Lesson 1WS-FS01 — action 4: implement file server resource manager (FSRM) quotas and file screening to control growth and improve performancePut in place FSRM quotas and file screening to manage growth and enforce data rules. You will plan templates, apply them to shares, set notifications, and watch capacity trends for ahead-of-time steps.
Plan quota thresholds and notification rulesCreate FSRM quota and template definitionsConfigure file screening and allowed typesApply policies to key shares and foldersReview reports and adjust thresholdsLesson 2WS-APP01 — action 5: set antivirus exclusions for web and temp folders, schedule scans off-hours with validation stepsSet antivirus exclusions for IIS content, logs, and temp paths to cut I/O load while keeping safety. You will time scans for off-hours, check exclusions, and record incident handling steps.
Identify IIS content, log, and temp directoriesDefine real-time and on-access scan exclusionsSchedule full and quick scans during off-hoursValidate exclusions with performance baselinesDocument security review and exception handlingLesson 3WS-DB01 — action 2: analyze and optimize indexes, update statistics, and implement maintenance plans (rebuild/reorganize) with measurementCheck index use and stats to keep top query performance. You will drop unused indexes, adjust key and include columns, time rebuild or reorganise tasks, and gauge effect on tasks.
Review index usage and missing index reportsIdentify redundant or unused indexesTune composite keys and included columnsUpdate statistics with appropriate samplingSchedule index rebuild and reorganize jobsLesson 4WS-APP01 — action 3: configure HTTP compression, TLS settings, and keep-alive; test compatibility and performance impactSet up IIS HTTP compression, TLS, and keep-alive to weigh performance, fit, and safety. You will test browser and app behaviour, measure CPU and delay, and record safe undo steps.
Plan baseline metrics and rollback stepsConfigure static and dynamic HTTP compressionTune TLS protocol and cipher suite settingsAdjust keep-alive timeouts and connection limitsTest client compatibility and performance impactLesson 5WS-FS01 — action 3: layout storage and use QoS or storage tiering; exclude high-IO antivirus scans and schedule maintenanceOptimise file server storage setup and QoS to manage mixed tasks. You will plan volumes, apply storage layering if available, adjust antivirus for high-IO paths, and time maintenance with little downtime.
Assess workload I/O patterns and hot dataDesign volume layout and disk provisioningConfigure storage QoS and tiering policiesExclude high-IO paths from heavy AV scansSchedule defrag, chkdsk, and firmware updatesLesson 6WS-FS01 — action 5: tune SMB signing, encryption, and auditing with risk assessment and validationAdjust SMB signing, encryption, and auditing to balance safety and performance. You will check rule needs, adjust policies for servers and clients, check overhead, and record accepted risks.
Review security and compliance requirementsConfigure SMB signing policies by scopeEnable SMB encryption where justifiedTune file access and object auditing levelsMeasure performance overhead and adjustLesson 7WS-DB01 — action 3: collect and act on wait statistics and rework problematic queries or add indexes; validate via wait stats and query run-timesUse SQL Server wait stats to spot blockages and guide adjustments. You will catch waits, link with queries, change indexes or code, and check gains using repeatable gauges.
Capture baseline wait statistics snapshotsIdentify top waits and categorize by typeMap waits to specific queries and workloadsRefactor queries or add supporting indexesRecheck waits and query durations post-fixLesson 8WS-DB01 — action 4: tune storage layout (separate data, log, tempdb; disk type choice, I/O alignment) and measure I/O latency improvementsPlan SQL Server storage setup to separate data, logs, and tempdb on right disk kinds. You will align I/O, watch delay, and check gains using steady performance baselines.
Inventory current LUNs and disk characteristicsSeparate data, log, and tempdb file locationsAlign block sizes and NTFS allocation unitsMonitor read and write latency per volumeCompare pre and post-change performanceLesson 9WS-APP01 — action 2: enable and tune IIS caching and output caching; measure before/afterTurn on and adjust IIS kernel and user-mode caching to cut back-end load. You will set output caching rules, vary-by settings, and cache times, then compare baseline and after-change performance.
Capture baseline response time and CPU usageEnable kernel-mode caching where applicableConfigure output cache profiles and rulesTune vary-by headers and cache durationsMeasure hit ratio and backend load reductionLesson 10WS-DB01 — action 5: configure SQL Server file autogrowth settings, tempdb configuration, and set proper backup/maintenance schedules with rollback planSet up SQL Server file autogrowth, tempdb setup, and maintenance times to avoid breaks and downtime. You will size files ahead, plan backups, and define a tested undo and recovery plan.
Review current file sizes and autogrowth settingsRight-size data, log, and tempdb file countsSet fixed-size autogrowth incrementsDesign backup and index maintenance windowsTest restore and document rollback proceduresLesson 11WS-APP01 (IIS) — action 1: tune application pool settings (recycling, max worker processes) with when-to-apply, risks, and validationAdjust IIS application pool settings to balance steadiness and resource use. You will change recycling, idle times, and worker counts, then check effect on memory, CPU, and user feel.
Review current app pool configurationPlan recycling schedules and conditionsAdjust idle timeouts and rapid-fail settingsTune max worker processes and CPU limitsMonitor logs, memory, and user impactLesson 12WS-DB01 (SQL Server) — action 1: review and configure max server memory and min server memory with risk and validationSet SQL Server max and min server memory to stop OS hunger and ensure steady performance. You will check current use, set safe values, watch effect, and define undo and escalation paths.
Collect current memory and page file metricsDetermine max server memory target rangeSet min server memory and observe behaviorMonitor buffer cache, PLE, and OS pressureDocument rollback and change approval stepsLesson 13WS-APP01 — action 4: apply application-level diagnostics (eliminate long-running requests, optimize code, async operations) and validate via request execution time countersApply app-level checks on IIS sites to find slow requests and poor code. You will use logs and tracing, optimise long tasks, add async patterns, and check gains.
Enable detailed IIS and application loggingIdentify slow URLs and long-running requestsProfile code paths and external dependenciesImplement async and batching where suitableTrack request time and error rate changesLesson 14WS-FS01 — action 2: design and apply NTFS and share-level caching, offline files policy, and folder redirection trade-offsPlan NTFS and share permissions with caching, Offline Files, and folder redirection in view. You will weigh user feel, WAN effect, and clash risks, then apply policies and check sync behaviour.
Review current NTFS and share permissionsPlan Offline Files and caching behaviorDesign folder redirection structure and pathsEvaluate WAN, laptop, and conflict scenariosApply GPOs and validate client synchronizationLesson 15WS-FS01 (File Server) — action 1: optimize SMB settings and enable SMB Multichannel/Multithread where applicable with validationOptimise SMB settings on the file server to boost flow and toughness. You will turn on SMB Multichannel and multithread where backed, check NIC setup, and test failover behaviour.
Review SMB protocol version and featuresEnable SMB Multichannel and RSS supportValidate NIC teaming and RDMA capabilitiesTune SMB client and server registry optionsTest throughput and failover path behavior
