I decided to replace one of the DCs in my test environment with a Windows 2012 Server Core machine. Server Core has really come of age in Windows 2012 ““ its easy to configure.

I"™ve covered configuring a server before but to recap:

• Rename the machine ““ use Rename-Computer
• Set Network ““ use Set-NetIPInterface (address) & et-DnsClientServerAddress( dns address) & Rename-netAdapter
• Join to domain ““ use Add-Computer

To create the domain controller use the ADDSDeployment module. You"™ll only find this on servers where you"™ve installed the AD Domain Services feature which you do like this:

Install-WindowsFeature -Name AD-Domain-Services -Confirm:$false

Import the module

Import-Module ADDSDeployment
Get-Command -Module ADDSDeployment

Create the Domain Controller. This is the equivalent of running DCPROMO in earlier versions. Even better you don"™t need the answer file. Everything is a parameter on the cmdlet.

Install-ADDSDomain Controller -DomainName “manticore.org” -InstallDns -Credential (Get-Credential manticore\richard) -ApplicationPartitionsToReplicate *

Thats it! Just wait for replication to happen.

You can also demote a domain controller

$cred = Get-Credential
Uninstall-ADDSDomainController -Credential $cred -RemoveApplicationPartitions -Confirm:$false

Restart the machine and uninstall AD & DNS

Uninstall-WindowsFeature -Name AD-Domain-Services, DNS -Confirm:$false
Restart-Computer -ComputerName dc02

Leave the domain

$cred = Get-Credential manticore\richard
Remove-Computer -UnjoinDomainCredential $cred -Workgroup Test

Trash the VM.

And best of all it works over remoting. You will need to recreate the session for restarts & changes but it is really easy.

Server Core is now a much friendlier option.