Windows Server 2019 Active Directory Course

Lesson 1 • AD Schema and Data Store

Introduces the AD schema, NTDS.dit database, and SYSVOL. Learners understand how AD stores and organises directory data at a structural level.

Lesson 2 • Physical Components and Infrastructure

Covers domain controllers, global catalog servers, and AD replication topology. Connects physical infrastructure decisions to logical design choices made earlier.

Lesson 3 • Kerberos and NTLM Authentication

Explains the two primary AD authentication protocols and their operational differences. Builds security awareness foundational to all AD administration tasks.

Lesson 4 • Logical Components of Active Directory

Explains domains, trees, forests, OUs, and sites as logical AD building blocks. Provides the conceptual map learners need before configuring any AD environment.

Lesson 1 • Installing the AD DS Role

Walks through Server Manager and PowerShell methods to install the AD DS role. Reinforces both GUI and CLI approaches for flexible real-world deployment.

Lesson 2 • Post-Installation Verification and Health Checks

Uses dcdiag, netlogon logs, and Event Viewer to confirm a healthy AD deployment. Establishes a verification habit critical for production environments.

Lesson 3 • Promoting a Server to Domain Controller

Guides learners through the AD DS Configuration Wizard to create a new forest and domain. Directly applies logical design concepts from Chapter 1 to a live environment.

Lesson 4 • Adding Additional Domain Controllers

Covers promoting replica DCs for redundancy and load distribution. Learners practice multi-DC environments essential for enterprise resilience.

Lesson 1 • Automating Object Management with PowerShell

Uses ActiveDirectory module cmdlets to automate bulk operations and reporting. Scales manual tasks covered earlier into enterprise-grade automation workflows.

Lesson 2 • Organisational Unit Design and Delegation

Teaches OU hierarchy design and delegating administrative control to sub-admins. Enables least-privilege administration across large or distributed organisations.

Lesson 3 • Managing Computer Accounts

Covers joining computers to the domain, managing computer objects, and resetting accounts. Connects device management to user authentication and policy application.

Lesson 4 • Understanding and Configuring Group Types

Explains security vs. distribution groups and domain local, global, and universal scopes. Correct group strategy is foundational to scalable permission management.

Lesson 1 • Troubleshooting Group Policy

Uses gpresult, RSOP, and event logs to diagnose GPO application failures. Builds systematic troubleshooting skills applicable to any production policy issue.

Lesson 2 • Creating and Linking GPOs

Covers creating GPOs in GPMC, linking to sites/domains/OUs, and scope filtering. Translates policy design decisions into actionable configurations.

Lesson 3 • Group Policy Preferences

Distinguishes GPO settings from GPP items and configures item-level targeting. GPP extends policy flexibility for environment-specific configurations without scripting.

Lesson 4 • Configuring Computer and User Policies

Explores key policy settings: password policies, software restriction, desktop lockdown, and drive mapping. Covers the most operationally impactful GPO configurations.

Lesson 1 • DNS Role in Active Directory

Explains how AD depends on DNS for DC location, replication, and authentication. Establishes why DNS misconfiguration is the leading cause of AD failures.

Lesson 2 • Installing and Configuring DNS Server

Covers DNS Server role installation and initial zone configuration on Windows Server 2019. Builds on AD DS installation skills to create a fully integrated DNS environment.

Lesson 3 • DNS Records and Dynamic Updates

Manages A, AAAA, CNAME, MX, PTR, and SRV records and configures dynamic registration. Ensures AD clients and services are always discoverable on the network.

Lesson 4 • AD-Integrated DNS Zones

Configures DNS zones stored in AD partitions for secure, replicated name resolution. AD-integrated zones eliminate single points of failure and simplify zone management.

Lesson 1 • KCC and Replication Topology

Explains how the KCC automatically builds connection objects and the replication ring. Learners understand when to override KCC with manual connections for optimisation.

Lesson 2 • Monitoring and Troubleshooting Replication

Uses repadmin, replmon concepts, and event logs to detect and fix replication failures. Builds operational skills to maintain AD consistency across distributed environments.

Lesson 3 • Designing and Creating AD Sites

Guides learners through creating sites, subnets, and associating DCs to sites. Correct site design directly controls authentication traffic and replication efficiency.

Lesson 4 • Configuring Site Links and Schedules

Configures site link objects, costs, intervals, and replication schedules. Enables bandwidth-aware replication control across geographically distributed environments.

Lesson 1 • AD Object Permissions and ACLs

Covers AD object security descriptors, ACEs, and permission inheritance. Understanding ACLs is prerequisite to secure delegation and privilege management.

Lesson 2 • Configuring AD Audit Policies

Enables advanced audit policies to log account logon, object access, and directory changes. Creates the visibility layer needed to detect and investigate security incidents.

Lesson 3 • Detecting and Responding to AD Threats

Identifies common AD attack patterns: pass-the-hash, Kerberoasting, and DCSync. Connects audit data and hardening controls to real-world threat response.

Lesson 4 • Fine-Grained Password Policies

Configures Password Settings Objects to apply different password policies per group. Enables compliance with varying security requirements without multiple domains.

Lesson 1 • AD Database Maintenance and Health

Uses ntdsutil and defragmentation to maintain NTDS.dit integrity and performance. Proactive maintenance prevents database corruption and performance degradation over time.

Lesson 2 • FSMO Roles Management

Identifies the five FSMO roles, their functions, and procedures for transfer and seizure. Ensures learners can maintain domain operations when FSMO role holders fail.

Lesson 3 • AD Backup Strategies and Tools

Covers Windows Server Backup, System State backups, and backup frequency planning. Establishes the recovery foundation before any failure scenario is encountered.

Lesson 4 • AD Recycle Bin

Enables and uses the AD Recycle Bin to recover deleted objects without DSRM. Provides a faster, less disruptive recovery path for common accidental deletion scenarios.