Instructions to setup primary and only domain controller

Question

Where could I get best step by step instructions (with some simple explanations) how to setup domain controller on Windows Server 2008 R2 Server Core?

I don't know what do I need? Do I need DNS as well and AD and so on and so forth. I don't know enough about these things, but I need to set them up to prepare development environment. I would also like to know how to configure firewall on DC machine, to make it visible on other machines because I've setup DC somehow but I can't connect to it...

This is my HW config:

• Linksys internet router with DHCP
• my dev machine is Windows 7
• my DC machine is a VM in my dev machine
• my dev machine has a hw network adapter to linksys and a virtual network adapter to DC
• DC machine has two network adapters: one to linksys (to be internet connected so it can be updated etc.) and one to host (my dev Win7 machine)

Edit

My development machine should access domain controller and logon using domain credentials. Development machine would access internet directly via Linksys router. My domain controller machine would only serve authentication (and if I'm able to configure it right) should also have Active Directory Federation Services in a workable condition. I hope this is a bit more clear now. At least a small bit.

Answer 1

There's a fair post here and another here that will get you started. There will be a few parameters to go through but the mechanics of installing a domain controller isn't difficult. You will need DNS to be present too, yes...

One thing I would say though is just because you can doesn't mean that you should - there's a lot of "design" level questions that need to be answered to effectively set up active directory and no one but you can effectively answer those questions - we can't tell you what to do (As you're a dev, think of it as creating a business app for someone - you can code to automate their business process for them but you can't tell them how to run their business or what their "business process" ought to be - it's their business).

There is a lot of stuff about designing active directory, effectively configuring a server to be a domain controller, etc. on the Microsoft website and I'd strongly suggest doing some research there and thinking about what you're trying to accomplish rather than just look for "cookbook" solutions. You'll be happier in the end this way.

As for connecting via the DC to the outside world... I'd strongly suggest you don't - lots of risk to connecting a DC to the internet and without wishing to be rude I don't think you're in a place to deal with this effectively... Set up another VM to handle the internet connection, really.

Based on your edits:

The "full" version would certainly make setting up and configuring a lot easier. It's really not that difficult to cobble something together based on the circumstances you've now described. If you're using the full version, install DNS, install the Active Directory role, install any "required" components it claims you need for AD, let the DCPromo wizard run and tell it that you're creating a new domain in a new forest. It kinda walks you through it from there.