ACTIVE DIRECTORY PRACTICAL LAB PROJECT
Windows Server 2022 + Windows 11 Domain Environment
Learning Project for IT Administrator / System Administrator Skills
Lab Company: Darshik IT Services
Domain: darshik.local
Server: Windows Server 2022
Client: Windows 11 Pro
Project Type: Virtual Machine Home Lab
1. Project Objective
Build a small company-style Active Directory environment in virtual machines. The project is designed to provide
hands-on practice with Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS), DNS, DHCP, users, groups, Organizational Units,
Group Policy, shared folders, NTFS permissions, domain joining, troubleshooting, and basic Windows Server
administration.
2. Lab Scenario
Darshik IT Services has employees in IT, HR, Accounts, and Management. The administrator needs a centralized
Windows domain to manage users, computers, security policies, and shared company data.
3. Virtual Machine Requirements
VM
DC01
Operating System
RAM
Storage
IP
Windows Server
3–4 GB
50 GB
192.168.10.10
2022
CLIENT01
Windows 11 Pro
3–4 GB
40 GB
DHCP / 192.168.10.x
CLIENT02 (optional) Windows 11 Pro
3–4 GB
40 GB
DHCP / 192.168.10.x
Note: If the physical laptop has only 8 GB RAM, run the VMs one at a time when necessary, or allocate RAM
conservatively.
4. Network Design
Lab network: 192.168.10.0/24
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DC01: 192.168.10.10
Default gateway (if used): 192.168.10.1
DHCP client range: 192.168.10.100–192.168.10.200
DNS server for domain clients: 192.168.10.10
Domain: darshik.local
5. Phase 1 – Prepare Windows Server
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Install Windows Server 2022 in the DC01 VM.
Change the computer name to DC01.
Configure a static IPv4 address: 192.168.10.10 / 255.255.255.0.
Set Preferred DNS to 192.168.10.10.
Install Windows updates and restart the server.
6. Phase 2 – Install Active Directory Domain Services
6. Open Server Manager.
7. Select Add Roles and Features.
8. Install Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS).
9. Install the DNS Server role when prompted.
10. Select Promote this server to a domain controller.
11. Choose Add a new forest.
12. Use the domain name: darshik.local.
13. Use NetBIOS name: DARSHIK.
14. Set the Directory Services Restore Mode (DSRM) password.
15. Complete the installation and restart DC01.
7. Phase 3 – Create Organizational Units
Create the following OU structure in Active Directory Users and Computers:
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IT
HR
Accounts
Management
Computers
Servers
Admin
Use OUs to organize users and computers and to make Group Policy management easier.
8. Phase 4 – Create Users
Create at least 10 test users. Example:
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IT: kalyan, ravi, suresh
HR: priya, swathi
Accounts: accounts1, accounts2
Management: manager1, manager2
Administrator/testing: admin1
9. Phase 5 – Create Security Groups
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IT-Team
HR-Team
Accounts-Team
Management-Team
Add users to the appropriate security groups. Use groups for permissions instead of assigning permissions
separately to every user.
10. Phase 6 – Join Windows 11 Client to the Domain
16. Install Windows 11 Pro on CLIENT01.
17. Set the client's DNS server to 192.168.10.10.
18. Open System Properties and change the computer from Workgroup to domain darshik.local.
19. Enter domain administrator credentials when prompted.
20. Restart CLIENT01.
21. Test login using DARSHIK\kalyan.
11. Phase 7 – Group Policy
Create and test these GPOs:
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GPO-Company-Security – password and security settings.
GPO-Restrict-Users – restrict Control Panel for standard users.
GPO-Company-Wallpaper – apply a company desktop wallpaper.
GPO-Drive-Mapping – map department network drives.
Useful commands for testing:
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gpupdate /force
gpresult /r
12. Phase 8 – Shared Folder and NTFS Permissions
On DC01 create:
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D:\CompanyData
D:\CompanyData\IT
D:\CompanyData\HR
D:\CompanyData\Accounts
D:\CompanyData\Management
Share the CompanyData folder and configure permissions using security groups.
Example test:
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IT-Team → Modify permission on IT folder.
HR-Team → Modify permission on HR folder.
Accounts-Team → Modify permission on Accounts folder.
A normal IT user should not automatically have access to HR data.
13. Phase 9 – DNS Practice
Open DNS Manager and verify the darshik.local Forward Lookup Zone.
22. Create an A record such as files.darshik.local → 192.168.10.10.
23. From CLIENT01 run: nslookup files.darshik.local.
24. Test name resolution and understand why DNS is essential to Active Directory.
14. Phase 10 – DHCP Practice
25. Install the DHCP Server role on DC01.
26. Create a scope from 192.168.10.100 to 192.168.10.200.
27. Subnet mask: 255.255.255.0.
28. Configure DNS server: 192.168.10.10.
29. Configure the domain name: darshik.local.
30. Set CLIENT01 to obtain an IP address automatically.
31. Run ipconfig /all on CLIENT01 and verify the lease.
15. Phase 11 – Account Security
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Create a password policy with minimum length of 8 characters.
Enable password complexity.
Configure maximum password age, for example 90 days.
Configure account lockout after 5 failed attempts.
Practice unlocking a locked user account.
Create a separate administrative account for lab administration.
16. Phase 12 – Network Drive Mapping
Practice mapping network drives through Group Policy Preferences.
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H: → \\DC01\CompanyData
I: → \\DC01\CompanyData\IT (for IT users)
17. Phase 13 – Troubleshooting Practice
Intentionally create and solve these problems:
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CLIENT01 cannot join the domain – check DNS.
User cannot log in – check username, password, account status, and domain connectivity.
GPO is not applying – run gpupdate /force and gpresult /r.
Shared folder access is denied – check Share and NTFS permissions.
DNS name does not resolve – check DNS records and client DNS configuration.
Client receives an incorrect IP – check DHCP scope and DHCP service.
18. Important Commands to Practice
ipconfig /all
ping 192.168.10.10
nslookup darshik.local
whoami
hostname
systeminfo
gpupdate /force
gpresult /r
net user
net user username /domain
19. Final Project Challenge
Pretend that 20 employees have joined the company. Complete the following without referring to a guide after the
initial learning phase:
1. Create users for all departments.
2. Create and populate security groups.
3. Join three Windows 11 PCs to the domain.
4. Configure DNS and DHCP.
5. Create department shared folders.
6. Configure NTFS and share permissions.
7. Configure password and account lockout policies.
8. Deploy a company wallpaper through GPO.
9. Restrict Control Panel for standard users.
10. Map department network drives.
11. Create a new employee and assign correct access.
12. Disable a user who leaves the company.
13. Troubleshoot a failed domain login.
14. Troubleshoot a DNS problem.
15. Verify Group Policy application.
20. Skills You Will Gain
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Windows Server administration
Active Directory Domain Services
DNS administration
DHCP administration
User and group management
Organizational Units
Group Policy
NTFS and shared-folder permissions
Windows domain joining
Basic Windows network troubleshooting
Account security and access control
Practical help-desk / system-administrator troubleshooting
21. Resume / Interview Project Description
Active Directory Domain Services Lab – Built a Windows Server 2022 Active Directory domain in a virtual machine
environment, configured DNS/DHCP, created OUs, users and security groups, joined Windows 11 clients to the
domain, implemented Group Policy, configured shared-folder and NTFS permissions, mapped network drives, and
performed domain, DNS, DHCP, GPO, and user-access troubleshooting.
22. Completion Checklist
☐Windows Server 2022 installed
☐DC01 renamed and static IP configured
☐AD DS installed
☐DNS configured
☐darshik.local domain created
☐OUs created
☐Users created
☐Security groups created
☐Windows 11 client joined to domain
☐GPO created and tested
☐Shared folders created
☐NTFS permissions tested
☐DNS A record tested
☐DHCP scope tested
☐Network drive mapping tested
☐Account lockout tested
☐Troubleshooting exercises completed
23. Recommended Learning Order
Complete the project in this order: VM setup → Windows Server → Static IP → AD DS → DNS → OUs → Users →
Groups → Windows 11 domain join → GPO → File sharing → NTFS permissions → DHCP → Drive mapping →
Security policies → Troubleshooting.