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TRAINING LAB
Maintaining a Virtualized IT Environment
VMware Workstation Pro 17 · Windows Server 2022 · AD DS / DNS / DHCP / WDS
Context
Training lab built at home as part of a Systems & Networks program. I deployed a complete Windows Server 2022 environment inside VMware Workstation Pro 17 (Type 2 hypervisor) to replicate a real enterprise IT infrastructure: an Active Directory domain, DNS, DHCP, and automated OS deployment via WDS/PXE — all on a private VMware NAT network.
Environment
- Hypervisor
- VMware Workstation Pro 17 (Type 2)
- Server VM
- DCAD22 — Windows Server 2022
- Network
- VMware NAT — 192.168.100.0/24
- Server IP
- 192.168.100.250 (static)
- Gateway
- 192.168.100.2
- DNS
- 192.168.100.250 + 8.8.8.8 (forwarder)
- Domain
- DP-AICHA.LAN (AD forest root)
- Client
- Windows 10 Pro — joined as PC LYES
Setup phases
- 1Phase 1 — VM setup & domain controller promotionInstalled Windows Server 2022 from ISO in VMware. Assigned static IP 192.168.100.250, set hostname DCAD22, and promoted to domain controller via the AD DS role wizard. Created the new forest root domain DP-AICHA.LAN. DNS was installed alongside AD DS with a forwarder to 8.8.8.8.
- 2Phase 2 — DHCP & WDS configurationInstalled and authorized the DHCP Server role. Created scope POOL1 (192.168.100.0/24, range .1–.254, exclusions .1–.20 and .240–.254). Added DHCP option 060 PXEClient. Installed WDS, linked to the AD DS domain, imported boot image Boot\x64\Images\boot.wim. WDS set to respond to all PXE clients with admin approval for unknown machines.
- 3Phase 3 — Active Directory & Group PoliciesCreated OUs and domain user accounts: LYES (standard) and Technicien (IT admin). Applied GPOs to enforce roaming profiles and map a shared drive (\\DCAD22\Partage) at logon. Shared folder permissions: Modify + Read for LYES, Read for Technicien.
- 4Phase 4 — Domain join & PXE deployment
Outcomes
- Infrastructure
- AD DS domain fully operational on VMware NAT network
- Automation
- PXE/WDS network OS deployment — no USB or manual install required
- Policies
- GPO roaming profiles and mapped drives applied automatically at logon
- Security
- WDS admin-approval workflow for unknown machines
- Skills
- AD DS, DNS, DHCP, WDS, GPO, VMware networking, PXE boot
Key takeaways
- Network first: addressing, DNS and DHCP must be working before anything else — every other role depends on them.
- Standardize and automate wherever possible: WDS for OS deployment, GPO baselines for user settings. Manual steps = drift.
- Validate incrementally: after each role install, confirm expected behavior before moving to the next phase.
- Static IP on the domain controller is non-negotiable — a DHCP-assigned IP on the DC breaks DNS and AD replication.
- WDS admin-approval mode is essential in a lab: it prevents rogue machines from pulling an image and joining the domain.
Screenshots