Active Directory - FOG Setting

Related articles:

• FOG Client
• Password Central

Overview

FOG can automatically join computers to an Active Directory domain.

Requirements

• FOG client application installed on hosts (usually as part of the image)
• FOG server configured to join computer computers to the domain
• FOG HostNameChanger module active on server, client, and in host configuration
• FOG 0.31 and earlier may require netdom.exe on hosts

Where to Configure

Turn on HostNameChanger module

This module determines if a host will join the domain. It must be enabled in several locations for it to work properly.

• When installing or reconfiguring the FOG client application on the host, this module must be made active for the computer to auto-join the domain.
• On the host record in the fog WebUI, Active Directory menu option must be checked to enable "Join domain after image task".
• In the server webUI, FOG configuration menu option, HostNameChanger menu option on the left, service must be enabled.

FOG Defaults

Set the default domain, username, password, and organization unit (OU) for joining computer accounts to the domain. See #Syntax details about the values for each field.

• Web UI: Other Information -> FOG Settings

Groups

Set the domain, username, password, and organization unit (OU) for joining hosts to the domain for all hosts currently in this group. See #Syntax details about the values for each field.

• Web UI: Group Management
• Search for Group name or click "List Groups"
• Click on the name of the group in the list
• Active Directory option in the menu on the left

Note: This is a applied in a batch for each host in the group when saved. These settings are not stored in the group settings permanently, nor applied to future hosts automatically when added to the group.

Individual Hosts

Set the domain, username, password, and organization unit (OU) for joining the host to the domain. See #Syntax details about the values for each field.

• Web UI: Host Management
• Search for host name or click "List All Hosts"
• Select the host computer
• Active Directory option in the menu on the left

Syntax

Join Domain after image task

Ticking this checkbox in FOG 1.3.0+ will cause the Active Directory global defaults to populate the below text boxes if the below text boxes are blank. This checkbox will also cause hosts to attempt to join the domain immediately after imaging and renaming.

Domain Name

The fully qualified domain name.

Examples:

• company
• company.ad
• company.com
• company.local

Organizational Unit

The organizational unit, in LDAP format.

Examples:

• OU=PCs,DC=company,DC=com
• OU=Lab Computers,OU=PCs,DC=company,DC=com
• [Blank] Leaving this blank will join the default OU for new PCs, usually "Computers". Comment: when leaving this field blank, I was getting "HostnameChanger The parameter is incorrect, code = 87" in the log. Entering the following seemed to resolve the problem "OU=Computers,DC=MYCOMPANYSUBDOMAIN,DC=MYCOMPANYDOMAIN,DC=COM" for me. The computer immediately joined the domain and rebooted.

Domain Username

The user in your domain you wish to use to add the computers to Active Directory.

[domain]\[account]

In Fog versions 1.0+ you do not need to specify the domain in the username field, it adds it automatically. you only need to have [account]

Example:

• company\FOGServiceAccount

For Fog 1.0+ Caveat is that do NOT Add the domain or it will not work.

• FOGServiceAccount

Note: Domain does not need to be fully qualified for Domain Username

Domain Password

For FOG 1.3.0+ The password should be typed plain-text, and will auto-encrypt on it's own when saved.

For the Legacy client (not recommended), the domain password must be encrypted using FOGCrypt.

Reboot host on hostname changes and AD changes even if users are logged in?

This setting will configure the client to enforce the hostname / AD setting regardless of if a user is logged in. So if enabled, the client will restart the computer to update the hostname even when a user is logged in. If disabled, the client will wait until no one is using the computer before restarting to apply the hostname / AD.

Testing with Netdom to troubleshoot

Windows Command Line(cmd)

FOGPassword is NOT encrypted for the command line test.

Join Domain

netdom JOIN mypcHostname /Domain:SyperiorSoft /OU:FOGou /UserD:FOGUser /passwordd:FOGPassword /reboot:35

Remove from Domain

netdom REMOVE mypcHostname /domain:SyperiorSoft /UserD:FOGUser /passwordd:FOGPassword