Join a ScaleArc node to the AD domain as a Machine Account

Release	Classification	Level	DB Platform	Categories
3.11+	Information		SQL Server	Kerberos

Prerequisites:

Make sure you have the following prerequisites to successfully to join the ScaleArc node to the AD domain.

1. Ensure that the AD server is reachable from the ScaleArc node.
2. Appropriate DNS server and Search Domain is added to the ScaleArc network settings.
3. Set the NTP server in ScaleArc to the one set on the Active Directory server of the KDC. It is advisable to set a maximum tolerance for computer clock synchronization to a value of five minutes.
4. You have domain administrator account privileges.
5. Ensure that forward and reverse DNS lookup zones are configured correctly for SQL server and ScaleArc.
6. Check the DNS server, it should be the same as the one configured in Active Directory or the authentication server in the Kerberos environment (KDC). Note that ScaleArc's hostname should be in lower case without any special characters, such as underscore or period.

Follow these steps to join ScaleArc as a machine account:

1. Click the Settings tab > System Settings on the ScaleArc dashboard.
   
   
   
   
2. Click the Windows AD Setup tab. 
   
   
   
   
3. Select Machine Account. Then, complete the fields as follows:
   

    

   Field	Description	Default/User input
   Fully Qualified Domain Name (FQDN)	The FQDN of the domain that you want the ScaleArc appliance to join.	Enter an appropriate domain name.
   Workgroup	The workgroup (Domain NetBIOS Name) that you want the ScaleArc appliance to join.	Enter a valid workgroup name.
   Active Directory (AD) Server	The active directory server FQDN (fully qualified domain name) that the domain is configured on. Note that the server name should not include a trailing dot (".") at the end, unless you are using a valid DNS entry for the name.	Enter the FQDN.
   Administrative username	The username of the account that has the privilege to add the ScaleArc appliance to the domain as a machine account.	Enter the username.
   Password	The administrator password.	Enter the password.
   Advanced Settings	The button to launch a screen for additional configurations. This setting appears only after you join.	Click to open the related screen.

4. Click Join to complete the setup. A successful join posts this dialog box. Click OK. Once connected, you can use Unjoin to leave the domain.
   
   
   
   
5. Click Advanced Settings if you wish to add sub-domains. This is an optional setting.
6. Enter one or more sub-domains and their corresponding AD servers. Click Add.
   
   
   
   
7. The ScaleArc appliance shows up in the Active Directory Users and Computers console. This creates a machine account for the ScaleArc appliance, using the naming convention <hostname$>.

If you are experiencing issues with ScaleArc or with any of it's features, please contact ScaleArc Support. We are available 24x7 by phone at 855 800 7225 or +1 408 412 7315.

For general support inquiries, you can also e-mail us at support@scalearc.com.