Adding Users and Groups
Description
This guide provides a step-by-step walkthrough for adding users, groups, and organizational units in a virtual machine homelab environment of Active Directory. The guide includes detailed instructions and screenshots to help users easily navigate the process and successfully set up their Active Directory environment. If you haven't set up an AD homelab yet, you can follow my walkthrough to create one.
Software Used
Network Map
Walk-through:
To add a user to your Active Directory, go to 'Tools' and then click on 'AD Users and Computers'.
From there, select your domain and then click on 'Users'.
Right-click and choose 'New' and then 'User'.
When setting the user's password, you will have several options, including the ability to unmark the 'user must change password on next logon' option for training purposes.
Once you have added the user, you can choose to include additional information such as their address, phone number, email address, department, and more.
To add a group, follow the same process as adding a user but select 'Group' instead of 'User'.
It's important to note that there is a difference between 'Security' and 'Distribution' groups. Security groups are used to assign permissions to shared resources, while Distribution groups are used to create email distribution lists.
You can also choose the scope of the group, which determines where the group can be applied in the forest or domain and who can be a member of the group. Be cautious when nesting groups within each other, as this can present massive security and operational risks to your organization. The only real help that Active Directory offers to combat the risks of nesting security groups is group scope.
To add a user to a group, click on 'Members' and then click 'Add'.
Select your user and save the changes.
To share a folder with your user, create a new folder on your desktop and right-click on it.
Choose 'Properties' and then select 'Share'.
Click on 'Advanced Sharing' and then add your user.
You can choose between granting them full control over the file or just the ability to change or read it.
Congratulations! Your work is done for now :)