configure Active Directory in Windows Server 2008 R2 Part-2

Configure Active Directory
At the Server Management screen you should now see that you have 1 role installed.  The Active Directory Domain Services may indicate that it is installed but there are errors.  This is because the software is installed but not configured.

To configure Active Directory, click on the line under Roles labeled "Active Directory Domain Services".  The Server Manager will show you a page about the status of the Active Directory Role.

Click on the link "Run the Active Directory Services Installation Wizard (dcpromo.exe)".  When the Active Directory Domain Services Installation Wizard appears, press Next.

The Installation Wizard will present information about the version of Active directory, press Next.

Since we are assuming this Exchange Server will be the first Domain Controller, we choose "create a new domain in a new forest".  Press Next.

Enter the name of your domain.  The domain name you enter here is the domain name that Exchange will associated with all of your email.  If you use a hosting company to host your Internet Domain, then you may want to enter the name of your Internet domain with ".local".  If you host your own Internet Domain then you would enter your domain name here.
In our example, we are assuming that IGetMail.com is hosted at an Internet Hosting Company.  Since we do not host IGetMail.com on this Exchange Server, we will use IGetMail.local to indicate our internal domain for IGetMail. 
NOTE:  Once you enter your domain name it is very hard to change it in the future, so you should take great care when enter this name. 
Once you have decided on the name of your internal domain, that will be your Active Directory Domain and the domain serviced by Exchange, press Next.

The Installation Wizard will now ask you about compatibility.  If you plan to have domain controllers running various versions of Active Directory, then you will want to chose a function level to include the lowest version of Windows that you are using for domain controllers.  Press Next.

You will be asked a similar question which is at the domain level instead of the forest level on the previous screen.  You should follow the same approach and include the function level to include the lowest version of Windows you plan to use for domain controllers.  Press Next.

The first Domain Controller needs to have a DNS server running locally.  The optimal location is to start out with having the installation wizard install the DNS server locally.  Also, it will automatically make this computer a global catalog server.  Press Next.

You can specify where you want Active Directory to store its data.  If you only have one drive in your Server, then use the defaults.  If you have multiple drives, you can select which drive to use.  Press Next.

Should you need to restore Active Directory in the event of a hard drive failure, you will need to boot your Server into a special mode called "Directory Restoration Mode".  Should you need to boot your computer into this special mode, you will need to use a special password just for this restoration.  You can define this password at this time.  NOTE:  This password is different than the administrator account and if you change the administrator password this password will not change.  So you will need to store this password forever in a safe place.  Press Next.

Now the Installation Wizard will summarize the configuration that it is about to create.  To start the process of configuring your new Domain Controller, press Next.

The Installation Wizard will show its progress as it configures your Server.   This will take a long time.

When the installation is complete, you will be shown a final screen.  Press Finish.

Then restart your computer.

After restarting your computer, Windows should show you the Server Manager.  You should see on the Server Manager screen that you have Active Directory and DNS Server roles installed.  Also the process of installing Active Directory will add the features "Group Policy Management" and "Remote Server Administration Tools".

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Install Active Directory in Windows Server 2008 R2 Part-1

Install Active Directory Windows Server 2008 R2
At the Computer Management Screen, press the "Add Roles" link. 
At the Select Server Roles dialog, check/tick the option "Active Directory Domain Services".

When you select Active Directory the Select Server Roles Screen will inform you that you also need to install the feature ".NET Framework 3.5.1".  Press the "Add Required Features" button.

After acknowledging the required feature, press Next.
Active Directory Domain Services will present information about the changes it will make to your server.  Review this information and press Next.

Now the installation will scan your configuration and inform you if there are any pre-requisites that you have not fulfilled.  If the Active Directory Installation presents an errors, correct these at this time and then repeat the installation.  Once the Setup program indicates that you have met all pre-requisites, then press the Install button to start the installation process.

The setup program will now install Active Directory on your Server.

When the installation is complete, you should see a message indicating "Installation Succeeded". 
Press Close to return to the Server Management Screen.

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How to Make a Network Cable

About the Cable:

 You can find bulk supplies of ethernet cable at many computer stores or most electrical or home centers. You want UTP (Unshielded Twisted Pair) ethernet cable of at least Category 5 (Cat 5). Cat 5 is required for basic 10/100 functionality, you will want Cat 5e for gigabit (1000BaseT) operation and Cat 6 or higher gives you a measure of future proofing. You can also use STP (Shielded Twisted Pair) for extra resistance to external interference but I won't cover shielded connectors. Bulk ethernet cable comes in many types, there are 2 basic categories, solid and braided stranded cable. Stranded ethernet cable tends to work better in patch applications for desktop use. It is more flexible and resilient than solid ethernet cable and easier to work with, but really meant for shorter lengths. Solid ethernet cable is meant for longer runs in a fixed position. Plenum rated ethernet cable must be used whenever the cable travels through an air circulation space. For example, above a false ceiling or below a raised floor. It may be difficult or impossible to tell from the package or labelling what type of ethernet cable it is, so peal out an end and investigate.

Here is what the internals of the ethernet cable look like:

Internal Cable Structure and Color Coding
Inside the ethernet cable, there are 8 color coded wires. These wires are twisted into 4 pairs of wires, each pair has a common color theme. One wire in the pair being a solid or primarily solid colored wire and the other being a primarily white wire with a colored stripe (Sometimes ethernet cables won't have any color on the striped wire, the only way to tell which is which is to check which wire it is twisted around). Examples of the naming schemes used are: Orange (alternatively Orange/White) for the solid colored wire and White/Orange for the striped cable. The twists are extremely important. They are there to counteract noise and interference. It is important to wire according to a standard to get proper performance from the ethernet cable. The TIA/EIA-568-A specifies two wiring standards for an 8-position modular connector such as RJ45. The two wiring standards, T568A and T568B vary only in the arrangement of the colored pairs. Tom writes to say "...sources suggest using T568A cabling since T568B is the AT&T standard, but the US Government specifies T568A since it matches USOC cabling for pairs 1 & 2, which allows it to work for 1/2 line phones...". Your choice might be determined by the need to match existing wiring, jacks or personal preference, but you should maintain consistency. I've shown both below for straight through cabling and just T568B for crossover cabling.

About Modular Connector Plugs and Jacks:

The 8P8C modular connectors for Ethernet are often called RJ45 due to their physical ressemblance. The plug is an 8-position modular connector that looks like a large phone plug. There are a couple variations available. The primary variation you need to pay attention to is whether the connector is intended for braided or solid wire. For braided/stranded wires, the connector has sharp pointed contacts that actually pierce the wire. For solid wires, the connector has fingers which cut through the insulation and make contact with the wire by grasping it from both sides. The connector is the weak point in an ethernet cable, choosing the wrong one will often cause grief later. If you just walk into a computer store, it's nearly impossible to tell what type of plug it is. You may be able to determine what type it is by crimping one without a cable. Modular connector jacks come in a variety styles intended for several different mounting options. The choice is one of requirements and preference. Jacks are designed to work only with solid ethernet cable. Most jacks come labeled with color coded wiring diagrams for either T568A, T568B or both. Make sure you end up with the correct one.
Here is a wiring diagram and pin out:

Modular Connector Plug and Jack Pin Out

Ethernet Cable Pin Outs:

There are two basic ethernet cable pin outs. A straight through ethernet cable, which is used to connect to a hub or switch, and a crossover ethernet cable used to operate in a peer-to-peer fashion without a hub/switch. Generally all fixed wiring should be run as straight through. Some ethernet interfaces can cross and un-cross a cable automatically as needed, a handy feature.

Standard, Straight-Through Wiring Diagram(both ends are the same):

RJ45 Pin #	Wire Color (T568A)	Wire Diagram (T568A)	10Base-T Signal 100Base-TX Signal	1000Base-T Signal
1	White/Green		Transmit+	BI_DA+
2	Green		Transmit-	BI_DA-
3	White/Orange		Receive+	BI_DB+
4	Blue		Unused	BI_DC+
5	White/Blue		Unused	BI_DC-
6	Orange		Receive-	BI_DB-
7	White/Brown		Unused	BI_DD+
8	Brown		Unused	BI_DD-

Straight-Through Ethernet Cable Pin Out for T568A

RJ45 Pin #	Wire Color (T568B)	Wire Diagram (T568B)	10Base-T Signal 100Base-TX Signal	1000Base-T Signal
1	White/Orange		Transmit+	BI_DA+
2	Orange		Transmit-	BI_DA-
3	White/Green		Receive+	BI_DB+
4	Blue		Unused	BI_DC+
5	White/Blue		Unused	BI_DC-
6	Green		Receive-	BI_DB-
7	White/Brown		Unused	BI_DD+
8	Brown		Unused	BI_DD-

Straight-Through Ethernet Cable Pin Out for T568B

Crossover Cable Wiring Diagram(T568B):

RJ45 Pin # (END 1)	Wire Color	Diagram End #1	RJ45 Pin # (END 2)	Wire Color	Diagram End #2
1	White/Orange		1	White/Green
2	Orange		2	Green
3	White/Green		3	White/Orange
4	Blue		4	White/Brown
5	White/Blue		5	Brown
6	Green		6	Orange
7	White/Brown		7	Blue
8	Brown		8	White/Blue

Crossover Ethernet Cable Pin Outs +Note: The crossover ethernet cable layout is suitable for 1000Base-T operation, all 4 pairs are crossed.

How to wire Ethernet Patch Cables:

1. Strip off about 2 inches of the ethernet cable sheath.
2. Untwist the pairs - don't untwist them beyond what you have exposed, the more untwisted cable you have the worse the problems you can run into.
3. Align the colored wires according to the wiring diagrams above.
4. Trim all the wires to the same length, about 1/2" to 3/4" left exposed from the sheath.
5. Insert the wires into the RJ45 plug - make sure each wire is fully inserted to the front of the RJ45 plug and in the correct order. The sheath of the ethernet cable should extend into the plug by about 1/2" and will be held in place by the crimp.
6. Crimp the RJ45 plug with the crimper tool.
7. Verify the wires ended up the right order and that the wires extend to the front of the RJ45 plug and make good contact with the metal contacts in the RJ45 plug
8. Cut the ethernet cable to length - make sure it is more than long enough for your needs.
9. Repeat the above steps for the second RJ45 plug.

How to wire fixed Ethernet Cables:

1. Run the full length of ethernet cable in place, from endpoint to endpoint, making sure to leave excess.
2. At one end, cut the wire to length leaving enough length to work, but not too much excess.
3. Strip off about 2 inches of the ethernet cable sheath.
4. Align each of the colored wires according to the layout of the jack.
5. Use the punch down tool to insert each wire into the jack.
6. Repeat the above steps for the second RJ45 jack.

If an ethernet cable tester is available, use it to verify the proper connectivity of the cable. That should be it, if your ethernet cable doesn't turn out, look closely at each end and see if you can find the problem. Often a wire ended up in the wrong place or one of the wires is making no contact or poor contact. Also double check the color coding to verify it is correct. If you see a mistake or problem, cut the end off and start again. A ethernet cable tester is invaluable at identifying and highlighting these issues.
When sizing ethernet cables remember that an end to end connection should not extend more than 100m (~328ft). Try to minimize the ethernet cable length, the longer the cable becomes, the more it may affect performance. This is usually noticeable as a gradual decrease in speed and increase in latency.

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Notes:

Power over Ethernet (PoE):

Power over Ethernet has been implemented in many variations before IEEE standardized 802.3af. IEEE 802.3af specifies the ability to supply an endpoint device with 48V DC at up 350mA or approximatlely 16.8W. IEEE 802.3at updates the PoE standard to supply up to 600mA or approximately 28.8W, it is often known as PoE+. The device must be capable of receiving power on either the data pairs [Mode A] (often called phantom power) or the unused pairs in 100Base-TX [Mode B]. PoE can be used with any ethernet configuration, including 10Base-T, 100Base-TX or 1000Base-T. Power is only supplied when a valid PoE endpoint is detected by using a low voltage probe to look for the PoE signature on the endpoint. PoE power is typically supplied in one of two ways, either the host ethernet switch provides the power, or a "midspan" device is plugged in between the switch and endpoints and supplies the power. No special cabling is required.

RJ45 Pin #	Wire Color (T568A)	Wire Diagram (T568A)	10Base-T Signal 100Base-TX Signal	PoE
1	White/Green		Transmit+	Mode A +
2	Green		Transmit-	Mode A +
3	White/Orange		Receive+	Mode A -
4	Blue		Unused	Mode B +
5	White/Blue		Unused	Mode B +
6	Orange		Receive-	Mode A -
7	White/Brown		Unused	Mode B -
8	Brown		Unused	Mode B -

Power over Ethernet Power Delivery

Protocol Details:

	Symbol Encoding	Symbol Rate (Mbaud)	Data Encoding	Data Bits per Symbol	Pairs per Channel	Pairs Used	Minimum Cable Category
10BaseT	Manchester	10	None	1	1	2	3
100BaseT4	Multi-level, 2T/Hz	25	8B6T	8/6	3	4	3
100BaseTX	MLT-3	125	4B5B	4/5	1	2	5
100BaseT2	PAM5x5 (2D-PAM5)	25	None	2	2	2	3
1000BaseT	4D-PAM5	125	None	2	4	4	5e (5)*
10GBase-T	DSQ128 (2D-PAM16)	800	LDPC(1723,2048), 64B/65B, CRC8	3.125	4	4	6a (5e, 6)+

*Designed to work on most Cat 5 ethernet cable, Cat 5e specifications ensure 1000Base-T operation
+Reduced range when used with Cat 5e or Cat 6, Cat 6a supports the full 100m range

Cable Category Details:

Cable Category	Rated Frequency Bandwidth (MHz)	Common Uses
1	None	Telephone Wiring
2	1	Telephone Wiring
3	16	Telephone Wiring, 10Base-T
4	20	Token-Ring, 10Base-T
5	100	100Base-TX, 10Base-T
5e	100	1000Base-T, 100Base-TX
6	250	1000Base-T, 100Base-TX
6a	500	10GBase-T
7	600	10GBase-T
7a	1000

Increasing category levels are backward compatible.
Manufacturers will often test and certify their ethernet cable well beyond the standards.

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