Extending Your Domain: Setting Up Windows Domain Controllers on AWS

 

While on-premises Active Directory remains a popular choice for user and resource management, some organizations are migrating to the cloud. This guide explores how to leverage Amazon Web Services (AWS) to extend your existing on-premises Active Directory domain by setting up and configuring Windows domain controllers (DCs) on EC2 instances.

Understanding the Benefits:

Extending your domain to AWS offers several advantages:

• Scalability: Easily provision additional DCs on AWS to handle increased user demands or geographic distribution.
• Disaster Recovery: Create a redundant DC in AWS for disaster recovery purposes, ensuring domain availability in case of an on-premises outage.
• Hybrid Cloud Environment: Enable seamless user and resource management between your on-premises environment and AWS resources.

Prerequisites:

• An Active Directory Domain: Ensure you have a functioning Active Directory domain controller on-premises.
• An AWS Account: Sign up for a free AWS account or use an existing one.
• VPC with Required Subnets: Create a Virtual Private Cloud (VPC) in AWS with private and public subnets. Place your domain controllers in a private subnet for security.
• Security Groups: Configure security groups to allow necessary traffic (e.g., Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) on port 3389) for domain controller management.
• Domain Admin Credentials: You'll need domain administrator credentials for your on-premises Active Directory domain.

Step-by-Step Guide: Deploying Domain Controllers on AWS

1. Launch an EC2 Instance: Navigate to the EC2 service in the AWS Management Console and launch a new EC2 instance.
2. Choose AMI: Select a Windows Server Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS) Amazon Machine Image (AMI). This pre-configured image includes the necessary software for a domain controller.
3. Instance Type: Choose an appropriate instance type based on your expected workload and user count for the domain controller.
4. Configure Instance Details: Specify network settings, storage options, and security group configuration. Ensure the security group allows RDP traffic for initial domain controller setup.

Promoting the EC2 Instance to a Domain Controller:

1. Connect to the EC2 Instance: Once your instance is launched, establish a remote desktop connection (RDP) using the public IP address assigned to the instance.
2. Server Manager: Open Server Manager and navigate to the "Manage" tab.
3. Add Roles and Features: Click "Add roles and features" to initiate the domain controller promotion process.
4. Installation Type: Choose "Install the Active Directory Domain Services" option.
5. Deployment Configuration: Select "Add a domain controller to an existing domain" and provide the domain name and credentials for your on-premises domain administrator.
6. Review and Install: Review the configuration details and click "Install" to begin the promotion process.

Post-Promotion Configuration:

1. Verify Replication: Once the promotion is complete, utilize tools like "repadmin" to verify replication between your on-premises and AWS-based domain controllers.
2. DNS Configuration: Update your on-premises DNS servers to include the DNS records for your AWS domain controller. This allows clients to locate the domain controller within the AWS environment.
3. Security Group Update: After initial configuration, restrict RDP access to your AWS domain controller's security group to only authorized IP addresses or use AWS bastions for secure access.

Additional Considerations:

• Site Configuration: For geographically distributed deployments, consider configuring Active Directory Sites and Services to optimize domain controller replication traffic across AWS regions.
• Disaster Recovery: If utilizing AWS for disaster recovery, establish a process for syncing your on-premises and AWS domain controllers periodically.
• Cost Optimization: Explore options like AWS Auto Scaling to automatically scale your domain controller instances based on user demand, potentially reducing costs.

Conclusion: Expanding Your Domain Reach

By deploying Windows domain controllers on AWS, you can extend your existing Active Directory domain to the cloud, unlocking scalability, disaster recovery benefits, and a hybrid cloud environment. Remember to carefully plan your configuration, manage security measures, and consider cost optimization strategies for your specific needs. With proper implementation, AWS can become a valuable extension to your on-premises Active Directory domain.