Active Directory Lab v2.0

Start Date: 15 December 2025

End Date: current

Page Links

README | Screenshots | Change Log | Research | Troubleshooting | To Do

Note: [a] refers to the lettered screenshots on the screenshots.md file (you can click on letters for link navigation to screenshot)

Update for v2.0: 15 December 2025

Re-visiting this project and making some changes:

• Basically re-creating project from scratch utilizing new evaluation copies
  • Now using a new Windows 11 Evaluation copy for mock user machines
• Utilizing Linux's in-built KVM/QEMU virtualization platform with Virtual Machine Manager instead of VMWare Workstation Pro
  • Current OS kernel is not supported by VMWare
• Modified README.md to reflect new status of project
  • Copied old README and moved to /notes/other-resources for reference
• All other /notes files have a line indicating where v2.0 begins

Objective

Apply basic functions in Active Directory such as creating and modifying groups, users, and devices as well as applying policies and more

Setup

1. Created virtual machines (VMs) using KVM/QEMU
2. Installed Microsoft Server 2022 on a VM¹
3. Added Active Directory as a feature on the server using Server Manager
4. Installed Microsoft Windows 10 Enterprise on another VM to test policies²

Key Concepts Learned

• Adding and utilizing Active Directory on Windows Server
• Creating Organizational Units (OUs) and adding objects to them such as Users, Computers and Servers [a]
• Creating Security groups
• Creating Distribution groups
• Creating Group Policy Objects (GPOs) including: password policies [b], drive mapping preferences [c], desktop wallpaper settings [d], restrict control panel access [e], disabling removeable storage [f], account lockout protocols [g]

Secondary Concepts Learned

• Utilizing a VM environment with Linux KVM/QEMU
• Installing Windows Server 2022 on a VM
• Installing Windows 11 Enterprise on a VM
• Utilizing Server Manager on Windows Server to manage services and features
• Creating documentation files using markdown
• Utilizing Git and GitHub to document changes

Challenges, Bugs & Fixes

• When I first added GPOs to my domain, they were affecting my administrator login as well (restricted my ability to access control panel features on domain controller account) GPO Troubleshooting

• Windows Server VM was showing no internet connectiog Internet Connectivity Troubleshooting

• IPv4 Static addressing configuration not saving in the Server VM Static Addressing Troubleshooting

• Windows 10 Enterprise VM cannot resolve ActiveDirectoryPractice.local's IP address Domain DNS troubleshooting

  --- BEGIN v2.0 ---

• Getting access for KVM/QEMU, the user libvirt-qemu, and the GUI program virt-manager to the mounted M.2 SSD where I have ISO images saved and wanted to store VM data was a challenge. Here is how I did it.

Page Links

Screenshots
Change Log
Research
Troubleshooting
To Do

Next Steps

Footnotes

1. Obtained a 180-day evaluation copy for Windows Server 2022 ↩

2. Obtained a 90-day free-trial for Windows 11 Enterprise. ↩