Create-TestDomainController

A PowerShell automation solution for creating and managing an Azure-based Domain Controller VM that automatically shuts down at 9pm MST to minimize costs.nimize costs.

Overview

This repository contains scripts that automate the deployment, configuration, and cleanup of a fully functional Windows Server 2022 Domain Controller in Azure. It's designed specifically for test environments and includes cost-saving features like automatic shutdown.

Scripts

• Create-TestDomainController.ps1: Deploys and configures a Domain Controller in Azure
• Delete-TestDomainController.ps1: Removes the Domain Controller and associated Azure resources

Key Features

• One-click deployment: Creates all necessary Azure resources automatically
• Auto-shutdown: VM automatically shuts down at 9pm Mountain Standard Time
• Test accounts: Automatically creates test user accounts in Active Directory
• Hardened security: Implements recommended security settings for Domain Controllers
• PowerShell 7.5.0 compatible: Runs natively on Windows 11 Pro workstations
• No server dependencies: Can be executed from any client workstation with proper modules
• Error resilience: Includes robust error handling and diagnostic logging
• Trusted Launch: Enables Azure security features including vTPM and Secure Boot
• Full cleanup: Ability to remove all created resources while preserving the resource group

Prerequisites

• Windows 11 Pro workstation
• PowerShell 7.5.0 or later
• Azure PowerShell modules (Az module)
• Active Azure subscription with contributor access
• Administrative privileges on local workstation

Installation

1. Clone this repository to your local machine:

   git clone https://github.com/your-username/TestDomainController.git
   

2. Navigate to the repository directory:

   cd TestDomainController
   

3. Install required PowerShell modules (if not already installed):

   Install-Module -Name Az -AllowClobber -Scope CurrentUser -Force

4. Connect to your Azure account:

   Connect-AzAccount

5. Create an .env file in the repository directory with the following credentials:

   ADMIN_PASSWORD=YourSecurePassword123!
   SAFE_MODE_PASSWORD=YourSafeModePassword123!
   TEST_USER_PASSWORD=YourTestUserPassword123!
   

Usage

Creating a Domain Controller

Run the script with default parameters:

.\Create-TestDomainController.ps1

This will create a domain controller with these default settings:

• Resource Group: MD-TEST-RG2
• VM Name: MD-TEST-DC01
• Location: westus2
• Domain: MDtest.local
• VM Size: Standard_D2s_v3
• Admin Username: MDadmin

Create-TestDomainController Parameters

Parameter	Description	Default
ResourceGroupName	Azure resource group name	MD-TEST-RG2
Location	Azure region	westus2
VMSize	VM size/SKU	Standard_D2s_v3
VMName	Name of VM	MD-TEST-DC01
VnetName	Virtual network name	MD-TEST-VNET
SubnetName	Subnet name	MD-TEST-SUBNET
StorageAccountName	Storage account name	MDteststorage0
ContainerName	Storage container name	scripts
DomainName	AD domain name	MDtest.local
AdminUsername	Administrator username	MDadmin
TestUserPrefix	Prefix for test user accounts	TestUser
ShutdownTime	Auto-shutdown time (24hr format)	2100
TimeZone	Time zone for auto-shutdown	Mountain Standard Time

Custom Configuration Example

.\Create-TestDomainController.ps1 `
    -ResourceGroupName "MyTestRG" `
    -Location "eastus" `
    -VMName "MyTestDC" `
    -VMSize "Standard_B2s" `
    -DomainName "mytest.local" `
    -AdminUsername "myadmin" `
    -ShutdownTime "2000"

Deleting a Domain Controller

To remove all resources created by the deployment script:

.\Delete-TestDomainController.ps1

This will remove the VM, disks, network interfaces, public IPs, NSG, virtual network, and storage accounts.

Delete-TestDomainController Parameters

Parameter	Description	Default
ResourceGroupName	Azure resource group name	MD-TEST-RG2
VMName	Name of VM to delete	MD-TEST-DC01
VnetName	Virtual network name	MD-TEST-VNET
StorageAccountName	Storage account name	MDteststorage0
OSDiskName	OS disk resource name	MD-TEST-DC01-OSDISK

Custom Deletion Example

.\Delete-TestDomainController.ps1 `
    -ResourceGroupName "MyTestRG" `
    -VMName "MyTestDC" `
    -VnetName "MyTestVNET"

Security Notes

• Environment variables in .env file store sensitive credentials
• Domain security is hardened with recommended settings for testing purposes
• Trusted Launch is enabled with vTPM and Secure Boot
• Network security group allows specific ports for domain services
• Static IP configuration for network stability
• Not recommended for production use without additional security measures

Logging

Logs are stored in the Logs directory with a timestamp. Each run creates a new log file with detailed output for troubleshooting:

• Create-TestDomainController_YYYYMMDD_HHMMSS.log
• Delete-TestDomainController_YYYYMMDD_HHMMSS.log

Auto-Shutdown

The VM is scheduled to automatically shut down at the specified time (default: 9:00 PM Mountain Standard Time) to save costs. You can modify this by setting the -ShutdownTime parameter (24-hour format) and -TimeZone parameter.

Connect to the VM

After deployment, the script displays connection information:

• RDP to the public IP address
• Username: admin (or custom admin username)

This project is licensed under the UnLicense - see the LICENSE file for details.