Create a Windows Server

Mathew J. Heath Van Horn, PhD; Raechel Ferguson

8 Create a Windows Server

Mathew J. Heath Van Horn, PhD and Raechel Ferguson

Windows Server is a popular server that offers many functions for businesses to control their enterprise network. It is not a singular operating system, but rather a group of operating systems that can be used in a variety of ways. This lab’s focus is on installing Windows Server for the first time with the most common features.

Learning Objectives

Using an image of Windows Server, install and configure Windows Server as a virtual machine in the GNS3 workspace

Prerequisites

VirtualBox installed. For this book, make sure you install Version 7.0.x
GNS3 Workspace Installed. For this book, make sure you install version 2.xx.xx

Deliverables

None – this is a preparatory lab that supports other labs in this book

Resources

Most students at colleges and high schools can download Windows Server (with a license key) through Azure for Education. Ask your instructor for details or a copy of the Windows Server iso file.
Some testers have used the Windows Server Evaluation copy available here. If you use an evaluation copy, ignore references to product keys.
NOTE: Each source will be referenced with its corresponding number in superscript (EX: ¹ ) at the end of a step
1. MSFT WebCast. “How to Install Windows Server 2019 in VirtualBox (STEP by Step Guide).” YouTube, January 23, 2019. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZjQSuyuN0nA&list=PLUZTRmXEpBy32NP6z_qvVBOTWUzdTZVHt.
2. MSFT WebCast. “Basic Configuration Tasks in Windows Server 2019.” YouTube, January 25, 2019. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1nxYJSV7-u8&list=PLUZTRmXEpBy32NP6z_qvVBOTWUzdTZVHt&index=3.
3. MSFT WebCast. “Setting up Active Directory in Windows Server 2019 (Step by Step Guide).” YouTube, January 28, 2019. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h3sxduUt5a8&list=PLUZTRmXEpBy32NP6z_qvVBOTWUzdTZVHt&index=5.

Contributors and testers

TBD

Phase I – Install Windows Server as a VM

Installing Windows Server on a VM has some nuances to be followed in VirtualBox. Please read the instructions carefully.

Download a copy of Windows Server. Many schools have access to Azure for Education, or download an evaluation version from here
Open VirtualBox Manager
Select New from the top ribbon to open the “Create Virtual Machine” window

Figure 1 – Create a virtual machine
1. Name the VM “Windows Server” ¹
2. Use the ISO Image drop-down box to select the iso image for Windows Server that you have downloaded
3. Click the box that states Skip Unattended Installation
4. Press Next
5. Use the default hardware settings
  
  Figure 2 – Hardware settings
6. Press Next
7. Use the default Virtual Hard disk settings
  
  Figure 3 – Virtual hard disk settings
8. Press Next
9. Review the Summary and press Finish
  
  Figure 4 – Review and approve settings
Start the Windows Server VM by pressing the big green arrow on VirtualBox Manager to start the setup process
1. On the setup screen, use the defaults and press Next
  
  Figure 5 – Windows server default settings
2. Click Install now
  
  Figure 6 – Install now
3. Enter your product key and press next. If you don’t have one, click on I don’t have a product key
  
  Figure 7 – Product key
4. Select the desktop experience (this is with a GUI instead of a CLI) and press next
  
  Figure 8 – Desktop Experience
5. Read and accept the license terms and press next
  
  Figure 9 – Accept liscense terms
6. Click on Custom Install
  
  Figure 10 – Custom install
7. Leave the defaults and press Next
  
  Figure 11 – Use defaults
8. Wait for the installation to finish and restart
  
  Figure 12 – Waiting for installation to finish
9. At the Password Screen, set the password to “Security1” and press Finish
  
  Figure 13 – Set the password
10. If your Host OS reacts to the pressing of Ctrl-Alt-Delete instead of the VM, press your Host Key (right ctrl by default) and delete simultaneously to get to the Windows Server login screen on your VM
11. Log into the Windows Server using the administrator credentials
  
  Figure 14 – Login as admin
12. At the first start-up, you will get two pop-ups
  
  Figure 15 – First start-up
  1. Server Manager – Click on Don’t show this message again
  2. Networks – Click Yes
13. This brings you to the Server Manager Dashboard
  
  Figure 16 – Server manager dashboard

Phase II – Install Active Directory

Active Directory (AD) is a collection of processes and services. It is commonly used to assign and enforce security policies for all computers on the network via a Windows Server running Domain Services. The Windows Server with Domain Services running is called a Domain Controller. Most Windows Server services rely on the Domain Controller to function correctly.

The Server Management Dashboard should open automatically on Windows Server startup

Figure 16 – Server manager dashboard
On the left side of the dashboard, click on Local Server and give it a couple of seconds to populate the information

Figure 17 – Local Server
Click on Manage in the top right-hand corner of the screen. Once the drop-down appears, click on the Add Roles and Features option shown

Figure 18 – Add roles and features
An “Add Roles and Features Wizard” box will open
1. Before you begin – Click next
  
  Figure 19 – Click next
2. Installation Type – click the Role-Based option – click next
  
  Figure 20 – Installation type, Roll-based
3. Server Selection – click on your local server (Should be the only option) – click next
  
  Figure 21 – Select the server
4. Server Roles – select Active Directory Domain Services, which will automatically open a pop-up window where you will press the Add Features button
  
  Figure 22 – Add features to Active Directory
5. Returns you to the Select Server Roles, and you can see that the Active Directory Services option now has a checkmark next to it
  
  Figure 23 – Select server roles
6. Select DNS Server from the list of options, which will open a pop-up Window where you will press the Add Features button
  
  Figure 24 – Add features to DNS
  
  NOTE: You may get an alert. This is normal because we haven’t finished configuring everything. Just press “Continue”
7. Returns you back to the Select Server Roles, and you can see that the DNS Server has a checkmark next to it – Click Next
  
  Figure 25 – Verify changes and select next
8. Features – Click Next
  
  Figure 26 – Confirm Features
9. AD DS – Click Next
  
  Figure 27 – Confirm AD DS
10. DNS Server – Click Next
  
  Figure 28 – Confirm DNS
11. Confirmation – Click Install
  
  Figure 29 – Confirm settings
12. Wait for the installation to complete
  
  Figure 30 – Wait for installation
13. Click on the blue text that reads, “Promote this server to a domain controller.” and you will get a popup
  
  Figure 31 – Promote the server
Configure Active Directory Domain Services Wizard
1. Deployment Configuration
  
  Figure 32 – Active Directory Domain Services Wizard
  1. Click on Add a new forest
  2. Root domain name: pick something you would like. For these examples, “mycyber.local” was chosen
  3. Click Next
    
    NOTE: Creating a new forest can take a minute or two.
2. Domain Controller Options- select a password for the DSRM – we typically use “Security1” in this book – Click Next
  
  Figure 33 – Set password for DC
3. DNS Options (Figure 34) – Ignore the alert if there is one and Click Next
  
  Figure 34 – DNS Options
4. Additional Options – It takes a moment to auto-populate with MYCYBER, but if it doesn’t, type it in. Then Click Next
  
  Figure 35 – MyCYBER
5. Paths – Click Next
  
  Figure 36 – Confirm paths
6. Review Options – Click Next
  
  Figure 37 – Review and confirm
7. Prerequisites Check – (this could take a minute for a green box to appear – Ignore the alerts) Click Install
  
  Figure 38 – Wait for green checkmark
8. The Server VM will automatically restart. Just wait for it to finish
  
  Figure 39 – It will restart automatically

Phase III – Add to GNS3

Add the newly created Windows Server VM to GNS3.

Follow the procedures for adding a VM to GNS3
You may want to make some changes to the default settings

- Change the image to look more like a server instead of a PC
- Change the network options to Allow GNS3 to use any configured VirtualBox adapter

Add a Network Administrator

It is not a good idea to do everything with an account named “Administrator”. Therefore, here are the instructions to create a user account for Ian Worthington, a fictitious network administrator.

On the Server Manager, navigate to Tools -> Active Directory Users and Computers

Figure 40 – Opening users and computers menu
In the left pane, right-click on users and select the new user submenu

Figure 41 – Creating a New User
Complete the information for the new user using the login name of ian.worthington and click on Next

Figure 42 – Completing the New User information
Create the password, we’ll use the standard Security1. Also, because this Server VM will be used as a baseline, click the box “Password never expires” then hit Next

NOTE: This would be a significant security violation in a real-life scenario, but we are creating a lab environment.

Figure 43 – Setting security settings
Verify your changes and click on Finish
Observe that Ian Worthington’s account appears in the right pane

Figure 44 – Verify account exists