Microsoft Windows ServerWindows Server 2022

How to Install Additional Domain Controller Server 2022

In this blog, we will learn how to Install Additional Domain Controller Server 2022 and add an additional domain controller to an existing domain in a local area network (LAN). Let’s move on. Sometimes, you may wish to have an additional domain controller to balance the load and exceed fault tolerance. This blog elaborates the steps needed to add ADDC (Domain Controller) to your Active Directory (AD) environment.

As we know, The Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS) is installed on a Windows Server that named is Domain Controller (DC). We can add many domain controllers to an active directory for fault tolerance, load balancing, redundancy, and other purposes. All the domain controllers must occupy the same contents like computer accounts, user accounts, and more.

What’s New in Server 2022

Adding Additional Domain Controller to an Existing Domain Controller

Table of Contents

Launch Server Manager using Command Line

Hold the Windows + R Key to launch the Run box, Type ServerManager and then hit Enter.
This is the most common and quickest way to launch Server Manager in Windows Servers.

Run command ServerManager

Or click on Windows Start Button and then Open server manager.

Search server manager

Install Additional Domain Controller Server 2022

Choose Dashboard and then select Add roles and features.

Server Manager Dashboard 2022

Active Directory Role Installation

Add roles and features wizard, click next.

Add roles and features wizard

Role-based or feature-based installation selected, click next.

Role based or features based

Choose Domain controller server and then click Next.

Install active directory domain controller

Select Active Directory Domain Services

Select server role “Active Directory Domain Services”

Active Directory select roles

Choose Add Features to add active directory management tools.

Add required feature including

After adding the Server role, Click Next.

Active Directory select roles

Additional Domain Controller features, click next.

Active Directory select features

AD DS options, click next

Active Directory domain services AD DS

Click Install to start the Domain Controller installation.

Confirm installation selections DC

Once the Domain Controller role is done if you do not close the window.
After AD DC installation clicks on “Promote this server to a domain controller” or click close.

Active directory Installation progress results

Promote the server to a Domain Controller

Logged as a domain administrator, choose the Promote this server to a domain controller to promote the server to a domain controller.
Additionally, you can launch the Server Manager, as shown in the figure below.

Promote this server to a domain controller

Choose checkbox “Add a domain controller to an existing domain”, specify the domain information for this operation, and enter your domain name. If you already logged in as a standard user, you can change the credential by click on the change button.

Domain controller deployment configuration

In this lab is xpertstec.local. Here you can type the credentials of an active directory domain controller account that has the rights to add DC to the existing domain, such as the Domain Administrator. Click ok

Credential for deployment operation

Verify domain information and then click Next.

Domain controller deployment configuration

You might get this message “Verification of replica failed”
Verify if the system uses the FRS
SYSVOL migration from FRS to DFSR

Domain Name System (DNS) server
Global Catalog (GC)
Fill the “directory services restore mode (DSRM)” Password and then click Next.

Additional Domain controller options

Ignore the delegation for this DNS server warning and then click next.

Specify DNS delegation options

In the Additional options window, specify the server that you need replicate with beside the Replicate from Select Domain Controller Server2019.xpertstec.local and click next.

Domain Controller Additional options

Specify the path
AD DS database folder
Log files folder
SYSVOL folders and click Next.

Additional Domain controller paths

Reviews your selections, verify all the information, and click next.

Domain controller review selections

Prerequisites Check, verify “All prerequisites checks passed successfully” so click Install.

Prerequisite passed successfully

Please wait for a while for the Additional Domain Controller to complete. Click close to restart the system.

You are about to be signed out

After restarting the Windows Server, log in as Domain Administrator.

Domain Controller Server Login

Change Alternative DNS Server IP

After successful login, open your network to change to an additional domain controller DNS IP Address.

Internet protocols properties

Alternate DNS Server IP Address.

Internet protocols properties

Verify Additional Domain Controller

In the Domain Controllers Server, launch Server Manager, click on the Tools tab, and then click on active directory users and computers.

Server Manager Tools

Expand your local domain computer (xpertstec.local) and then click on domain controllers, here you can find the additional domain controller.

Active Directory Domain Controller

Click on computer, to see the user computers.

Active Directory users and computers

Root DC and New DC Replication

We have almost done it, just use the Domain Controller’s to replicate between the root DC (Server2019.xpertstec.local) and the new DC (Server2022.xpertstec.local). While replicating between Domain Controller and Additional Domain Controllers, the Active Directory files will be copied from the Domain Controller and Additional Domain Controller. Then check out, you will see all files exactly the same as the root domain controller in the current domain controller.
In the Server Manager, select the Tools tab and then click on Active Directory sites and services.

Server Manager 2022

Expand the Default-First-Site-Name Servers, then expand the name of the current server that you are now working on, then select NTDS Settings. In my case, Server2019 is a root domain controller and I am logged in currently in Server2022 which is the additional domain controller.

NTDS settings

Right-click on “automatically generated” and then click on Replicate now.

Replicate now

An alert window you that replication between root DC and new domain controller occurred.

Replicate now connections

Do the same thing for Server2019 on the same server. Expand Server2019 node and then select NTDS Settings. Right-click on automatically generated then select Replicate now. Both servers replicate with each other and all the contents of Server2019 will be copied in Server2022.

Replicate now

Click ok

Replicate now connections

Conclusion

All we are done! After all, we have completed replication between two Domain Controllers successfully.

Jamil Parvez

Jamil Pervez works as a Network Administrator, based in Kuwait with a Primary focus on Microsoft technologies. Microsoft Certified MCSE, MCTP, MCITP, CCNP, CCIP, CCVP with 20 years of experience in administering Windows Servers, Exchange, VMWare, Veeam B&R, Veritas BackupExec.

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