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 create templates, apply to shares, set notifications, and track capacity for proactive 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 security. You will plan off-hour scans, check exclusions, and note incident response.
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 measurementExamine index use and stats to keep query performance optimal. You will drop unused indexes, adjust key and include columns, schedule rebuilds or reorganises, and measure workload effects.
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 balance performance, compatibility, and security. You will test browser and app behaviour, measure CPU and latency, and document rollback.
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 layout and QoS for mixed workloads. You will design volumes, apply tiering if available, adjust antivirus for high-IO paths, and plan maintenance with low 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 security and performance. You will check compliance, tune policies for servers and clients, validate overhead, and record 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 find bottlenecks and guide tuning. You will capture waits, link to queries, adjust indexes or code, and check improvements with measurements.
Capture baseline wait statistics snapshotsIdentify top waits and categorise 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 improvementsDesign SQL Server storage to separate data, logs, and tempdb on suitable disks. You will align I/O, monitor latency, and validate gains using steady 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/afterEnable and adjust IIS kernel and user-mode caching to ease backend load. You will set output caching rules, vary-by parameters, and durations, then compare baseline and post-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 layout, and maintenance to avoid fragmentation and downtime. You will size files ahead, plan backups, and outline tested rollback and recovery.
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 validationTune IIS app pool settings for stability and resource balance. You will adjust recycling, idle timeouts, and worker counts, then validate effects on memory, CPU, and user experience.
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 memory to avoid OS starvation and ensure steady performance. You will analyse usage, set safe values, monitor impact, and define rollback paths.
Collect current memory and page file metricsDetermine max server memory target rangeSet min server memory and observe behaviourMonitor 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 diagnostics on IIS sites to find slow requests and poor code. You will use logs and tracing, optimise long operations, add async patterns, and validate 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-offsDesign NTFS and share permissions considering caching, Offline Files, and folder redirection. You will assess user experience, WAN effects, and risks, then apply policies and check sync.
Review current NTFS and share permissionsPlan Offline Files and caching behaviourDesign folder redirection structure and pathsEvaluate WAN, laptop, and conflict scenariosApply GPOs and validate client synchronisationLesson 15WS-FS01 (File Server) — action 1: optimize SMB settings and enable SMB Multichannel/Multithread where applicable with validationOptimise SMB settings on file server for better throughput and resilience. You will enable Multichannel and multithread where supported, check NIC setup, and test failover.
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 behaviour
