. A new windows opens and ask you to install management tools. Installing AD DS role, you just install the core services. Click on Add Features button to install management tools. then click on Next button.

 

Active Directory Domain Services role

6. In the Feature page, you got nothing to do. Just click on Next button. In the Active Directory Domain Services page you can read some information about AD DS. Click on Next button to move in the next page.

Active Directory Domain Services page

7. At the last step of the Active Directory installation is the confirmation of the selections. So confirm the selection by clicking on the install button. After the installation of the role, the server needs to be rebooted. You can restart it manually or let the system decide by putting the mark on Restart the destination server automatically if required option. Click on Install button to start the installation.

Active Directory Domain Services
Install active directory

Install AD DS though PowerShell

You can install AD DS through PowerShell. You need to run Install-WindowsFeature cmdlet. This cmdlet helps you to install roles and featues on Windows Server. After that, you need to type name of the feature you want to install. Type AD-Domain-Services for installing AD DS role.

Complete cmdlet: Install-WindowsFeature AD-Domain-Services

After typing the cmdlet press the Enter button.

PowerShell
PowerShell

Conclusion

While server rebooted, log in to server with your domain account. Default user name is Administrator. After that you can do post-installation configurations to promote this server to domain controller.

For any kind of question feel free and leave a comment below.

Watch out: Promote Windows Server 2016 to Domain Controller step by step

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MCSA MCSE Servers

Initial Configurations of Windows server 2016 step by step

After installing Windows Server 2016, you can start working but before that, there are some initial configuration to perform for making the server ready to work. These are the essential tips to do before start working with it. Here are the tasks to complete such as; renaming the server, setting the time zone, configuring the network connection, joining a domain, enabling remote desktop and some more. So let’s get started.

Perform Initial Configuration of Windows Server 2016 Graphically

 1. Rename server

Renaming the server is the first step of initial configuration. By default windows server has setup a unique name, to change it open Server Manager and click on local Server then click on your computer name. On the System, Properties click change and type a unique and short computer name then click ok. When you’ll be asked for restarting just hit Restart Now.

Computer name
Computer name

2. Join a Domain or Promote Server to a Domain Controller

Here you have two options to select, the first one is to join a domain or promote this server to a domain controller see the article from the link below(Install AD DS to create and manage domain services).

Note: Before joining to a domain or promoting to domain controller you must configure server’s TCP/IP settings from the instructions below.

To join a domain, open Run>Type Sysdm.cpl>click Change>Select Domain>Type the domain name and hit Ok like the shot. When you’ll be asked for authentication then type the username and password of the domain user and click ok. When the server joined to the domain click Restart now on the dialog box to sign in with the domain after restarting.

Notice: Before joining to a domain check the Domain controller and your computer if they are connected. If you got error like an error like connecting to domain service then check out the connection and ping them to check if they are connected then try joining the domain.

To promote this server to a domain controller, read the article based on How to Install & Configure Active Directory Domain Services(AD DS)?

Join a domain
Join a domain

3. Turn on Automatic Updates

Keeping your server protected and updated is the most important. By turning on Automatic Updates on your server will be secure and latest, to configure open Settings>Update & Security and click on check for updates then when the update downloaded and installed.

Settings - Update & Security
Settings – Update & Security

On the Advanced options, choose Automatic update installing to let the Windows Server install updates when the server is not in use or you can set manually when to install updates.

Settings - Advanced options
Settings – Advanced options

4. Setup time zone settings

Accurate time zone is essential for Server and services to work on exact timing. To setup open Server Manager click on Local Server and click on Time Zone hyperlink then click on Change Time Zone, select the correct time zone and click Ok.

Time zone settings
Time zone settings

5. Configure TCP/IP settings

A Server needs static IP for installing AD DS or using other features so to do it open Server Manager click on Local Server and click on your computer’s network interface hyperlink(Ethernet).

Server Manager
Server Manager

On the Network Connections select the correct network adapter to configure by right click and choose Properties.

Set-IP
Set-IP

Now click on Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPV4), when the window opened select Use the following IP address and type a IP address, Subnet Mask, Default Gateway and Preferred DNS server.

TCPIP Properties
TCP IP Properties

6. Enable Remote Desktop

There are a two ways to enable Remote Desktop in windows server, no matter we will do it with Server Manager. The Remote Desktop feature is the core

To enable open Server Manager click on Local Server and click on Remote Desktop hyperlink, it will directly open up the System Properties remote tab, just click on Allow Remote Connections to this Computer and click ok.

System Properties
System Properties

Perform Initial Configuration of Windows Server 2016 with Command-line

1. Rename the Server

Netdom renamecomputer %ComputerName% /NewName: NewComputerName

Rename computer
Rename computer

Type Y and hit enter to proceed. The server have renamed successfully.

2. Join a domain

Note: Before joining to a domain check the Domain controller and your computer if they are connected, also your computer should have taken IP with DHCP from the server correctly.

Netdom join %ComputerName% /domain: DomainName /userd: UserName /passwordd:*

Type the username and password of the server user twice and hit enter to connect.

Join to domain
Join to domain

Now restart to apply all commands and joining to domain by typing;

Shutdown -r -t 1 

After you get started, check out your computer that it will have the other user option to sign in with domain user.

Sign in to domain
Sign into domain

Here’re all the command that are entered above.

All commands
All commands

3. Configure TCP/IP Properties

To configure IP address properties on a server or on any other computer follow the below commands.

To set IP address properties first identify your network adapters by typing:

netsh interface ipv4 show interfaces

Now to set a static IP address, subnet mask and default gateway type;

Netsh interface ipv4 set address name=<> source=static address=<Ipaddress> mask=subnet mask gateway=Gatewayaddress

Set Static IP address
Set Static IP address

You can set Just IP address without subnet mask and default gateway.

To set up DNS server IP address type;

Netsh interface ipv4 add dnsserver name=<> address=DNSIPAddress index=1

Note:index=1” refers to position of added DNS server.

Index=1 is Preferred DNS server and index=2 is Alternate DNS server.

Set DNS IP address
Set DNS IP address

To confirm or check IP address type;

IPconfig /all

It shows all details of network including IP address, Subnet mask, DNS IP address.

All details of IP
All IP details

You can see all IP addresses configured and work properly.

Here’re all commands of IP properties.

Initial Configuration of windows server 2016
All commands of IP properties

And at the end, if you’re using Hyper-v or VMware take a snapshot of the Server so you can restore it later. That’s all, this was all the initial configuration of windows server using command-line.

That’s all, this was all about the initial configuration of windows server 2016 graphically + command-line.

If you have any question regarding this, leave a comment below.

Check out this article: Install Active Directory on Windows Server 2016 step by step