Joining a Windows guest domain using VMware vCloud Director

Products

• VMware
• VMware Cloud Director

Issue/Introduction

This article explains the requirements to automatically join Windows virtual machines to a domain during the customization process.

Environment

VMware Cloud Director for Service Provider 10.x
VMware Cloud Director for Service Provider 9.6.x
VMware Cloud Director for Service Provider 9.x
VMware Cloud Director 1.0.x
VMware Cloud Director for Service Provider 8.10.x
VMware Cloud Director 1.5.x
VMware Cloud Director for Service Provider 8.0.x
VMware Cloud Director for Service Provider 9.7.x
VMware Cloud Director for Service Provider 9.0.x
VMware Cloud Director 5.1.x
VMware Cloud Director for Service Provider 5.6.x
VMware Cloud Director 5.5.x
VMware Cloud Director for Service Provider 9.5.x

Resolution

The automatic domain join feature during customization has these requirements:

• If the source virtual machine network properties are configured so that the domain controller is not resolvable, the domain join fails.
• If the source virtual machine is configured with a manually configured DNS, that DNS is contacted to resolve the domain controller even if the manually configured DNS is not on the network. If the DNS cannot be found, the domain join fails.
• If the source Windows 2000 virtual machine is configured with DHCP, the new network DHCP is used to attempt to resolve the domain controller. In this case, if the DNS that is configured to the DHCP can resolve the domain controller, domain join succeeds.
  During customization for Microsoft Windows XP or later, Microsoft Sysprep resets the guest to configure the network settings to DHCP before attempting to join the domain, regardless of the source virtual machine or network settings. For automatic domain join to succeed, the DHCP on the network must be able to resolve the domain controller.

Notes:

• Sysprep does not support NT customization. Windows Vista and later have Sysprep shipped with the operating system.
• Manual customization steps are required for both Windows NT and Solaris x86.
• A virtual machine can join a Windows guest domain when you personalize your guest operating system. In a virtual machine's Properties page, the Enable guest customization check box must be selected.

To join a Windows guest domain:

1. Click My Cloud.
2. In the left pane, click VMs.
3. Right-click a virtual machine, and choose Properties.
4. Click the Guest OS Customization tab.
5. Select Enable this VM to join a domain.
   
   Note: Override organization settings is selected by default.
   
   
6. Type a domain name, user name, and password.
7. Under Customization Script, click Browse to upload a locally saved file.
8. Click OK.
   
   The selected virtual machine joins the Windows guest domain.