In this series of blog posts we will create a Windows Server and Active Directory home lab. Hiring managers are looking for IT professionals who have at least a working understanding of Active Directory Domain Services (aka Active Directory). By following along with these posts, you can create your own home lab that you can document and show to prospective employers.
Lab Overview
In this lab, we will first create a Windows Server 2022 virtual machine (VM) using VMware Workstation Pro. Then we will configure the Windows Server to act as a domain controller (DC) and DHCP server.
We will also create a Windows 11 VM and join it to the Windows domain being hosted on the server.
We will use the DC and Windows 11 client PC to learn about important features of Windows server management and Active Directory such as: users, groups, sites, organizational units (OUs), PowerShell, DHCP, DNS Server, and Group Policy. Below is a list of the blog posts that are part of the lab.
Home Lab Series of Posts
- Home Lab Introduction: Windows Server and Active Directory
- Install Windows Server 2022 using VMware Workstation
- Configure Windows Server 2022
- DHCP Server Installation and Configuration
- Create Organizational Units in Active Directory
- Create Users in Active Directory using PowerShell
- Group Policy Management in Active Directory
- Join Windows 11 Computer to a Domain
In the next post you will learn how to install Windows Server using VMware Workstation.
Next Post >> Install Windows Server using VMware Workstation
