Re: Please help refresh my memory on AD DC

Hello Joe,

See inline.

Best regards

Meinolf Weber
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Hello,

I am currently using a workgroup infrastructure with 9 servers and I
am in need of changinf it to a AD DC Domain infrastrucrture. However I
am a little rusty in some areas. I have 4 Server 2003 Enterprise
machines and 4 Server 2008 Standard machines. One Linux but that
doesn't matter.

1. When I created the domain I used the same name as the server and
this
caused the installation wizard to change the NetBIOS name from WEB308
to
WEB3080 The Original name for this server was web308.mydomainname.com
and
when I was asked for the FQDN I entered the same thing. This is what
prompted
the NetBIOS change as it told me to avoid conflict with the DC.

If you promote a server to Domain controller, there is no renaming of the computer. As you said you have to specify on the first install the full qualified domain name (FQDN) you like to use. In your case you choose web308.mydomain.com, after that i pops up with the Netbios name which you can choose your own, the suggestion is always a part from the FQDN in your case it uses "web3080".

2.Ok so when I rebooted the server and it rebooted as a DC I could no
longer access the server by the old administrator password as it was
as so
Administratator
password1
I now had to change the password but not for WEB308 it now was
WEB3080.

As said before the name of the computer is not changed during promotion to a DC. I assume you mean the logon window with USERNAME, PASSWORD and the "LOGON TO" which now shows only "web30380", the Netbios name of the domain, this is NOT longer the computer name as on a workgroup server. On a member server of a domain for example, you have two options under "LOGON TO", the "NetBios name" of the domain and the "computername(this computer)".

What I am struggling with is there are so many names that I am unsure
which
is the DC and which is just the NetBIOS.

On a domain controller you have ONLY the Netbios name displayed, in your case "web3080". You can NOT logon locally, like on a member server.

On a member machine, either server or client, you have "web3080" AND "computername(this computer)". With "web3080" you are able to logon to the domain with a domain user account and with "computername(this computer)" you have to use user account, created on the local machine.

I kinda figured that out as I tried to access old shares that still
had WEB308 as the label . But when prompted I had to use the new
WEB3080 and the new password for access.

See above the description about domain logon and local logon.

Part two:

Now I have always been confused about what SHOULD you use as a DC
FQDN? I looked in the DNS of the DC ans now thefull computer name is
web308.web308.mdomainname.com

This is correct, your servername is still "web308" as before and is now working/providing/serving for the domain "web308.mydomain.com". The FQDN is now correctly "web308.web308.mydomainname.com"

The domain is specified as web308.mydomainname.com. So when joining
the other servers and boxes the name that I should enter is this one
correct?

If you join other machines to the domain, you can choose either the netbios domain name "web3080" or as you said the FQDN, both should work.

Now that the AD DC was created successfully I wanted to test the
"joinng
ablility"
with my XP Pro Laptop
I used the network ID method on the myComputer Properties Computer
Name Tab.
Here is where I get lost.

Correct place for joining, here choose the CHANGE button and on the next window, you have the option domain and workgroup. Choose domain and enter either the netbios or FQDN.

I joined the domain successfully however I joined the domain using the
administrator and password of the AD DC Server (which I understand is
correct
for the correct rights to add) and it successfully joined but it asked
to add
this user which was me on this XP Pro Laptop. My username and password
for
this Laptop.
It failed when I said yes.

For joining to the domain you have to use an account that has the right to join computers tio the domain, the Domain Administrator in your case is the correct one. A username/password from the local computer will not work, because this is local and not known from the domain.

I rebooted the XP Laptop and then when I went to join the domain is
paused and looked for a list of domain controllers. It found WEB3080.

Don't know whjat you mean with "paused" but after reboot you have on the "LOGON TO" option NOT a domain controller to connect to, it is the domain where you have to connect to and this is shown with the netbios name of the domain "web3080", so this is complete correct. Additional you have the option to logon locally to "computername(this computer)".

That confused me as I thought that the DC was now
web308.mydomainname.com

Correct, the DC is still having the computername "web308", but as said before, you do not logon to the domain controller, you logon to the domain and a domain can have multiple domain controllers which share one database that is stored on all DC's and updates itself automatically.

However I logged on as the administrator of the domain controller and
that
was it.
OK fine.
So the real questions lie in the user part of this. thanks for you
patience.

When I go to add the other servers what do I add them as? Do I join
the domain for the other servers with just the administrator of the
DC?

As said above, it must be an account that has the right to join computers to the domain. The Administrator of the first installed domain controller is now shared on all domain controllers and different from the local administrator on member servers and workstations.

When you built a domain you have a domain administrator which is on all Domain controllers the same. That is different form member servers and workstations, they still have the local computer administrator.

Or do I create a user for each server and then log them on?

No, if you have a domain, you make it normally to use only domain user accounts centralized managed from the domain controllers. There is no longer a need for local user accounts on servers or workstations.


Did you read about building a domain structure before? Do you have any experience with it? Anyway, it sounds that not, so start reading about Domain controllers and active directory and DNS to find some basics. Managing a domain is not as easy as to install it. If you configure it not correct you have lot's of problems.

I would strongly recommend that you built a domain for testing with Virtual server, so that you can learn about, before using it. Also you should think about joining a basic course for Active directory or read some books and test with them.



Thanks very much for this wordy question.

Joseph



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