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I want to setup AD on a brand new server, but I do not have network access at this time. &nbsp;I just want to get DNS, AD, workgroups, user accounts, file access permissions, etc., setup before it goes to a client site. &nbsp;I usually have the network and Internet access beforehand, but this time that's not an option. &nbsp;I just want to avoid doing all this work beforehand, and then when its deployed at the remote location it will have to be redone, etc. &nbsp;Is this recommended, and will it work setting up well in advance, etc? 
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I want to setup AD on a brand new server, but I do not have network access at this time.  I just want to get DNS, AD, workgroups, user accounts, file access permissions, etc., setup before it goes to a client site.  I usually have the network and Internet access beforehand, but this time that's not an option.  I just want to avoid doing all this work beforehand, and then when its deployed at the remote location it will have to be redone, etc.  Is this recommended, and will it work setting up well in advance, etc? 

Install Windows 2003 Active Directory without network or Internet access.

Active Directory (AD) is a Microsoft brand for identity-related capabilities. In the on-premises world, Windows Server AD provides a set of identity capabilities and services, and is hugely popular (88% of Fortune 1000 and 95% of enterprises use AD). This topic includes all things Active Directory including DNS, Group Policy, DFS, troubleshooting, ADFS, and all other topics under the Microsoft AD and identity umbrella.

Active Directory

The Domain Name System (DNS) is a hierarchical, globally distributed system responsible for associating the name of a computer, service or other resource into an IP address for connecting to the Internet or a private network. Most prominently, it translates domain names to the numerical IP addresses needed for the purpose of computer services and devices worldwide.

Windows Server 2003 was based on Windows XP and was released in four editions: Web, Standard, Enterprise and Datacenter. It also had derivative versions for clusters, storage and Microsoft’s Small Business Server. Important upgrades included integrating Internet Information Services (IIS), improvements to Active Directory (AD) and Group Policy (GP), and the migration to Automated System Recovery (ASR).