Skip to main content

Active Directory - Intro

Last Updated: June 25, 2024

Lab Author Credits

This lab is based on the Youtube series by Josh Madakor. I've written it down as a guide for my own reference and because writing it and teaching is the one of the best methods or learning for me.

  • Credit: Josh Madakor
  • Link to Youtube series
  • Some changes have been made where my setup differs. For example, I use a VM on Proxmox and Windows Server 2022

Lab Overview - Goals + Objective + Technologies

Learning Goals, Objectives and Technologies

  • Learning Goals

    • Practice installing and configuring Active Directory
    • Understand how to create and manage users and groups
    • Learn how to create and manage Group Policy Objects
    • Learn how to manage and monitor Active Directory
    • Practice the art of Role Based Access Control (RBAC)
    • Learn how to harness the power of Powershell for automating processes

  • Objectives

    • Build and set virtual instances on a hypervisor
    • Create a Domain Controller for housing Active Directory
    • Set up Network Security with 2 NICs on Domain Controller
    • Set up FQDN
    • Configure NAT and Routing to allow clients on private network to reach internet through Domain Controller
    • Set up DHCP on Domain Controller allowing Windows
    • Powershell Script to add multiple users for user testing. Understand how Powershell is useful in automations and controlling AD

  • Technologies

    • Windows Server 2022
    • Active Directory
    • Powershell
    • Windows 10, Windows 11 (client machines)
    • Proxmox (to Virtualize Windows Server 2022)

Introduction​

If you've spent any amount of time near technology, particularly in the world of Microsoft Windows, you have likely heard of Active Directory. If not, do not fret. The following will help to give a solid foundation in understanding MS Active Directory (AD).

What is it?​

At its core, AD is a tool built by Microsoft to help with the organization of IT resources. Resources could be your capital assets (computers, network connected devices etc), users of those devices, or applications in a Windows 'domain' network.

AD enables administrators to efficiently manage and access permissions, deploy Group Policies (rules and configurations for groupings of resources), and provide security and compliance across an organization's network, no matter how small or how big.

Why Learn Active Directory?​

Maybe you aren't going to be focusing on administration in your IT career. Maybe you love networking and want to design and manage networks. Should you still learn AD? Well, if you've spent any amount of time browsing job ads for entry level IT positions, the answer is a resounding 'Yes'. AD has come to be seen as "foundational knowledge" for many positions.

Microsoft Active Directory is essential for managing the security of your network, for ensuring compliance within the organization, but also with local & governmental compliance requirements. Understanding AD means also understanding its relationship to DNS and troubleshooting network issues. There are hundreds more examples that could be offered but some of the reasons to learn AD now will become clear as we work through this lab.

Why Active Directory and Not Entra ID?​

If you, like me, have a keen interest in the Cloud and you've heard of Microsoft Azure, you may be wondering why the heck anyone would waste time with AD. Well, dear reader, the answer to that is quite simple. Entra ID, formerly known as Azure Active Directory, is for all intents and purposes, the same tools in a cloud environment. There are certainly differences. The Cloud is growing exponentially, year-over-year. This simply means there are still huge numbers of companies using non-cloud based infrastructure -- maybe they are moving to the cloud, or plan to. This means there is a very good chance you'll find yourself eyballs deep in AD even when the company you work for has resources deployed in the cloud.

OK enough of that. Let's hop into the lab and get our hands dirty.