This Windows Server 2022 Tutorial covers how to add a domain controller to an existing domain. Windows Server Active Directory Domain Service (ADDS) is a directory service that stores information about all objects in the domain and makes this data available to network users and administrators. Active Directory Domain Service provides secure, structured, hierarchical data storage for objects and the admin can easily manage all objects. The Active Directory Domain Controller is a server that runs Active Directory Domain Service and domain controllers to give the network user access to permitted resources anywhere on the network through a single logon process. Additional domain controller helps disaster recovery and balances the load.
Demo environment
- Computer Name: server2.test.com
- Operating System: Windows Server 2022 Datacenter
- IP Address: 192.168.3.4
- Domain: test.com
- Current domain controller (DC): server1.test.com
- DC Operating System: Windows Server 2022 Datacenter
- DC IP Address: 192.168.3.3
- DNS Server IP address: 192.168.3.3
Prerequisite Required
- Configure Static IP Address
- Configure Computer Name
- Install Active Directory Domain Services (ADDS)
Related tutorial
- Configure Static IP Address on Windows Server 2022
- Install and configure ADDS on Windows Server 2022
Steps for adding a domain controller to an existing domain – Windows Server 2022
Log into the server with Domain administrative credentials and Install Active Directory Domain Services.
- Promote this server to a domain controller
- Deployment Configuration
- Domain Controller Options
- Additional Options
- Paths
- Review Options
- Prerequisites Check
1. Promote this server to a domain controller
Click Promote this server to a domain controller.

2. Deployment Configuration
Select Add a domain controller to an existing domain, specify the domain information, and credentials to perform this operation, and click Next.
- Domain: test.com
- Supply the credentials to perform this operation: Current user (Domain Administrator)

3. Domain Controller Options
Type Directory Services Restore Mode (DSRM) password and click Next.

Click Next to continue.

4. Additional Options
Specify additional replication options and click Next. In this tutorial, we configure replication from any domain controller.

5. Paths
Specify the location of the AD DS database, Database folder, Log files folder, SYSVOL folder (Keep it as the default location), and click Next.
- Database folder: C:\Windows\NTDS
- Log files folder: C:\Windows\NTDS
- SYSVOL folder: C:\Windows\SYSVOL

6. Review Options
Verify all the settings and click Next.

7. Prerequisites Check
Prerequisites need to be validated before ADDS is installed on this server. Click Install.

Once the Active Directory Domain Services configuration is complete you will need to reboot. After the server is back online, verify that the SYSVOL and NETLOGON shares are present on the server.
Windows Server 2022 Tutorial