Course Outline
Module 1: Windows Server Security
This module discusses how to protect an Active Directory environment by securing user accounts with least privilege and placing them in the Protected Users group. It covers limiting authentication scope and remediation of potentially insecure accounts. The module also describes how to harden the security configuration of a Windows Server operating system environment. Furthermore, it discusses using Windows Server Update Services to deploy operating system updates to networked computers. Finally, the module covers securing Windows Server DNS to help protect the network name resolution infrastructure.
Lessons
- Securing Windows Server user accounts.
- Hardening Windows Server.
- Windows Server Update Management.
- Securing Windows Server DNS.
Lab: Configuring Security in Windows Server
- Configuring Windows Defender Credential Guard.
- Locating problematic accounts.
- Implementing LAPS.
After completing this module, students will be able to:
- Diagnose and remediate potential security vulnerabilities in Windows Server resources.
- Harden the security configuration of the Windows Server operating system environment.
- Deploy operating system updates to computers on a network using Windows Server Update Services.
- Secure Windows Server DNS to help protect the network name resolution infrastructure.
- Implement DNS policies.
Module 2: Implementing Security Solutions in Hybrid Scenarios
This module describes how to secure on-premises Windows Server resources and Azure IaaS workloads. It covers improving network security for Windows Server infrastructure as a service (IaaS) VMs and diagnosing network security issues with these VMs. The module introduces Azure Security Center and explains how to onboard Windows Server computers to Security Center. It also describes enabling Azure Update Management, deploying updates, reviewing update assessments, and managing updates for Azure VMs. The module explains how Adaptive application controls and BitLocker disk encryption are used to protect Windows Server IaaS VMs. Finally, it explains how to monitor Windows Server Azure IaaS VMs for changes in files and the registry, as well as monitoring modifications made to application software.
Lessons
- Implementing Windows Server IaaS VM network security.
- Auditing the security of Windows Server IaaS Virtual Machines.
- Managing Azure updates.
- Creating and implementing application allowlists with adaptive application control.
- Configuring BitLocker disk encryption for Windows IaaS Virtual Machines.
- Implementing change tracking and file integrity monitoring for Windows Server IaaS VMs.
Lab: Using Azure Security Center in Hybrid Scenarios
- Provisioning Azure VMs running Windows Server.
- Configuring Azure Security Center.
- Onboarding on-premises Windows Server into Azure Security Center.
- Verifying the hybrid capabilities of Azure Security Center.
- Configuring Windows Server security in Azure VMs.
After completing this module, students will be able to:
- Diagnose network security issues in Windows Server IaaS virtual machines.
- Onboard Windows Server computers to Azure Security Center.
- Deploy and manage updates for Azure VMs by enabling Azure Automation Update Management.
- Implement Adaptive application controls to protect Windows Server IaaS VMs.
- Configure Azure Disk Encryption for Windows IaaS VMs.
- Back up and recover encrypted data.
- Monitor Windows Server Azure IaaS VMs for changes in files and the registry.
Module 3: Implementing High Availability
This module describes technologies and options for creating a highly available Windows Server environment. It introduces Clustered Shared Volumes for shared storage access across multiple cluster nodes. The module highlights failover clustering, stretch clusters, and cluster sets for implementing high availability of Windows Server workloads. It also discusses high availability provisions for Hyper-V and Windows Server VMs, such as network load balancing, live migration, and storage migration. The module covers high availability options for shares hosted on Windows Server file servers. Finally, it describes how to implement scaling for virtual machine scale sets and load-balanced VMs, and how to implement Azure Site Recovery.
Lessons
- Introduction to Cluster Shared Volumes.
- Implementing Windows Server failover clustering.
- Implementing high availability of Windows Server VMs.
- Implementing Windows Server File Server high availability.
- Implementing scaling and high availability with Windows Server VMs.
Lab: Implementing Failover Clustering
- Configuring iSCSI storage.
- Configuring a failover cluster.
- Deploying and configuring a highly available file server.
- Validating the deployment of the highly available file server.
After completing this module, students will be able to:
- Implement highly available storage volumes using Cluster Shared Volumes.
- Implement highly available Windows Server workloads using failover clustering.
- Describe Hyper-V VMs load balancing.
- Implement Hyper-V VMs live migration and Hyper-V VMs storage migration.
- Describe Windows Server File Server high availability options.
- Implement scaling for virtual machine scale sets and load-balanced VMs.
- Implement Azure Site Recovery.
Module 4: Disaster Recovery in Windows Server
This module introduces Hyper-V Replica as a business continuity and disaster recovery solution for virtual environments. It discusses Hyper-V Replica scenarios and use cases, as well as prerequisites for its use. The module also discusses implementing Azure Site Recovery in on-premises scenarios to recover from disasters.
Lessons
- Implementing Hyper-V Replica.
- Protecting on-premises infrastructure from disasters with Azure Site Recovery.
Lab: Implementing Hyper-V Replica and Windows Server Backup
- Implementing Hyper-V Replica.
- Implementing backup and restore with Windows Server Backup.
After completing this module, students will be able to:
- Describe Hyper-V Replica, prerequisites for its use, and its high-level architecture and components.
- Describe Hyper-V Replica use cases and security considerations.
- Configure Hyper-V Replica settings, health monitoring, and failover options.
- Describe extended replication.
- Replicate, failover, and failback virtual machines and physical servers with Azure Site Recovery.
Module 5: Implementing Recovery Services in Hybrid Scenarios
This module covers tools and technologies for implementing disaster recovery in hybrid scenarios, whereas the previous module focuses on BCDR solutions for on-premises scenarios. The module begins with Azure Backup as a service to protect files and folders before highlighting how to implement Recovery Vaults and Azure Backup Policies. It describes how to recover Windows IaaS virtual machines, perform backup and restore of on-premises workloads, and manage Azure VM backups. The module also covers providing disaster recovery for Azure infrastructure by managing and orchestrating replication, failover, and failback of Azure virtual machines with Azure Site Recovery.
Lessons
- Implementing hybrid backup and recovery with Windows Server IaaS.
- Protecting Azure infrastructure with Azure Site Recovery.
- Protecting virtual machines by using Azure Backup.
Lab: Implementing Azure-based Recovery Services
- Implementing the lab environment.
- Creating and configuring an Azure Site Recovery vault.
- Implementing Hyper-V VM protection by using Azure Site Recovery vault.
- Implementing Azure Backup.
After completing this module, students will be able to:
- Recover Windows Server IaaS virtual machines by using Azure Backup.
- Use Azure Backup to help protect data for on-premises servers and virtualized workloads.
- Implement Recovery Vaults and Azure Backup policies.
- Protect Azure VMs with Azure Site Recovery.
- Run a disaster recovery drill to validate protection.
- Failover and failback Azure virtual machines.
Module 6: Upgrade and Migrate in Windows Server
This module discusses approaches to migrating and updating Windows Server workloads running in earlier versions of Windows Server. It covers the necessary strategies needed to move domain controllers to Windows Server 2022 and describes how the Active Directory Migration Tool can consolidate domains within a forest or migrate domains to a new AD DS forest. The module also discusses using Storage Migration Service to migrate files and file shares from existing file servers to new servers running Windows Server 2022. Finally, it covers installing and using the Windows Server Migration Tools cmdlets to migrate commonly used server roles from earlier versions of Windows Server.
Lessons
- Active Directory Domain Services migration.
- Migrating file server workloads using Storage Migration Service.
- Migrating Windows Server roles.
Lab: Migrating Windows Server Workloads to IaaS VMs
- Deploying AD DS domain controllers in Azure.
- Migrating file server shares by using Storage Migration Service.
After completing this module, students will be able to:
- Compare upgrading an AD DS forest and migrating to a new AD DS forest.
- Describe the Active Directory Migration Tool (ADMT).
- Identify the requirements and considerations for using Storage Migration Service.
- Describe how to migrate a server with storage migration.
- Use the Windows Server Migration Tools to migrate specific Windows Server roles.
Module 7: Implementing Migration in Hybrid Scenarios
This module discusses approaches to migrating workloads running in Windows Server to an infrastructure as a service (IaaS) virtual machine. It introduces using Azure Migrate to assess and migrate on-premises Windows Server instances to Microsoft Azure. The module also covers how to migrate a workload running in Windows Server to an IaaS virtual machine (VM) and to Windows Server 2022 by using Windows Server migration tools or the Storage Migration Service. Finally, this module describes how to use the Azure Migrate App Containerization tool to containerize and migrate ASP.NET applications to Azure App Service.
Lessons
- Migrating on-premises Windows Server instances to Azure IaaS virtual machines.
- Upgrading and migrating Windows Server IaaS virtual machines.
- Containerizing and migrating ASP.NET applications to Azure App Service.
Lab: Migrating On-Premises VM Servers to IaaS VMs
- Implementing assessment and discovery of Hyper-V VMs using Azure Migrate.
- Implementing migration of Hyper-V workloads using Azure Migrate.
After completing this module, students will be able to:
- Plan a migration strategy and choose the appropriate migration tools.
- Perform server assessment and discovery using Azure Migrate.
- Migrate Windows Server workloads to Azure VM workloads using Azure Migrate.
- Explain how to migrate workloads using Windows Server Migration tools.
- Migrate file servers by using the Storage Migration Service.
- Discover and containerize ASP.NET applications running on Windows.
- Migrate a containerized application to Azure App Service.
Module 8: Server and Performance Monitoring in Windows Server
This module introduces a range of tools to monitor the operating system and applications on a Windows Server computer, as well as describing how to configure a system to optimize efficiency and troubleshoot problems. It covers how Event Viewer provides a convenient location for observing events and how to interpret event log data. The module also covers auditing and diagnosing a Windows Server environment for regulatory compliance, user activity, and troubleshooting. Finally, it explains how to troubleshoot AD DS service failures or degraded performance, including recovery of deleted objects and the AD DS database, and how to troubleshoot hybrid authentication issues.
Lessons
- Monitoring Windows Server performance.
- Managing and monitoring Windows Server event logs.
- Implementing Windows Server auditing and diagnostics.
- Troubleshooting Active Directory.
Lab: Monitoring and Troubleshooting Windows Server
- Establishing a performance baseline.
- Identifying the source of a performance problem.
- Viewing and configuring centralized event logs.
After completing this module, students will be able to:
- Explain the fundamentals of server performance tuning.
- Use built-in tools in Windows Server to monitor server performance.
- Use Server Manager and Windows Admin Center to review event logs.
- Implement custom views.
- Configure an event subscription.
- Audit Windows Server events.
- Configure Windows Server to record diagnostic information.
- Recover the AD DS database and objects in AD DS.
- Troubleshoot AD DS replication.
- Troubleshoot hybrid authentication issues.
Module 9: Implementing Operational Monitoring in Hybrid Scenarios
This module covers using monitoring and troubleshooting tools, processes, and best practices to streamline app performance and availability of Windows Server IaaS VMs and hybrid instances. It describes implementing Azure Monitor for IaaS VMs in Azure, implementing Azure Monitor in on-premises environments, and using dependency maps. The module explains how to enable diagnostics to get data about a VM, view VM metrics in Azure Metrics Explorer, and create a metric alert to monitor VM performance. It also covers monitoring VM performance by using Azure Monitor VM Insights. The module describes various aspects of troubleshooting on-premises and hybrid network connectivity, including diagnosing common issues with DHCP, name resolution, IP configuration, and routing. Finally, it examines troubleshooting configuration issues impacting connectivity to Azure-hosted Windows Server virtual machines (VMs), as well as approaches to resolve issues with VM startup, extensions, performance, storage, and encryption.
Lessons
- Monitoring Windows Server IaaS Virtual Machines and hybrid instances.
- Monitoring the health of Azure virtual machines by using Azure Metrics Explorer and metric alerts.
- Monitoring performance of virtual machines by using Azure Monitor VM Insights.
- Troubleshooting on-premises and hybrid networking.
- Troubleshooting Windows Server Virtual Machines in Azure.
Lab: Monitoring and Troubleshooting of IaaS VMs Running Windows Server
- Enabling Azure Monitor for virtual machines.
- Setting up a VM with boot diagnostics.
- Setting up a Log Analytics workspace and Azure Monitor VM Insights.
After completing this module, students will be able to:
- Implement Azure Monitor for IaaS VMs in Azure and in on-premises environments.
- View VM metrics in Azure Metrics Explorer.
- Use monitoring data to diagnose problems.
- Evaluate Azure Monitor Logs and configure Azure Monitor VM Insights.
- Configure a Log Analytics workspace.
- Troubleshoot on-premises connectivity and hybrid network connectivity.
- Troubleshoot AD DS service failures or degraded performance.
- Recover deleted security objects and the AD DS database.
- Troubleshoot hybrid authentication issues.
Requirements
Before attending this course, students must have:
- Experience managing the Windows Server operating system and workloads in on-premises scenarios, including AD DS, DNS, DFS, Hyper-V, and File and Storage Services.
- Experience with standard Windows Server management tools (implied by the first prerequisite).
- Foundational knowledge of core Microsoft compute, storage, networking, and virtualization technologies (implied by the first prerequisite).
- Experience and understanding of core networking technologies such as IP addressing, name resolution, and Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP).
- Experience working with and an understanding of Microsoft Hyper-V and fundamental server virtualization concepts.
- Awareness of basic security best practices.
- Basic understanding of security-related technologies (firewalls, encryption, multi-factor authentication, SIEM/SOAR).
- Basic knowledge of on-premises resiliency technologies for Windows Server-based compute and storage (Failover Clustering, Storage Spaces).
- Basic experience implementing and managing IaaS services in Microsoft Azure.
- Basic knowledge of Azure Active Directory.
- Hands-on experience with Windows client operating systems such as Windows 10 or Windows 11.
- Basic experience with Windows PowerShell.
An understanding of the following concepts as they relate to Windows Server technologies:
- High availability and disaster recovery.
- Automation.
- Monitoring.
- Troubleshooting.
Testimonials (2)
Thank you for the informative and wonderful course. I would also like to thank the trainer Mr. Ahmed El Gendy for delivering the information in a very smooth and understandable manner. I have benefited greatly from this course and can confidently say that I now understand all the topics and can apply them practically.
Atheer hadi aljezani - Tamkeen Technologies
Course - Windows Server 2019 Administration (authorized training course WS 011T00)
The environment is very very good