Installation of Active Directory

Active Directory is an extremely complex database that is vital for Whistler in the Enterprise.  Active Directory stores all of your user account information, as well as your DNS records, Group Policy objects, Security certificates, and Computer account information.  You can also create COM+ applications that query Active Directory and change information inside of it using a GUI interface.

If you know that you have a DNS server on your network and it supports SRV records and dynamic updates, then check your server’s DNS configuration through the server’s TCP/IP properties.  If you find your problem there, correct it and select the option to perform the DNS diagnostic test again.  If you do not have a DNS server that supports Active Directory on your network, select either the option to Install and configure DNS on this computer, or just try and let the promotion continue.  After DNS has been verified, finish the installation and allow the server to reboot.  You now have Active Directory installed.  If at some later date you decide that you want to remove Active Directory from that server, simply run dcpromo again and select the option to remove Active Directory.