Lab 2 - Domain Controller Install

Overview

In this exercise you will use Prism to deploy a Windows 2012 template image and install Active Directory Domain Services. Following the Active Directory setup, the virtual network from the previous exercise will be updated to use the Domain Controller as the primary DNS server. The DC VM will be used throughout the workshop to provide Active Directory and DNS services.

Creating the VM

In Prism > VM, click + Create VM and fill out the following fields:

  • Name - DC
  • Description - Domain Controller
  • vCPU - 2
  • Number of Cores per vCPU - 1
  • Memory - 4
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Click + Add New Disk and fill out the following fields:

  • Type - DISK
  • Operation - Clone from Image Service
  • Bus Type - SCSI
  • Image - Select your Windows 2012 R2 Disk Image
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Click Add. Click Add New NIC.

Select VM VLAN from the VLAN Name drop down menu and click Add. Click Save.

In Prism > VM > Table, select the DC VM and click Power on.

Once the VM has started, click Launch Console.

Note

You may need to allow pop-ups in your browser for the VM console to appear.

Complete the Microsoft Out of Box Experience (OOBE) wizard:

  • Select Country, App language, and Keyboard layout, click Next.
  • Review the licensing agreement, click I Accept.
  • Enter a password for the local Administrator account (e.g. nutanix/4u), click Next.

Log in to the DC VM as Administrator.

Enabling Nutanix Guest Tools

Nutanix Guest Tools provide the following capabilities:

  • Nutanix Guest Agent - Service for secure communication with the cluster.
  • VM Mobility Drivers - VirtIO drivers for VMs to achieve maximum performance running on AHV, also allowing for migration of VMs from ESXi to AHV.
  • Self-service File Level Restore - Covered in ssflr_lab
  • Nutanix VSS provider enabling application-consistent snapshots for Windows VMs on ESXi or AHV
  • Application-consistent snapshots for Linux VMs

In Prism > VM > Table, select the DC VM and click Manage Guest Tools.

Select Enable Nutanix Guest Tools and Mount Nutanix Guest Tools, click Submit.

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Note

If the Nutanix Guest Tools have already been installed into the base image, the CD-ROM image will be automatically unmounted once the Nutanix Guest Agent service is able to communicate with the Nutanix CVM. A reboot of the VM or restart of the Nutanix Guest Tools Agent may be required. If the Nutanix Guest Tools have not yet been installed into the base image, see Installing Nutanix Guest Tools for complete instructions.

Configuring IP and Hostname

In the DC VM console, open Control Panel > Network & Internet > Network & Sharing Center > Change adapter settings.

Right-click Ethernet > Properties.

Select Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) > Properties.

Select Use the following IP Address and fill out the following fields:

  • IP Address - Refer to your Environment Details Worksheet
  • Subnet Mask - Refer to your Environment Details Worksheet
  • Default Gateway - Refer to your Environment Details Worksheet
  • Preferred DNS Server - Refer to your Environment Details Worksheet
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Click OK.

Open PowerShell and execute the following commands to change the hostname and restart the VM:

PS > Rename-Computer -NewName DC -ComputerName .
PS > shutdown /r /t 0

Installing Active Directory

In the DC VM console, open Server Manager > Add roles and features > Next.

Select Role-based or feature-based installation > Next.

Select Select a server from the server pool > DC > Next.

From the Roles list, select Active Directory Domain Services > Add Features.

From the Roles list, select DNS Server > Add Features > Next > Next > Next > Install.

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Following a successful installation, click Promote this server to a domain controller.

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In the Active Directory Domain Services Configuration Wizard, select Add a new forest and specify NTNX.local as the Root domain name. Click Next.

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Specify a Directory Services Restore Mode password (e.g. nutanix/4u) and click Next.

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Ignore the DNS delegation warning, as we’re using AD integrated DNS, and click Next.

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Accept default NetBIOS domain name (NTNX) and click Next.

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Accept default AD database, log files, and SYSVOL folders and click Next.

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Review your configuration and click Next > Install.

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After the DC VM restarts, log in as NTNX\Administrator.

Creating User Accounts

In the DC VM console, open Control Panel > Administrative Tools > Active Directory Users & Computers.

Right-click Users > New > User.

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Fill out the following fields and click Next.

  • First Name - USER1
  • User logon name - USER1
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Specify a user password, de-select User must change password at next logon, and click Next.

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Repeat these steps to create accounts for USER2 and USER3.

Creating Organizational Units

Right-click Domain Name > New > Organizational Unit.

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Specify Persistent Desktops as the OU Name and click OK.

Repeat these steps to create an OU for Non-Persistent Desktops and XenAppServers.

Creating Security Groups

Right-click Users > New > Group.

Specify PersistentUsers as the Group name and click OK.

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Right-click PersistentUsers > Properties

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Select the Members tab and click Add. Specify USER1;USER2; in the Object names field and click OK.

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Repeat these steps to create a NonPersistentUsers group containing USER2 and USER3

Repeat these steps to create a XenAppUsers group containing USER1, USER2, and USER3

Updating IPAM Settings

In Prism > VM > Network Config > User VM Interfaces, click the Pencil icon for VM VLAN.

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Update Domain Name Servers to reflect the IP address of the DC VM.

Update Domain Search with your fully qualified root domain, NTNX.local.

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Click Save.

Takeaways

  • Nutanix Prism consolidates infrastructure and VM management in a single HTML5 console. Prism provides a consistent user experience, regardless of underlying hypervisor, with broad browser support.

  • AHV can rapidly deploy clones from existing disk images. Leveraging redirect on write snapshots for cloning allows Nutanix to create instant clones of vDisks without additional I/O overhead. Nutanix supports fast and intelligent cloning on vSphere via VAAI and on Hyper-V via ODX.

    Note

    To learn more about how Nutanix implements snapshots and clones, see the Snapshots and Clones section of the Nutanix Bible.