Add a Windows 8 Computer to the Domain

What is a domain name?

A domain is a logical partition created when an administrator installs a network operating system, such as Windows Server 2008, and promotes it to be a domain controller. When a network operating system is promoted as a domain controller, it enables buy email list centralized management of all client computers that have been added to the domain network.

What is centralized management?

Centralized management means that the entire network of computers is controlled and managed by a single system, typically a domain controller. Administrators can configure various policies on domain controllers, which are then enforced simultaneously on all client computers.

Additionally, when the domain controller is configured, the administrator creates user accounts that can be used to log on to multiple domains on the client computer. This is a one-time process that eliminates the requirement to create a separate user account on each client's computer.

By configuring appropriate Group Policy on domain controllers, administrators can save a decent amount of their time by deploying (auto-installing) various applications on all client computers in a single go.

By configuring domain controllers accordingly, administrators can restrict or allow all users in an organization to perform certain tasks. In order to restrict or allow users, they do not need to configure settings separately for each user account.

Disadvantages of Domains

A unique, but mostly disadvantageous, domain-oriented network environment is that it has a single point of failure. This means that if a domain controller fails, for any reason, the entire network fails and comes up only when the domain controller starts working properly again.

Considerations before adding a computer to a domain

• The client computer must have a unique hostname assigned to it within the network.
• The client computer must have a static IP address assigned to it.
• The client's computer must provide the correct DNS address.

How do I join a computer to a domain?

To add a Windows 8 computer field, the following steps must be followed:

1. Log in to the Windows 8 computer using the credentials of a local administrator account, that is, to add to the domain.
2. Click on the Desktop tile from the Start screen to go to the desktop.
3. Once on the desktop screen, click the File Explorer icon in the taskbar.
4. In the library‘s window, from the left pane, right-click the My Computer icon.
5. From the context menu phone number list that appears, click Properties.
6. In the System window, click the Change Settings option under the Computer Name, Domain and Work Settings section from the right pane.
7. In System Properties, make sure the Computer Name tab is selected.
8. Once the label is selected, click the Change button.
9. In the Computer Name/Domain Change dialog box, click the Member Select Domain radio button.
10. In the Enabled field, specify that this computer is the fully qualified domain name (FQDN) of the domain to be added. When done, click the OK button.
11. In the welcome message box that pops up, click OK.
12. Click OK on the next display.
13. Return to the System Properties dialog and click Close when done.
14. In Microsoft Windows, click the Restart Now button to automatically restart the Windows 8 computer for the changes to take effect.