Christine T.

Dagatan ACTIVITY #3
BSIT-4R4 System Administration and Maintenance

Activity Title: Installing and Configuring Windows Server 2008 Using a Virtual Machine
Objective:
By the end of this activity, students will:
1. Install Windows Server 2008 in a virtual machine environment.
2. Configure basic server roles and services, including network settings.
3. Set up and manage key roles like Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS) and DNS.

Materials Needed:
• Virtualization software (Oracle Virtualbox)
• Windows Server 2008 ISO file
• Administrative access on the host system
• Internet connection (for updates)

Activity Procedure:
Part 1: Setting Up the Virtual Machine
1. Create a New Virtual Machine:
o Open the Oracle Virtualbox, click New to create.
o Fill in the name of the virtual machine. Choose a preferred file location.
o Select the ISO image and choose the Windows Server 2008 ISO file. Choose what
edition. Click ‘Next’ to proceed.
o Enter Username and Password. Enter Additional Options which are the Product key,
Hostname and Domain Name. Click ‘Next’.
o Assign a Base Memory (2048MB) and Assign a Processors (2 CPU).
o Click ‘Next’ to proceed. Check and review the information listed in the summary. Then
click ‘Next’.

Figure 1.0: Creating a new virtual machine Figure 1.1: Username and Password | Additional
Options Setup

Setting up a virtual machine in VirtualBox by Adding basic security by setting a username

naming it, choosing a file location, and selecting “User” and password, along with entering
the Windows Server 2008 ISO file to start the options like product key, hostname and domain
server installation. name.
 Figure 1.2: Hardware Setup Figure 1.3: Virtual Hard disk Setup

Allocating resources like memory (RAM) “2048 Configuring storage “32.00 GB” for the server by
MB” and processors “2 CPUs” for the virtual setting up the virtual hard disk where data will be
machine to ensure it runs smoothly. stored.

2. Start the Virtual Machine:

o Click on your newly created VM and click Start.
o Select the Windows Server 2008 R2 ISO file when prompted.
o Click Start again to boot the VM using the ISO.

Figure 2.0: Start the Virtual Machine

Powering on the virtual machine to begin the Windows Server 2008
installation process.

3. Begin Installation:
o Once the virtual machine is powered on, the Windows Server 2008 R2 installation
wizard will appear. Choose your preferred language, time format, and keyboard
input, then click "Next."
o Select the operating system to install, which in this case is Windows Server 2008
Standard Full Installation, and proceed by clicking "Next."
o Review the license agreement, check the box to accept the terms, and click "Next."
o Choose for the custom (advanced) installation type and click "Next."
o Choose the allocated disk and click "Next."
Step 6: The installation wizard will now proceed with the installation process.
 Figure 3.0: Installing Windows Server 2008
Running the installation wizard to set up the server by choosing language
settings, agreeing to the license, and selecting the installation type.

4. Set the Administrator Password:

o After the installation is complete, you will be prompted to set an administrator
password. Enter the new password and continue.
o You will then be directed to the Initial Configuration Tasks for Windows Server 2008
R2 Standard, where you can configure the system settings.

Figure 4.0: Set Administrator Password

Creating a password for the administrator account to secure access to the server.
 Figure 4.1: Windows Server 2008 Initial Configuration Tasks
After installation, user will be directed to the Initial Configuration Task window for
setting up important configurations like network settings and server roles.

Part 2: Initial Configuration

1. Set Up Networking:
o Navigate to "Configure Networking."
o In the Control Panel, go to "Network and Internet," then select "Network
Connections." Right-click on the Local Area Connection and choose "Properties."
o In the Local Area Connection Properties window, select "Internet Protocol Version 4
(TCP/IPv4)" and click the "Properties" button below the list of items.
o In the Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) properties, configure the IP Address,
Subnet Mask, and Default Gateway, then click "OK."

Figure 5.0: Configure Networking Figure 5.1: Local Area Connection Network

Adjusting network settings to connect the server Accessing network settings to set up the
properly, including setting the IP address. server's connection to the network.
 Figure 5.2: Local Area Connection Properties Figure 5.3: Set IP address, Subnet Mask and
Default Gateway
Configuring network properties to ensure the
server communicates correctly over the Entering the server's network details so it can
network. connect to other devices.

2. Rename the Server: (Your Name)

o Open the 'Computer Name and Domain' panel.
o Under 'Computer Name,' enter the desired computer or server name, then click
"OK."
o A prompt will appear asking you to restart the system to apply the changes. Click
"Restart Now."
o After the restart is complete, the server’s name will be updated and displayed on
the right side of the 'Computer Name and Domain' panel.

Figure 6.0: Rename The Server

Changing the server's name to make it easier to identify on the network. I change it into
DagatanChristine for the computer name.
 Figure 6.1: Computer Name/Domain Changes

To be able to apply changes in modifying the computer name, user must restart the
computer/virtual machine to apply these changes.

Figure 6.2: After Restarting, the Server name have change in display

After restarting, the new server’s name appears, confirming the change.

3. Install Server Roles:

o Navigate to the 'Customize This Server' section and select 'Add Roles.'
o In the "Before You Begin" panel, click "Next."
o Choose the server roles you wish to install, then click "Next."
o Click the “Add Request Features” when prompted a new window Add Rules Wizard.
o Review and confirm the installation settings, and click "Install."
o Wait for the installation process to complete. Once the roles are successfully
installed, click "Close."
 Figure 7.0: Add Server Roles Panel Figure 7.1: Add Required Features

Adding server roles, such as Active Directory, to Including additional features needed to support
expand the server's functionality. the new server roles.

Figure 7.2: Active Directory Domain Services Figure 7.3: Confirm Installation Selections

Installing Active Directory to manage user Reviewing the selected roles and features
accounts and network resources. before completing the installation.

Figure 7.4: Installation Progress Figure 7.5: Installation Results

Wait for the installation of server roles and Confirming that the server roles and features
features. were installed successfully.
 4. Promote the Server to a Domain Controller:
o Press Win+R on your keyboard, type ‘dcpromo’, and click "OK."
o Leave the 'Use advanced mode installation' option unchecked, then click "Next."
o In the 'Choose a Deployment Configuration' panel, select 'Create a new domain in a
new forest' and click "Next."
o In the 'Name the Forest Root Domain' section, enter the forest root domain name
and click "Next."
o Under 'Set Forest Functional Level,' select Windows Server 2008 R2 from the
dropdown menu and click "Next."
o In the 'Additional Domain Controller Options' section, keep the default settings and
click "Next."
o When prompted for confirmation, click "Yes."
o In the 'Location for Database, Log Files, and SYSVOL' panel, leave the default settings
and click "Next." Set up the administrator password and click "Next."
o A summary will be displayed; review it, then click "Next."
o In the installation wizard, check the box for 'Reboot on completion.'

Figure 8.0: Enter ‘dcpromo’ on run command Figure 8.1: Active Directory Domain Services
Installation Wizard

Type the dcpromo and click OK. This wizard helps user set up the Active
Directory.

Figure 8.2: Choose a Deployment Configuration Figure 8.3: Name the forest root domain
Create a new domain in new forest

User’s decide to create a new domain for the Assign a name to the domain, which will be
network. This sets up a fresh structure for used to identify the network and organize its
managing all network resources. resources.
 Figure 8.4: Set Forest Functional Level

Choose Windows Server 2008 R2 as the functional level, which determines what features are
available in the network.

Figure 8.5: Additional Domain Controller Figure 8.6: Click Yes to Continue
Options
Keep some default settings and enable DNS, There’s a prompt to confirm some of the choices
which is necessary for the domain controller to you made, click "Yes" to move forward with the
work properly. installation.

Figure 8.7: Location for Database, Log Files and Figure 8.8: Directory Services Restore Mode
SYSVOL Administrator Password

This figure shows where important files will be Set a password for a special mode used to
stored on the server, which helps keep data recover the server in case of issues, adding an
organized and easy to access. extra layer of security.
 Figure 8.9: Summary Figure 8.10: Waiting for DNS installation to
finish

The summary of all the settings and The server completes the DNS setup, which is
configurations made during the setup. It’s a last necessary for translating domain names into IP
chance to review everything before finishing. addresses.

Part 3: Post-Installation Configuration

1. Configure DNS:
o Go to Start, click “Administrative Tools” then click DNS to open the DNS manager.
o In DNS Manager, expand the server’s name and look under Forward Lookup Zones.
o If the domain zone already exists, verify it by:
▪ Ensuring the Host (A) records are set up correctly.
▪ If not, right-click the zone name and select New Host (A or AAAA).
▪ Enter the hostname and IP address, then click Add Host. Repeat as
necessary.
▪ Click Done when finished.
o If there’s no zone then create a New Forward Lookup Zone:
▪ Right-click Forward Lookup Zones and select New Zone.
▪ Choose Primary Zone and click Next.
▪ Enter the zone name (dagatan.christine.com) and click Next.
▪ Accept the default settings for dynamic updates and click Finish.
o Configure the Reverse Lookup zone:
▪ If a Reverse Lookup Zone is not present, right-click Reverse Lookup Zones
and select New Zone.
▪ Choose Primary Zone, click Next.
▪ Enter the Network ID (192.168.1), click Next.
▪ Accept the default settings for dynamic updates and click Finish.
o Verify DNS configuration:
▪ Test DNS resolution by running nslookup dagatan.christine.com in Command
Prompt.
 Figure 9.0: DNS Manager

Figure 9.1: Forward Lookup Zones

The DNS Manager interface displays the server's This figure shows the Forward Lookup Zones
DNS configuration settings. section in DNS Manager.

Figure 9.2: Reverse Lookup Zones Figure 9.3: Verify DNS Configuration

Reverse Lookup Zones for mapping IP addresses Verifying DNS configuration to ensure proper
back to domain names. network name resolution.
 2. Update Windows:
o In the ‘Initial Configuration Task’ window, ‘Update this Server’ section. Click on
“Download and Install Updates”.
o Select “Automatic Update”. To update and install the recommended.

Figure 10.0: Windows Update

This figure illustrates the Windows Update process in the Initial Configuration
Task window, where users can download and install the latest updates. Regular
updates help keep the server secure and up to date with the latest features and bug
fixes.

3. Set Up Windows Firewall:

o In the ‘Initial Configuration Task’ window, ‘Customize this Server’ section. Click on
“Download and Install Updates”.
o Ensure the Firewall is turned on.

Figure 11.0: Setup Windows Firewall

The figure shows the Windows Firewall settings, ensuring that the firewall is
enabled and properly configured to protect the server from unauthorized access while
allowing necessary network traffic.

Part 4: Final Steps

1. Test Active Directory:
o Open "Administrative Tools" and, under the server’s name in the DNS Manager,
check the "Forward Lookup Zones."
o In the "Forward Lookup Zones" section, verify that the Active Directory is functioning
by confirming that its status shows as "Running."
 Figure 12.0: Testing Active Directory
This figure depicts the process of verifying the Active Directory status in the
Forward Lookup Zones section of DNS Manager. It confirms that Active Directory is
operational and that the server is correctly managing network resources.

2. Test DNS:
o Open "Administrator Windows PowerShell."
o Enter the command nslookup <servername>; nslookup DagatanChristine
o You should see the server’s name and the domain controller information displayed
below.

Figure 13.0: Testing DNS

Using Windows PowerShell to run DNS tests, this figure highlights the process of
confirming that the DNS is functioning as expected by using the nslookup command
to resolve domain names to IP addresses.
Assessment:
1. Lab Output: Students should submit:
o Screenshots of key installation and configuration steps, such as partitioning, network
setup, role installation, and DNS configuration.

Figure 14.0: Installing Windows Server 2008 Figure 14.1: Configuring Networking

The installation interface for Windows Server This figure presents the network configuration
2008 is shown, demonstrating the key steps steps, including setting up IP addresses, subnet
involved in setting up the operating system to masks, and default gateways to ensure the
configuring initial settings. server can communicate within the network.

Figure 14.2: Adding Server Roles Figure 14.3: DNS Configuration

This figure covers expanding the server's This figure details the DNS configuration
capabilities by installing features such as Active process, emphasizing the importance of setting
Directory Domain Services and DNS. up Forward and Reverse Lookup Zones to
facilitate name resolution.
 o Verification of Active Directory and DNS functionality.

Figure 15.0: Testing Active Directory Figure 15.1: Run dcdiag

Verifying Active Directory's functionality is The dcdiag command is used to diagnose the
shown here, confirming that the server's health of domain controllers in this figure,
directory services are running correctly and ensuring that the Active Directory environment
managing user accounts and network resources. is functioning correctly.

Figure 15.2: Testing DNS Figure 15.3: Run dcdiag /test:dns

This figure continues DNS testing using different Running dcdiag /test:dns provides a thorough
methods to ensure that the server resolves check of DNS configurations, helping identify
domain names accurately. and resolve any issues that might affect name
resolution.

2. Reflection: Write a short report (Not Less than 100 words) discussing the importance of
proper server setup, including the potential risks of misconfigured server roles or security
settings.
Proper server setup is essential for maintaining a secure and functional network
environment. When installing and configuring Windows Server 2008, following each step
carefully ensures that the system runs smoothly without security risks. Misconfigured roles,
such as Active Directory or DNS, could lead to issues like network downtime, difficulties in
managing user accounts, or vulnerabilities that might be exploited by attackers. Correctly
setting up server roles, configuring network settings, and ensuring firewall and DNS are
working properly minimizes these risks. It also helps in managing resources, enforcing policies,
and keeping the network secure, especially in larger, enterprise-level systems where
numerous users and devices depend on the server's stability.
Discussion Questions:
1. What challenges might you encounter when configuring a Windows Server in a virtual
environment?
One challenge could be resource limitations, as running multiple virtual machines can
put a strain on the host system’s CPU and RAM. Additionally, there might be networking
issues, such as setting up the correct IP configurations, that could prevent the virtual machine
from connecting to other devices or the internet.

2. How does setting up a domain controller enhance network management and security?
Setting up a domain controller centralizes the management of user accounts and
security policies across the network. It allows administrators to manage permissions, apply
group policies, and ensure that users authenticate through a secure process. This centralized
control helps prevent unauthorized access and simplifies network management by allowing
changes to be made in one location and applied across the domain.

3. What role does DNS play in Active Directory, and why is it critical to configure correctly?
DNS is crucial in Active Directory because it translates domain names into IP
addresses, allowing computers to locate the domain controllers needed for login
authentication. If DNS is not properly configured, devices might fail to connect to the domain
controller, causing login issues or disruptions in accessing network resources. Therefore,
proper DNS setup ensures reliable communication between the server and other machines in
the network.

References:
Microsoft. (n.d.). DNS and Active Directory Domain Services Overview. Microsoft Learn.
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/identity/ad-ds/plan/dns-and-ad-ds

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Instructor’s Signature