Chicked and egg (AD on UNRAID)

Currently running trial version as I get this sorted in my head to see if I finally move to UNRAID.

Old Setup, Windows Server running Windows 2019 DC. A few VM's (Windows and Linux) plus some Appliances (PFSense and Home Assistant) all running in Hyper-V. All disks assigned to host 2019 server and shared out from there. Either as shares on the Host or added to VM's. AD ruinning too on host and a VM.

Lookign to move to UNRAID to replace the old server (it is very old). The problem I have is the AD servers will be a VM on Unraid. As will any other device as a VM. How does UNRAID function on startup as a domain join for the issue of file shares when it needs to start the array and the VM's for AD to be available. Hence the chicked and egg. Also what is the best way to have shares presented from UNRAID to a Windows VM to then be shared out and managed from AD.

Has anyone done a similar setup to say if this is even workable or do I need to rethink my approach here. Which could be to present storage to the VM's then share that out and not do shares from UNRAID. Which is actually starting to seem like the most logical approach here.

Edit:

Done some playing around and looks like only way to get what I am after with AD managed shares with the AD Server as a VM on UNRAID. Is by adding additional virtual disks to the VM which it then has the shares in there to share out under AD control.

If anyone has a better workable solution please feel free to advise.

Edited September 16, 20223 yr by R.M.H