Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
Summary
This chapter covered the basics of implementing an Active Directory forest and domain
structure, creating and configuring application data partitions, and setting the functional
level of your domain and forest.
You are now familiar with how you can implement Active Directory. We carefully
examined all of the necessary steps and conditions that you need to follow to install
Active Directory on your network. First you need to prepare for the Domain Name System
because Active Directory cannot be installed without the support of a DNS server.
You also need to verify that the computer you upgrade to a domain controller meets
some basic file system and network connectivity requirements so that Active Directory can
run smoothly and efficiently in your organization. These are some of the most common
things you will have to do when you deploy Active Directory.
The chapter also covered the concept of domain functional levels, which essentially
determine the kinds of domain controllers you can use in your environment. For instance,
in the Windows 2003 functional level, you can include Windows Server 2012 R2, Windows
Server 2012, Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows Server 2008, and Windows Server 2003
domain controllers, but the functionality of the domain is severely limited.
In this chapter, you also learned how to install Active Directory, which you accomplish by
promoting a Windows Server 2012 computer to a domain controller using Server Manager. You
also learned how to verify the installation by testing Active Directory from a client computer.
This chapter was limited in scope to examining the issues related to installing and con-
figuring the first domain in an Active Directory environment. In later chapters, you'll see
how to create and manage more complex configurations.
Exam Essentials
Know the prerequisites for promoting a server to a domain controller.
You should under-
stand the tasks that you must complete before you attempt to upgrade a server to a domain
controller. Also, you should have a good idea of the information you need in order to com-
plete the domain controller promotion process.
Understand the steps of the Active Directory Installation Wizard.
When you run the
Active Directory Installation Wizard, you'll be presented with many different choices. You
should understand the effects of the various options provided in each step of the wizard.
Be familiar with the tools that you will use to administer Active Directory.
Three main
administrative tools are installed when you promote a Windows Server 2012 R2 to a
domain controller. Be sure that you know which tools to use for which types of tasks.
Understand the purpose of application data partitions.
The idea behind application data
partitions is that since you already have a directory service that can replicate all kinds of
security information, you can also use it to keep track of application data. The main benefit
of storing application information in Active Directory is that you can take advantage of
its storage mechanism and replication topology. Application-related information stored on
domain controllers benefits from having fault-tolerance features and availability.
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