Setting Up a Testbed Using Server 2008 As the Domain Controller

I need to setup a test bed for a number of virtual machines. I am using Server 2008 with Hyper-V.
It is on a LAN behind a router that provides DHCP services. There are other physical machines on
the LAN.

There is only one NIC on the Server 2008 machine. The virtual machines need access to external
resources (on the other physical machines and the internet). I have setup a base VM and a virtual
LAN that access the outside world. So far so good.

I would like to promote the Server 2008 machine to a DC and attach the VMs to it. The problem is I
don't have a real domain name for the Server 2008 machine. If I set it up with a dummy domain name
the VMs cannot attach to it because DNS doesn't know anything about it.

Is there anyway to attach a VM to a DC without using DNS?

Hello Stewart,

There is no way to use AD without DNS. If you install the Active directory
role on the 2008 you have to run a DNS server for the domain.

Best regards

Meinolf Weber
Disclaimer: This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers
no rights.
** Please do NOT email, only reply to Newsgroups
** HELP us help YOU!!! http://www.blakjak.demon.co.uk/mul_crss.htm


> I need to setup a test bed for a number of virtual machines. I am
> using Server 2008 with Hyper-V. It is on a LAN behind a router that
> provides DHCP services. There are other physical machines on the LAN.
>
> There is only one NIC on the Server 2008 machine. The virtual
> machines need access to external resources (on the other physical
> machines and the internet). I have setup a base VM and a virtual LAN
> that access the outside world. So far so good.
>
> I would like to promote the Server 2008 machine to a DC and attach the
> VMs to it. The problem is I don't have a real domain name for the
> Server 2008 machine. If I set it up with a dummy domain name the VMs
> cannot attach to it because DNS doesn't know anything about it.
>
> Is there anyway to attach a VM to a DC without using DNS?
>

Stewart Berman <> wrote:
> I need to setup a test bed for a number of virtual machines. I am
> using Server 2008 with Hyper-V. It is on a LAN behind a router that
> provides DHCP services. There are other physical machines on the LAN.
>
> There is only one NIC on the Server 2008 machine. The virtual
> machines need access to external resources (on the other physical
> machines and the internet). I have setup a base VM and a virtual LAN
> that access the outside world. So far so good.
>
> I would like to promote the Server 2008 machine to a DC and attach
> the VMs to it. The problem is I don't have a real domain name for
> the Server 2008 machine.

What do you mean? You don't have to have a public/internet domain name for
any of this.

> If I set it up with a dummy domain name the
> VMs cannot attach to it because DNS doesn't know anything about it.

You will need to configure DNS if you want to use AD, but you can set it up
as domain.local or whatever you want.
>
> Is there anyway to attach a VM to a DC without using DNS?

No; VMs have nothing to do with it. You will need DNS configured on the DC
before you can join *anything* to the domain.

"Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]" < hoo.com> wrote:

>Stewart Berman <> wrote:
>> I need to setup a test bed for a number of virtual machines. I am
>> using Server 2008 with Hyper-V. It is on a LAN behind a router that
>> provides DHCP services. There are other physical machines on the LAN.
>>
>> There is only one NIC on the Server 2008 machine. The virtual
>> machines need access to external resources (on the other physical
>> machines and the internet). I have setup a base VM and a virtual LAN
>> that access the outside world. So far so good.
>>
>> I would like to promote the Server 2008 machine to a DC and attach
>> the VMs to it. The problem is I don't have a real domain name for
>> the Server 2008 machine.
>
>What do you mean? You don't have to have a public/internet domain name for
>any of this.
>
>> If I set it up with a dummy domain name the
>> VMs cannot attach to it because DNS doesn't know anything about it.
>
>You will need to configure DNS if you want to use AD, but you can set it up
>as domain.local or whatever you want.
>>
>> Is there anyway to attach a VM to a DC without using DNS?
>
>No; VMs have nothing to do with it. You will need DNS configured on the DC
>before you can join *anything* to the domain.
>
>

It has been over ten years since I had to do this. I need an Idiot's Guide to setting up DNS, ADS
and a Domain Controller -- all of which are only required to test some functionality on the Virtual
Machines and to allow System Center Machine Manager to be installed.

I have looked at the Microsoft detailed descriptions but they are written for people that actually
want to do something useful. I need to create a DNS with one entry -- the Domain Controller (which
is the same server) -- and that passes all other requests to outside DNS.

Can anyone point me to a set of instructions with words of one syllable or less that gives step by
step instructions to setting up a DNS with one entry that forwards everything else to outside DNS?

Stewart Berman <> wrote:
> "Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]"
> < hoo.com> wrote:
>
>> Stewart Berman <> wrote:
>>> I need to setup a test bed for a number of virtual machines. I am
>>> using Server 2008 with Hyper-V. It is on a LAN behind a router that
>>> provides DHCP services. There are other physical machines on the
>>> LAN.
>>>
>>> There is only one NIC on the Server 2008 machine. The virtual
>>> machines need access to external resources (on the other physical
>>> machines and the internet). I have setup a base VM and a virtual
>>> LAN that access the outside world. So far so good.
>>>
>>> I would like to promote the Server 2008 machine to a DC and attach
>>> the VMs to it. The problem is I don't have a real domain name for
>>> the Server 2008 machine.
>>
>> What do you mean? You don't have to have a public/internet domain
>> name for any of this.
>>
>>> If I set it up with a dummy domain name the
>>> VMs cannot attach to it because DNS doesn't know anything about it.
>>
>> You will need to configure DNS if you want to use AD, but you can
>> set it up as domain.local or whatever you want.
>>>
>>> Is there anyway to attach a VM to a DC without using DNS?
>>
>> No; VMs have nothing to do with it. You will need DNS configured on
>> the DC before you can join *anything* to the domain.
>>
>>
>
> It has been over ten years since I had to do this. I need an Idiot's
> Guide to setting up DNS, ADS and a Domain Controller -- all of which
> are only required to test some functionality on the Virtual Machines
> and to allow System Center Machine Manager to be installed.
>
> I have looked at the Microsoft detailed descriptions but they are
> written for people that actually want to do something useful.

<snicker>

> I need
> to create a DNS with one entry -- the Domain Controller (which is the
> same server) -- and that passes all other requests to outside DNS.
>
> Can anyone point me to a set of instructions with words of one
> syllable or less that gives step by step instructions to setting up a
> DNS with one entry that forwards everything else to outside DNS?


That's not really how it works.

DCPromo a server. It should prompt you to install DNS, IIRC - if it doesn't,
you can manually do this in add / remove programs | windows components. You
want an AD-integrated zone - use something like mycompany.local or
internal.myrealdomain.com.
When done, configure the DNS server itself (in DNS Management MMC) with
forwarders to your ISP's DNS servers - here's a link for W2k, but it still
applies (although the bit about removing the root "." doesn't):
http://www.petri.co.il/configure_dns_forwarding.htm

Hello Stewart,

Installl AD acoording to this:
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/l...EXCHG.65).aspx

http://www.petri.co.il/how_to_instal...ndows_2003.htm

DNS, if needed additional:
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/l.../cc780652.aspx

I|f internet is needed:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/323380

Best regards

Meinolf Weber
Disclaimer: This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers
no rights.
** Please do NOT email, only reply to Newsgroups
** HELP us help YOU!!! http://www.blakjak.demon.co.uk/mul_crss.htm


> "Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]"
> < hoo.com> wrote:
>
>> Stewart Berman <> wrote:
>>
>>> I need to setup a test bed for a number of virtual machines. I am
>>> using Server 2008 with Hyper-V. It is on a LAN behind a router that
>>> provides DHCP services. There are other physical machines on the
>>> LAN.
>>>
>>> There is only one NIC on the Server 2008 machine. The virtual
>>> machines need access to external resources (on the other physical
>>> machines and the internet). I have setup a base VM and a virtual
>>> LAN that access the outside world. So far so good.
>>>
>>> I would like to promote the Server 2008 machine to a DC and attach
>>> the VMs to it. The problem is I don't have a real domain name for
>>> the Server 2008 machine.
>>>
>> What do you mean? You don't have to have a public/internet domain
>> name for any of this.
>>
>>> If I set it up with a dummy domain name the
>>> VMs cannot attach to it because DNS doesn't know anything about it.
>> You will need to configure DNS if you want to use AD, but you can set
>> it up as domain.local or whatever you want.
>>
>>> Is there anyway to attach a VM to a DC without using DNS?
>>>
>> No; VMs have nothing to do with it. You will need DNS configured on
>> the DC before you can join *anything* to the domain.
>>
> It has been over ten years since I had to do this. I need an Idiot's
> Guide to setting up DNS, ADS and a Domain Controller -- all of which
> are only required to test some functionality on the Virtual Machines
> and to allow System Center Machine Manager to be installed.
>
> I have looked at the Microsoft detailed descriptions but they are
> written for people that actually want to do something useful. I need
> to create a DNS with one entry -- the Domain Controller (which is the
> same server) -- and that passes all other requests to outside DNS.
>
> Can anyone point me to a set of instructions with words of one
> syllable or less that gives step by step instructions to setting up a
> DNS with one entry that forwards everything else to outside DNS?
>