Appendix A Promoting the Head Node to Domain Controller

The HPCS software requires the nodes to be a member of a Windows Active Directory (AD). To install AD, a domain controller is needed to manage the AD.

If you do not have an AD which you can join, you must promote your head node to a domain controller. The basic steps to promote your head node to a domain controller are as follows:




	NOTE: The following process is an overview and assumes the user has some knowledge of Windows administration.

Reset the public NIC configuration DNS server to 127.0.0.1
1. Select Manage Network Connections.
2. Select Public NIC.
3. Edit the NIC IPv4 properties by double-clicking the network connection. Highlight IPv4 and select Properties.
4. In the bottom section, select DNS server and set the primary DNS server to 127.0.0.1. Clear the secondary server.
5. Click OK, and close the remaining windows.
Add the server role Active Directory Domain Services.
1. Start Manage server and select Roles.
2. Select Add Roles and click the Active Directory Domain Services box.
3. Click Next several times, accepting the defaults until you can select Install.
4. Click Install.
After the Active Directory Domain Services role is installed, perform a dcpromo.
1. Open a command window. (RunCmd).
2. Enter dcpromo.
3. Select the default settings, with the following exceptions:
  - Select Create a New Forest.
  - Enter a fully qualified domain name.
  - Select a 2003 or a 2008 functional level.
4. Continue selecting the defaults.
After the dcpromo is finished, the system will reboot.

You have now successfully promoted your server to a domain controller.

For more details on how to promote a server to a domain controller, or for domain controller and AD in general, see the following information:

Step-by-step instructions on promoting your server to a domain controller are at:

http://www.trainsignaltraining.com/windows-server-2008-active-directory-domain-services/2008-07-23/

Microsoft documentation on promoting your server to a domain controller with additional links to information on AD and domain controllers is at:

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc755059.aspx

Appendix A Promoting the Head Node to Domain Controller

Technical documentation

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