Q. How do you verify whether the AD installation is proper?

• An NTFS partition with enough free space
• An Administrator’s username and password
• The correct operating system version
• A NIC
• Properly configured TCP/IP (IP address, subnet mask and – optional – default gateway)
• A network connection (to a hub or to another computer via a crossover cable)
• An operational DNS server (which can be installed on the DC itself)
• A Domain name that you want to use
• Q. How do you verify whether the AD installation is proper?
• Default containers: These are created automatically when the first domain is created. Open Active Directory Users and Computers, and then verify that the following containers are present: Computers, Users, and ForeignSecurityPrincipals.
• Default domain controllers organizational unit: Open Active Directory Users and Computers, and then verify this organizational unit.
• Default-First-Site-Name
• Active Directory database: The Active Directory database is your Ntds.dit file. Verify its existence in the %System root%\Ntds folder.
• Global catalog server: The first domain controller becomes a global catalog server, by default. To verify this item:
• a. Click Start, point to Programs, click Administrative Tools, and then click Active Directory Sites and Services.

• b. Double-click Sites to expand it, expand Servers, and then select your domain controller.

• c. Double-click the domain controller to expand the server contents.

• d. Below the server, an NTDS Settings object is displayed. Right-click the object, and then click Properties.

• e. On the General tab, you can observe a global catalog check box, which should be selected, by default.
• Root domain: The forest root is created when the first domain controller is installed. Verify your computer network identification in My Computer. The Domain Name System (DNS) suffix of your computer should match the domain name that the domain controller belongs to. Also, ensure that your computer registers the proper computer role. To verify this role, use the net accounts command. The computer role should say “primary” or “backup” depending on whether it is the first domain controller in the domain.
• Shared system volume: A Windows 2000 domain controller should have a shared system volume located in the %Systemroot%\Sysvol\Sysvol folder. To verify this item, use the net share command. The Active Directory also creates two standard policies during the installation process: The Default Domain policy and the Default Domain Controllers policy (located in the %Systemroot%\Sysvol\Domain\Policies folder). These policies are displayed as the following globally unique identifiers (GUIDs):
• {31B2F340-016D-11D2-945F-00C04FB984F9} representing the Default Domain policy
• {6AC1786C-016F-11D2-945F-00C04fB984F9} representing the Default Domain Controllers policy
• SRV resource records: You must have a DNS server installed and configured for Active Directory and the associated client software to function correctly. Microsoft recommends that you use Microsoft DNS server, which is supplied with Windows 2000 Server as your DNS server. However, Microsoft DNS server is not required. The DNS server that you use must support the Service Resource Record (SRV RR) Requests for Comments (RFC) 2052, and the dynamic update protocol (RFC 2136). Use the DNS Manager Microsoft Management Console (MMC) snap-in to verify that the appropriate zones and resource records are created for each DNS zone. Active Directory creates its SRV RRs in the following folders:
• _Msdcs/Dc/_Sites/Default-first-site-name/_Tcp

• _Msdcs/Dc/_Tcp
• In these locations, an SRV RR is displayed for the following services:
• o _kerberos

• o _ldap