🖥️ Domain Controller Overview¶

A standalone domain controller provides centralized authentication and directory services for all hosts connected to the refol.us domain.
This controller is deployed as a Windows Server 2022 virtual machine hosted in Proxmox, ensuring flexibility, scalability, and ease of management in the homelab environment.

⚙️ Virtual Machine Configuration (Proxmox)¶

The domain controller VM is provisioned with the following specifications:

• Memory: 4 GiB
• Processors: 4 (1 socket, 4 cores) [host]
• BIOS: OVMF (UEFI)
• Display: Default
• Machine Type: pc-q35-9.0
• SCSI Controller: VirtIO SCSI single
• Hard Disk (ide0): local, size = 32 GB
• Network Device (net0): e1000e, bridged to vmbr0
• EFI Disk: local, size = 4056 KB
• TPM State: local, size = 4 MB

VM Properties¶

• Operating System: Windows Server 2022
• OS Disk: 32 GB
• Memory: 4 GB
• CPU Allocation: 3 sockets, 1 core
• Hostname: ad0
• IP Address: 192.168.2.252
• DNS Servers:
  • Primary: 192.168.2.253
  • Secondary: 8.8.8.8

📝 These resources are optimized for a lightweight but reliable domain controller in a homelab setting. For production, scaling memory and CPU would be recommended.

🏢 Active Directory Services¶

The domain controller hosts Microsoft Active Directory (AD), providing:

• Centralized authentication for Windows and Linux hosts.
• Directory services for user, group, and computer accounts.
• Integration with applications that require domain membership or Kerberos authentication.

This ensures consistent identity management across the refol.us domain.

🔐 LDAP Integration¶

To support applications that rely on Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP), Active Directory Lightweight Directory Services (AD LDS) is installed.

• Purpose: Enables non‑Windows applications and services to authenticate against Active Directory.
• Benefit: Provides interoperability between AD and LDAP‑aware applications, ensuring seamless integration across heterogeneous environments.

✅ Summary¶

This domain controller serves as the authentication backbone of the refol.us domain.

• Proxmox provides a flexible virtualization platform.
• Windows Server 2022 delivers enterprise‑grade Active Directory services.
• AD LDS ensures LDAP compatibility for cross‑platform applications.

Together, these components create a robust, scalable, and secure identity infrastructure for the homelab.

👉 Frank, would you like me to also add a “Monitoring & Maintenance” section (covering event logs, replication health checks, and backup strategies) so this page doubles as an operational guide?