In this post, I will show you how to install Active Directory for SCCM. Before installing Configuration Manager, it is important to have a domain controller installed. Only then you can use SCCM for managing the updates to devices, deploying applications, imaging machines, monitoring, etc.
Starting in Configuration Manager version 2409, the Windows Server 2025 operating system is supported for installing Site Server and Site System Roles. Server 2025 comes with useful features such as Windows Hotpatching, NUMA support, 32k page database support, and a new AD functional level.
According to Microsoft, all Configuration Manager site systems must be members of a supported Active Directory domain to function properly. However, the SCCM client computers can be domain members or workgroup members. Most importantly, the SCCM server must reside in the same domain as the Active Directory server.
Installing vs Configuring AD DS for SCCM
Installing AD for ConfigMgr involves creating a new domain controller that authenticates and authorizes all users and computers in a Windows domain. Whereas configuring SCCM for Active Directory involves creating a system management container and extending the AD schema.
One of the most common questions asked during an SCCM job interview is whether you need a domain for Configuration Manager?. Absolutely, SCCM relies on Active Directory (AD) to manage devices and users within a domain environment. It utilizes the discovery methods to identify different resources from the Active Directory domain.
Let me walk you through the process of setting up Active Directory for SCCM. This guide has been updated to include the screenshots of the AD installation on Server 2025 for your SCCM lab.
Prerequisites
- Assign a static IP address to the Windows Server that is going to be promoted to a domain controller.
- The system must support the operating system required for Active Directory.
- Install the latest Windows updates on the server.
- The server should have at least 100 GB of disk space and 4 GB of RAM to run Active Directory.
- Lastly, a valid server license is required for activating the server.
Refer to the Configuration Manager prerequisites guide, where I outline what is required to set up SCCM in your organization.
Install Active Directory for SCCM
To begin, log in to the Windows Server 2025, click Start and launch the Server Manager.

On the Server Manager Dashboard, click Add roles and features.

For installation type, select Role-based or feature-based installation. Click Next.

On the Server Selection page, select a server to install the Active Directory role for Configuration Manager. Click Next.

Select Active Directory Domain Services from the list of Roles. When you choose to add the AD DS role, additional roles or features are also installed, such as RSAT, AD DS and AD LDS tools, the AD module for PowerShell, etc. Click Add Features and then click Next.

The features required for installing Active Directory Domain Services are preselected. You may include the .NET Framework 3.5.1 feature as well. Once done, click Next.

On the AD DS page, you’ll find some important points regarding the domain controller features and requirements. Click Next to proceed.

When you promote a server to domain controller, it usually requires a restart. On the Confirmation page, check the box “Restart the destination server automatically if required,” and the server will reboot automatically when needed.
If you have selected additional features for installation, such as .NET Framework 3.5, you must specify the alternate source path for installation files. All you need to do is mount the server ISO and specify the path as: DriveLetter:\Sources\SXS folder. Click Install.

Promote the Server to a Domain Controller
After the Active Directory Domain Services installation is complete, the next step is to promote the server to a domain controller. This is an important step and must be done carefully.
On the Results page, wait until you see the message “Configuration required. Installation succeeded on server” and then click on Promote this server to a domain controller.

On the Deployment Configuration page, select Add a new forest and enter the root domain name. Click Next.

Select the functional level of the new forest and root domain. In the below example, I have set Windows Server 2025 as my forest functional level and domain function level.
Next, enter the Directory Service Restore Mode (DSRM) password twice and click Next.

Click Next on the DNS options page.

A NetBIOS name is a unique identifier, up to 15 characters long, with a 16th character type identifier. This allows NetBIOS services to use to identify resources on a network running NetBIOS over TCP/IP (NetBT). The NETBIOS domain name is populated from the domain name information that you provided in the earlier step. Click Next to continue.

By default, the location of the AD DS database, log files and SYSVOL paths are created in the C:\Windows folder. You don’t need to change them unless you’ve a business requirement. Click Next.

Review the configuration for the final time and click Next.

On the Prerequisite Check page, wait until all of the checks are complete. If you see any errors, you should resolve them before you proceed further. If all the prerequisite checks have passed successfully, click Install.

The Windows Server is now promoted to a domain controller for SCCM. Your server will restart to complete this process. Following the restart, on the log-in screen, you should see the Administrator account prefixed with your domain name, indicating that this server is now part of the new domain.
To verify if the Windows Server 2025 is successfully promoted to domain controller, sign in to the Windows Server and go to System > About. Under Device Specifications, choose Advanced System settings and on the System Properties window, select the Computer Name tab. Here you can find the FQDN and domain name details.

To precisely determine if the current Windows Server is a domain controller, launch the command prompt and run the command “echo %logonserver%“. That should reveal your current DC.

Congratulations! using the procedure demonstrated above, we have successfully installed Active Directory Domain Services for SCCM. In the upcoming post, we will look at how to extend the AD schema and create a system management container for SCCM.
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