Lab Summary: Active Directory & Group Policy on Windows Server 2016
This lab walked through creating a Windows Server 2016 VM in Oracle VirtualBox, installing Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS), and promoting the server to a domain controller—the backbone of a new Windows domain.
You configured DNS and DHCP to support domain operations, ensuring proper name resolution and automated IP assignment for domain-joined devices.
The lab also covered:
- Creating a new user account in Active Directory Users and Computers.
- Joining a Windows client to the domain (which creates a corresponding computer account).
- Creating and applying Group Policy Objects (GPOs) to user and computer accounts.
- Managing AD and Group Policy via PowerShell for automation and repeatability.
Together, these steps form the core of administering a Windows domain—centralized identity, policy enforcement, and streamlined management.