Importance of DCPROMO Command in Domain Controller Installation

The term does not as such signify exact and accurate information but if you are a server support expert you will probably be through this command. Yes this is the domain controller promotion command. Although there are also different ways to install the domain controller but this command is widely used. Other options for the same job are that we go to manage my server option and run the domain controller setup.

The following are various parameters for the command dcpromo.

answer[:]

The installation parameters and the values will be listed in the answer file which is to be added in the file name

/unattend[:]

The unattended answer file where all the parameters and values are listed.

/?[:{Promotion - CreateDCAccount - UseExistingAccount - Demotion}]

Displays all the parameters for the DC promotion.

There are more switches to the DCPROMO command. Most of the times system administrator or server support technician or would take care of the type of domain controller installation. Before installation we would have to analyse the network as to how the network has been defined. Weather the current domain controller is a part of a preinstalled domain or a new domain in itself. It can also be an additional domain controller. Server Specialist would ask you these questions as they would have to specify it at the time of installation.

The Domain controller installation is a critical part of the network setup. More over the specification of your network depends of number of other domain controllers which have been installed. This would also include other child domain controllers, additional domain controllers and will have to follow the terms like forest and trees. DNS server support technician will also have to do work while installation of domain controller.

The specification will also include the database folders for the same. The folders would be saved on the default location i.e c:\WINNT\NTDS. You will also have to make sure that the drive is formatted in NTFS format otherwise the sysvol folder cannot be created. System volume information will only take effect in case of a NTFS format. If you have formatted the drive in any other format so please consult from experts.

In case of a child domain is being installed then we will have to specify the domain name for the child domain as well. The child domain will also include the connectivity and the link to the parent domain. The Domain controller which the user is installing should have run the proper IP configuration. Technician would always suggest you to first make the parent domain controller IP address as the primary DNS and if there is an additional Domain controller then keep that as alternate DNS. If there is no additional domain controller present then you can specify the current domain controller IP address as the alternate DNS.

If the domain controller is not able to find the parent domain controller then it will give you error to check the DNS. If this is a parent domain then no error of this kind would be generated. There would also be compatibility permissions needed for the pre windows 2000 services. You should contact server support or your system administrator to inform you about the same. Ok very important option that will be listed is the Directory services restore mode password. This password would be asked when repair of directory services is taken in consideration.

This whole process would end the DCPROMO and the domain controller setup. By checking into the tools and verifying the installation of the domain controller went well you will have to check the Active directory or use the following command dsa.msc to check the whole procedure. Server support engineer would help you in creating users and assigning some of the important policies and permissions.