Identity with Windows Server (55344)

This five-day instructor-led course teaches IT professionals how to deploy and configure Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS) in a distributed environment, how to implement Group Policy, how to perform backup and restore, and how to monitor and troubleshoot Active Directory - related issues with Windows Server. Additionally, this course teaches students how to deploy other Active Directory server roles, such as Active Directory Federation Services (AD FS) and Active Directory Certificate Services (AD CS).

Although this course and the associated labs are written for Windows Server 2022, the skills taught will also be backwards compatible for Server 2016 and Server 2019.
The course and labs also focus on how to administer Windows Server using not only the traditional tools such as PowerShell and Server manager, but also Windows Admin Center.

Module 1: Installing and configuring domain controllers

This module describes the features of AD DS and how to install domain controllers (DCs). It also covers the considerations for deploying DCs.

Lessons

• Overview of AD DS
• Overview of AD DS domain controllers
• Deploying a domain controller

Module 2: Managing objects in AD DS

This module describes how to use various techniques to manage objects in AD DS. This includes creating and configuring user, group, and computer objects)

Lessons

• Managing user accounts
• Managing groups in AD DS
• Managing computer objects in AD DS
• Using Windows PowerShell for AD DS administration
• Implementing and managing OUs

Module 3: Advanced AD DS infrastructure management

This module describes how to plan and implement an AD DS deployment that includes multiple domains and forests. The module provides an overview of the components in an advanced AD DS deployment, the process of implementing a distributed AD DS environment, and the procedure for configuring AD DS trusts.

Lessons

• Overview of advanced AD DS deployments
• Deploying a distributed AD DS environment
• Configuring AD DS trusts

Module 4: Implementing and administering AD DS sites and replication

This module describes how to plan and implement an AD DS deployment that includes multiple locations. The module explains how replication works in a Windows Server AD DS environment.

Lessons

• Overview of AD DS replication
• Configuring AD DS sites
• Configuring and monitoring AD DS replication

Module 5: Implementing Group Policy

This module describes how to implement a GPO infrastructure. The module provides an overview of the components and technologies that compose the Group Policy framework.

Lessons

• Introducing Group Policy
• Implementing and administering GPOs
• Group Policy scope and Group Policy processing
• Troubleshooting the application of GPOs

Module 6: Managing user settings with Group Policy

This module describes how to configure Group Policy settings and Group Policy preferences. This includes implementing administrative templates, configuring folder redirection and scripts, and configuring Group Policy preferences.

Lessons

• Implementing administrative templates
• Configuring Folder Redirection, software installation, and scripts
• Configuring Group Policy preferences

Module 7: Securing Active Directory Domain Services

This module describes how to configure domain controller security, account security, password security, and Group Managed Service Accounts (gMSA).

Lessons

• Securing domain controllers
• Implementing account security
• Implementing audit authentication
• Configuring managed service accounts

Module 8: Deploying and managing AD CS

This module describes how to implement an AD CS deployment. This includes deploying, administering, and troubleshooting CAs.

Lessons

• Deploying CAs
• Administering CAs
• Troubleshooting and maintaining CAs

Module 9: Deploying and managing certificates

This module describes how to deploy and manage certificates in an AD DS environment. This involves deploying and managing certificate templates, managing certificate revocation and recovery, using certificates in a business environment, and implementing smart cards.

Lessons

• Deploying and managing certificate templates
• Managing certificate deployment, revocation, and recovery
• Using certificates in a business environment
• Implementing and managing smart cards

Module 10: Implementing and administering AD FS

This module describes AD FS and how to configure AD FS in a single-organization scenario and in a partner-organization scenario.

Lessons

• Overview of AD FS
• AD FS requirements and planning
• Deploying and configuring AD FS
• Web Application Proxy Overview

Module 11: Implementing and administering AD RMS

This module describes how to implement an AD RMS deployment. The module provides an overview of AD RMS, explains how to deploy and manage an AD RMS infrastructure, and explains how to configure AD RMS content protection.

Lessons

• Overview of AD RMS
• Deploying and managing an AD RMS infrastructure
• Configuring AD RMS content protection

Module 12: Implementing AD DS synchronization with Microsoft Azure AD

This module describes how to plan and configure directory syncing between Microsoft Azure Active Directory (Azure AD) and on-premises AD DS. The modules describes various sync scenarios, such as Azure AD sync, AD FS and Azure AD, and Azure AD Connect.

Lessons

• Planning and preparing for directory synchronization
• Implementing directory synchronization by using Azure AD Connect
• Managing identities with directory synchronization.

Module 13: Monitoring, managing, and recovering AD DS

This module describes how to monitor, manage, and maintain AD DS to help achieve high availability of AD DS.

Lessons

• Monitoring AD DS
• Managing the Active Directory database
• Active Directory backup and recovery options for AD DS and other identity and access solutions

• Some exposure to and experience with Active Directory concepts and technologies in Windows Server.
• Experience working with and configuring Windows Server.
• Experience and an understanding of core networking technologies such as IP addressing, name resolution, and Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP)
• Experience working with and an understanding basic server virtualization concepts.
• An awareness of basic security best practices.
• Hands-on working experience with Windows client operating systems such as Windows 10 or Windows 11.
• Basic experience with the Windows PowerShell command-line interface.

This course is primarily intended for existing IT professionals who have some AD DS knowledge and experience and who aim to develop knowledge about identity and access technologies in Windows Server. This would typically include:

• AD DS administrators who are looking to train in identity and access technologies with Windows Server 2016, Windows Server 2019 or Windows Server 2022.
• System or infrastructure administrators with general AD DS experience and knowledge who are looking to cross-train in core and advanced identity and access technologies in Windows Server 2016, Windows Server 2019 or Windows Server 2022.