Install lightweight Active Directory on Windows 7 for Development purposes without domain?

Question

Is there a way to install lightweight Active Directory on Windows 7 for Development purposes without domain? I've downloaded the "AD LDS" for Windows 7 and installed it but it seems to require a actual domain server exist on the network. Isn't it possible to run a active directory on the domain called "localhost" ?

Solution 1

If you're looking to develop against something that looks and smells like Active Directory, then AD LDS is no substitute - contrary to what you'd intuitively think from the name, it does not provide just a "slimmed down" AD.

Create a development domain with a real AD Domain Services install.

Solution 2

To answer the original question, you can install ADLDS for W7 without a domain present. A workgroup W7 machine will suffice. It need not be a domain member. The http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc731246(WS.10).aspx step by step guide might be useful to you.

ADLDS is a LDAP server and if your requirements are to test code for reading/writing LDAP intended for AD, then you could test againt ADLDS. You might find the http://directoryprogramming.net/ site and accompanying book useful.

If your requirements are more than simply a LDAP server, then as per Shane's recommendation you'd need to implement a lab environment with full AD installation.

Solution 3

The AD LDS for windows 7 installation adds three components to your Administrator Tools which are:

1. Active Directory Lightweight Directory Service setup wizard
2. Active Directory Sites and Services
3. ADSI Edit

Use the last one to create a local instance of an Active Directory for your dev :)

Comments

[ravi yarlagadda]

@djangofan MS has a good overview here.

[djangofan]

Yeah, I was having trouble because the LDS service doesn't give you any way of creating users. I think that is the case because it requires that you replicate/feed from a actual Domain Server. So, in other words, it only works if your on a domain or near one.

[maweeras]

You need to import the schema for creating objects using the objectclass of interest. The LDS Schema by default is very basic. MS-user.ldf is the file you need to import.

[maweeras]

As for the instructions on creating users, please see the step by step guide I quote earlier. Specifically, this section technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc730701(WS.10).aspx

[djangofan]

Shane, can you explain why the other answers in this thread seem to conflict with your answer?