Worth learning AD in home environment?

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Dark Shade

[H]ard|Gawd
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May 2, 2006
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I'm contemplating learning Active Directory on a home server of mine that is currently only used for file sharing. Does anyone have a few links or ideas for me in the process of learning how AD works on such a small scale and perhaps be able to apply that to a theoretical larger scale? The hardware is sufficient (Piper in my signature, running 2008 R2 eval) and there are a mixture of OSes in the house (2x Win7 boxes, a handful of WinXP boxes + wireless laptop, an Ubuntu box and a Mac 10.4 box)

Thanks
 
There is alot you could learn on one system using AD at home however to really expand things get another windows server and you can really play. Because it could be a branch office in a remote location.
 
Dark Shade,
I have been running Active Directory in a smallish home network for a few years now. And a few days ago I decided to post a step-by-step how too on installing active directory on a windows server 2008 server (same steps to install it on a 2008 r2) and joining a Windows Vista system to the domain (same as adding a windows 7 machine). Heres the link. Hope this helps.

Edit: I will probably post a couple of how too's on setting up roaming profiles and home directories in the active directory on my blog in a few days. (I have the screen shots just need to write up the posts).
 
Thats pretty sweet. Ive got active directory setup on my network but never joined any pc to it. Mow a pc joined the user can still install programs and whatnot right? Existing programs still operate bormallt after joining them?
 
moose517 said:
Thats pretty sweet. Ive got active directory setup on my network but never joined any pc to it. Mow a pc joined the user can still install programs and whatnot right? Existing programs still operate bormallt after joining them?
Click to expand...

Absolutely, you also have controll over almost every aspect of what users can do to their machines. They have to be local admins to install software in most cases, but they don't have to be domain admins. But you need to remember, when you join a domain, your local account won't "carry over". It will still be on the machine, but it won't be a domain account. If you wanted to test how users interact with the domain controller, you could use ESXi to create a few destop environment, or you could also just use something like Sun's VirtualBox on your main rig. It is really useful to understand Windows Directory Services.
 
bher20 said:
Dark Shade,
I have been running Active Directory in a smallish home network for a few years now. And a few days ago I decided to post a step-by-step how too on installing active directory on a windows server 2008 server (same steps to install it on a 2008 r2) and joining a Windows Vista system to the domain (same as adding a windows 7 machine). Heres the link. Hope this helps.

Edit: I will probably post a couple of how too's on setting up roaming profiles and home directories in the active directory on my blog in a few days. (I have the screen shots just need to write up the posts).
Click to expand...

Good link thanks :)
 
I highly recommend doing it. There is a ton of stuff you will learn. If possible I actually recommend a Primary and a Secondary AD server and use them live. Don't set them aside as a test center on a bench, actually be working with it full time in your day to day internet/computer activities. Do everything you can, setup VPN,DHCP DNS FileShares, TerminalServer, group policies, the works. I've come a long way from knowing nothing to almost passing MCSA practice test. I've only been at this for like a year and no formal training, just constant tinkering and some reading. What helped me a lot is when the LAN isn't working I had to figure out why and fix the issue otherwise internet or my shares or something didn't work...I can't play games if I can't log on ^_^.
Of course this may not be a choice if you live with friends/family and they all need the network to always be running.
 
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