Configuring your Windows Server 2003 as a DHCP server and a Domain Controller (DC)

If you have a clean Windows 2003 Server or have followed the installation guides Installing Windows Server 2003 (Part 1 – booting from CD) and Installing Windows Server 2003 (Part 2 – GUI install and initial settings) you are now at a point where you would like to add a role to your server.

This post will cover the configuration of your Windows 2003 Server as a DHCP server and Domain Controller with DNS and Active Directory.

Before even beginning to configure your server remember that the DHCP server role will distribute IP addresses on your network so make sure that your network is ready for this role and correct the IP information below according to your own settings.

What I have done is to set up a router on my network with the following settings:

• IP address: 10.0.0.1
• Subnet mask: 255.255.255.0
• DHCP disabled (obviously)

DHCP Server configuration

Now I can set up my server as a DHCP server to distribute IP information on the created subnet. The IPs given below will match this setup. Change your own IPs to match yours.

1. In the Manage Your Server page, click Add or remove role (if the Manage Your Server page is not already open go to Start and Manage Your Server, or even Start, Administrative Tools and Manage Your Server)
2. When the Configure Your Server wizard appears, click Next
3. Choose Custom configuration and Next
4. Under Server Role, click DHCP server and Next
5. Click Next at Summary of Selections
6. Click Next at the New Scope Wizard
7. Type a Name and if you wish a Description and click Next
8. Enter a Start IP address (here I enter 10.0.0.10) and an End IP address (here I enter 10.0.0.254). Then click Next
9. Do not define any Exclusions for now. Just click Next
10. Accept or change the defauls Lease Duration and click Next
11. Click Next to set the DHCP Options
12. Add an IP address for your Router (Default Gateway) and click Next (here I add 10.0.0.1)
13. On the Domain Name and DNS Server screen type a Parent Domain (the name of the domain you wish to create) and an IP address (the IP address you wish to use for your server. In my case 10.0.0.2). Now click Add and Next
14. Click Next  at WINS Servers
15. Click Next to Activate Scope
16. Click Finish
17. Click Finish again
18. Now go to the following section to set up your server as a Domain Controller

Domain Controller (DC) configuration

1. Going directly from configuring your server as a DHCP server you should still be in the Manage Your Server page. Click Add or remove role here (if the Manage Your Server page is not already open go to Start and Manage Your Server, or even Start, Administrative Tools and Manage Your Server)
2. When the Configure Your Server wizard appears, click Next
3. Choose Domain Controller (Active Directory)
4. Click Next at Summary of Selections
5. Click Next at the Active Directory Installation Wizard
6. Click Next at the Operating System Compatibility
7. Select Domain Controller for a new domain (default) and click Next
8. Choose No, install new DNS and click Next
9. Type a Full DNS name (equal to the one your entered for Parent Domain in item 13 when setting up your server as a DHCP server)
10. Click Next to accept the default Domain NetBIOS name
11. On the Database and Log Folders screen, if you followed the post Installing Windows Server 2003 (Part 2 – GUI install and initial settings) you will have set up an extra partition or disk on your server. Point the Active Directory Log Folder to the partition/disk you created then, and use the following path. L:\Windows\NTDS. If you did not follow the post or did not set up an extra partition or disk just accept the default settings. Click Next
12. Accept the default setting for the Shared System Volume and click Next
13. Click Install and configure the DNS server on this computer on the DNS Registration Diagnostics screen. Then click Next
14. Select Permissions compatible only with Windows 2000 or Windows 2003 (default). Then click Next
15. Type a Restore Mode Password and confirm it. Then click Next
16. Click Next at the Summary of the installation options
17. Click OK when you are warned of having a dynamically assigned IP address for a DNS server (we will change that now)
18. In Local Area Connection Properties under the This connection uses the following items section click Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) and then click Properties
19. Select Use the following IP address and type the IP address you chose for your server (see item 13 from setting up your server as a DHCP server. In my case 10.0.0.2). Now set the Default gateway to the IP address of your router (in my case 10.0.0.1) and the Preferred DNS server to 127.0.0.1. Then click OK and Close
20. Click Finish
21. Click Restart Now
22. When your server has rebooted. Log in to the server by pressing Ctrl+Alt+Del and use the administrator account that you created when installing the server in the first place
23. When logged in, click Start
24. Select Administrative Tools
25. Click DHCP
26. Your servername.domain_name.[IP_address] is shown with a small server-icon with a red arrow next to it. Click your servername.domain_name.[IP_address]
27. Right-click your [servername].[domain_name]
28. Click Authorize
29. Refresh by clicking F5 or by using the menu Action and Refresh. The small server icon will now be shown with a small green arrow and the DHCP server has now been authorized
30. Close the DHCP management console

Your Windows 2003 server is now configured as a DHCP server and a DC with DNS and Active Directory. A necessary prerequisite server role before setting up an OCS environment.

*After the above configuration your server should now be online and you could access it remotely from now on, if that is more convenient for you, by enabling remote desktop on the server. Furthermore this might also be the time to Activate Windows and turn on Automatic Updates.