This Hands-on Lab Helped Me Secure My Windows PC—It Can Help You Too!

In a Windows environment, Active Directory (AD) is a powerful tool for managing users, groups, authentication, and security policies. By defining domains, AD centralizes access control, making it easier for administrators to manage network resources efficiently. Domain Name Services (DNS) and Active Directory Domain Controllers (DCs) are essential components in this process.

However, setting up a domain controller (DC) requires careful preparation to ensure the system is clean, secure, and capable of handling authentication requests efficiently. One of the most effective ways to assess a server before promoting it to a domain controller is by using the Microsoft Assessment and Planning (MAP) toolkit.

In this hands-on Active Directory lab, I conducted an inventory of a Windows server using the MAP toolkit to ensure it was suitable for promotion to a domain controller. Then, I used PowerShell to configure the server as a domain controller, ensuring it met best practices for security and efficiency. Below is a step-by-step guide, including screenshots and explanations to help you follow along.

Step 1: Checking the Active Directory Database Name

Before promoting the server to a domain controller, it's crucial to verify the Active Directory (AD) database name and ensure it aligns with best practices. The AD database, commonly stored as NTDS.dit, is the core of Active Directory and is responsible for storing user accounts, security policies, and directory services.

A properly named and structured AD database ensures efficient replication, seamless authentication, and secure access control across the network. Misconfigurations at this stage can lead to synchronization issues, authentication failures, or security loopholes. It’s also essential to confirm that the database path is correctly set to avoid performance bottlenecks or conflicts with other system files.

At this step, verify that:

• The database is located in the default NTDS folder or a custom directory optimized for security and performance.
• The naming convention follows organizational standards to avoid conflicts in multi-domain environments.
• There are no existing remnants of an old AD database that could cause integrity issues.

Performing these checks ensures that your domain controller deployment starts on a solid foundation, minimizing the risk of future security and operational challenges.

Step 2: Conducting a Server Inventory Using MAP Toolkit

Using the Microsoft Assessment and Planning (MAP) toolkit, I conducted a detailed server inventory to ensure the system meets the necessary requirements for becoming a domain controller. This step is critical in identifying any conflicting services, installed applications, or misconfigurations that could impact Active Directory operations.

The MAP toolkit provides a comprehensive, agentless scan of the server, analyzing hardware specifications, installed software, and running services. By conducting this inventory, I ensured that the server is:

• Free from conflicting roles or services, such as DHCP, another instance of Active Directory, or third-party applications that could interfere with domain controller functionality.
• Meeting the hardware and software requirements for stable and efficient AD performance.
• Properly configured for security and compliance, preventing unauthorized applications or misconfigured settings from affecting domain authentication and replication.

After running the assessment, I reviewed the server inventory results to verify that no unnecessary services were installed. This step ensures a clean and optimized server environment, reducing the risk of operational conflicts and laying a stable foundation for Active Directory deployment.

Step 3: Reviewing the Inventory and Assessment Summary

Once the inventory scan was complete, I navigated to the Inventory and Assessment Window, which provided a detailed breakdown of the server's status. I expanded the Details Pane to get a deeper insight into the system configuration and verify that no unnecessary services were running.

This summary is essential in confirming that the server is in an optimal state for promotion to a domain controller.

To gain deeper insights, I expanded the Details Pane, which allowed me to analyze critical aspects of the system configuration, including:

• Installed roles and features to ensure no conflicting services, such as another Active Directory instance or unnecessary server roles, were present.
• Software and security configurations to verify compliance with best practices for domain controllers.
• Hardware and resource availability to confirm the server meets the minimum system requirements for Active Directory operations.

By thoroughly reviewing this assessment, I ensured that the system was properly configured, free of conflicts, and ready for domain controller promotion, reducing the risk of deployment issues or operational inefficiencies.

Step 4: Analyzing the Data Collection Window and Assessment Results

To ensure accuracy, I examined the Data Collection Window and the Details Pane, where I verified that the assessment aligned with my security and performance requirements for a domain controller.

This step was crucial in verifying that the collected data aligned with the security, performance, and configuration requirements necessary for a domain controller.

In the Data Collection Window, I reviewed:

• System resource utilization, ensuring the server had adequate CPU, memory, and disk space.
• Installed applications and services, confirming there were no conflicting software or redundant services.
• Security configurations, checking for compliance with best practices and ensuring no vulnerabilities were present.

By expanding the Details Pane, I conducted a final verification of the scanned results, ensuring the inventory assessment was thorough and accurate. This step helped confirm that the server environment was secure, optimized, and fully prepared for the domain controller promotion process.

Step 5: Promoting the Windows Server to a Domain Controller Using PowerShell

With a clean and properly assessed server, the next step was promoting it to a domain controller. Instead of using the Server Manager's graphical interface, I used PowerShell, which provides better automation and control.

Step 6: Verifying the Domain Controller Setup

Finally, I re-ran the MAP Toolkit inventory to confirm that the server was now successfully configured as a domain controller and that all necessary services were installed correctly.

Key Takeaways from This Active Directory Lab

? Pre-assessment is Critical – Before promoting a server to a domain controller, running an inventory check using the MAP toolkit ensures the system is clean, stable, and free of unnecessary services.

? PowerShell is a Powerful Tool – Instead of relying on GUI-based configuration, using PowerShell provides faster deployment, better automation, and improved consistency.

? Domain Controllers Must Be Isolated – A domain controller should be a dedicated system with no other server roles installed, ensuring maximum security and performance.

? Regular Assessments Are Necessary – Even after setup, running periodic assessments helps maintain the integrity, availability, and security of Active Directory services.

Active Directory is the backbone of enterprise identity and access management, and its proper configuration is non-negotiable for maintaining security and operational efficiency. This lab wasn’t just about deploying AD—it was about understanding why every step matters. From running a server inventory using the MAP toolkit to verifying a clean environment before promotion, every action plays a role in ensuring a resilient and scalable infrastructure.

One overlooked aspect in AD deployments is how misconfigurations—often minor oversights—can lead to privilege escalation risks, authentication failures, and service disruptions. The pre-deployment assessment wasn’t just a checklist item; it was a proactive approach to eliminating hidden dependencies and preventing security blind spots. By leveraging PowerShell for automation, we also streamlined the process, reinforcing the importance of efficiency in real-world enterprise environments.

For professionals working with labs, whether for training, testing, or security research, knowing how to configure AD the right way is critical. It’s not just about setting up users and policies—it’s about building a controlled, scalable, and secure environment that mirrors enterprise networks. If AD is the foundation of access control, then its deployment should be deliberate, well-structured, and free of unnecessary risks.

If you're serious about mastering enterprise security and infrastructure management, refining your Active Directory deployment strategy isn’t optional—it’s essential. Let’s not just configure AD. Let’s configure it right.