Installing a Windows Server will be useful. We'll use it as a DNS server and it will manage the users and their credentials.

Prerequisites

• Have a VM orchestrator. I will use VMWare ESXi, version DellEMC-ESXi-6.7U3-18828794-A16
• Download a Windows Server image. I will use SERVER_EVAL_x64FRE_en-us.iso

Creating the VM

• Open VMWare ESXi
• Open Virtual Machines
• Click on Create / Register VM
• In Select creation type, select Create a new virtual machine
• In Select a name and guest OS
  • Enter a name for the VM
  • Set Compatibility to ESXi 7.0 U2 virtual machine
  • Set Guest OS family to Windows
  • Set Guest OS version to Microsoft Windows Server 2022 (64-bit)
• In Select storage, choose the appropriate datastore
• In Customize settings
  • Set CPU to 2
  • Set Memory to 4096 MB
  • Set Hard disk 1 to 40 GB
  • Set Network Adapter 1 to the appropriate network (must have Internet)
  • Set CD/DVD Drive 1 to Datastore ISO file
    • Click on Upload
    • Upload SERVER_EVAL_x64FRE_en-us.iso in the datastore then select it
• In Ready to complete, review the settings then click Finish

Your configuration should look similar to this.

Installing Windows Server

• Power on the newly created VM
• Click on Console
• Wait for the VM to boot until you see a configuration screen
  • Set Language to install to English (United States)
  • Set Keyboard or input method to the appropriate value
• Click on Install now
• Select Windows Server 2022 Standard Evaluation (Desktop Experience)
• Accept the notices and license terms
• Select Custom: Install Microsoft Server Operating System only (advanced)
• Select Drive 0 Unallocated Space
• Windows Server is installing, give it a few minutes
• In Customize settings, set a password for the administrator account

Windows Server is now installed and ready to use.

Configuring Windows Server

• Install VMWare Tools
  • Open VMWare ESXi
  • Click on the newly created VM
  • Click on Actions
  • Click on Guest OS
  • Click on Install VMWare Tools
  • In the VM Console, open the File Explorer, open the D: drive and execute the setup file. Click Next multiple times until it installs.
  • Restart the VM
• Define the network information
  • Right-click on the Windows icon
  • Click on Settings
  • Click on Network & Internet
  • Click on Ethernet
  • Click on Change adapter options
  • Right-click on Ethernet0 then click on Properties
  • Select Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) then click on Properties
  • Fill out a static IP address for the VM
  • Fill out the DNS information
    • Preferred: 127.0.0.1
    • Alternate: 1.1.1.1
  • Click OK. A blue window will appear on the right side, click on Yes
• Enable necessary features
  • Open Server Manager
  • Click on Manage
  • Click on Add Roles and Features
  • In Installation Type, select Role-based or feature-based installation
  • In Server Selection, select the current machine
  • In Server Roles, select Active Directory Domain Services & DNS Server
  • Go to Confirmation then click Install
• Promote the machine to a Domain Controller
  • Click on the flag on the left of Manage
  • In Post-deployment Configuration, click Promote this server to a domain controller
  • In Deployment Configuration, select Add a new forest and fill out the desired domain name, shibboleth.lab
  • In Domain Controller Options, fill out a password for the DSRM
  • In Prerequisites Options, click Install when you're ready
  • Once completed, the machine will reboot
• Configure the DNS
  • Open Server Manager
  • Click on Tools
  • Click on DNS
  • Select your machine
  • Open Forward Lookup Zones
  • Open shibboleth.lab
  • Add new A records which will use the IP addresses of the machines
    • ws.shibboleth.lab
    • idp.shibboleth.lab
    • sp.shibboleth.lab
• Create a user to connect the Identity Provider to the AD
  • Open Server Manager
  • Click on Tools
  • Click on Active Directory Users and Computers
  • Open shibboleth.lab
  • Open Users
  • Click on Actions
  • In New, click on User
  • Set First name to IdPUser
  • Set User logon name to idpuser
  • Set a password. Keep it, you'll need it for later
• Changing the machine's hostname
  • Open Server Manager
  • Go in Local Server
  • Click on Computer name
  • Click on Change...
  • Set Computer name to ws
  • Click on OK
  • Reboot the machine