This comprehensive training guide delves into configuring advanced Windows Server 2012 services‚ equipping IT professionals with vital skills for deployment and management․
Master essential techniques through hands-on instruction‚ covering Windows Server 2012 and 2012 R2‚ optimizing server environments for peak performance and robust security․
Course Overview and Objectives
This Microsoft Official Course (MOC) On-Demand provides a five-day‚ in-depth exploration of advanced Windows Server 2012 services configuration․ The primary objective is to empower IT professionals with the practical knowledge and hands-on skills necessary to effectively deploy‚ manage‚ and maintain a robust and secure Windows Server 2012 environment‚ including the enhancements found in Windows Server 2012 R2․
Participants will learn to configure and troubleshoot complex server roles and features‚ focusing on optimizing performance‚ enhancing security‚ and ensuring high availability․ The curriculum covers a wide range of topics‚ from advanced Group Policy Management and fine-grained password policies to implementing critical infrastructure services like DHCP Failover‚ Network Load Balancing‚ and Windows Server Failover Clustering․
Furthermore‚ the course delves into advanced security and identity management solutions‚ including Active Directory Certificate Services‚ Rights Management Services‚ and Just Enough Administration․ Students will gain proficiency in utilizing File Server Resource Manager for quota management and implementing data deduplication techniques․ Ultimately‚ this course aims to elevate your expertise in administering and optimizing Microsoft’s powerful server operating system․
Target Audience and Prerequisites
This advanced Windows Server 2012 services training is specifically designed for IT professionals currently responsible for managing and maintaining Windows Server 2012 or 2012 R2 environments․ The ideal candidate possesses a foundational understanding of Windows Server administration‚ including experience with Active Directory‚ networking concepts‚ and server roles․
Specifically‚ the target audience includes system administrators‚ network engineers‚ and IT support specialists seeking to enhance their skills and expertise in advanced server configuration and management․ Individuals preparing for Microsoft certification exams related to Windows Server 2012 will also find this course invaluable․
Prerequisites include a solid working knowledge of Windows Server operating systems‚ TCP/IP networking‚ and Active Directory Domain Services․ Familiarity with PowerShell scripting is highly recommended‚ although not strictly required․ Basic troubleshooting skills and a general understanding of virtualization technologies‚ such as Hyper-V‚ will also be beneficial for maximizing learning outcomes throughout the course․ Prior experience with Windows Server 2008 R2 or later is advantageous․
Active Directory Advanced Configuration
Explore in-depth Active Directory features‚ mastering Group Policy‚ password settings‚ and Federation Services (AD FS)․ This section provides expertise for secure‚ scalable directory services․
Advanced Group Policy Management
Dive deep into the intricacies of Group Policy‚ moving beyond basic settings to implement sophisticated configurations for enhanced control and security within your Windows Server 2012 environment․ This module focuses on leveraging advanced features to streamline administration and enforce organizational standards effectively․
Learn to utilize Group Policy Preferences (GPP) to customize user and computer settings with granular precision‚ automating tasks and ensuring consistent configurations across your network․ Explore techniques for creating and managing complex policies‚ including the use of wildcard characters‚ item-level targeting‚ and precedence rules․
Master the art of troubleshooting Group Policy issues‚ utilizing tools like Resultant Set of Policy (RSoP) to diagnose and resolve conflicts; Understand how to implement Group Policy Objects (GPOs) strategically‚ optimizing performance and minimizing potential disruptions․ This section will also cover best practices for securing GPOs and protecting against unauthorized modifications․
Gain practical experience with advanced filtering options‚ allowing you to target specific users‚ computers‚ or groups with tailored policies․ Discover how to leverage Administrative Templates to configure a wide range of settings‚ from security options to application behavior․ This hands-on approach will empower you to manage your Windows Server 2012 infrastructure with confidence and efficiency․
Fine-Grained Password Policies
Elevate your security posture with a comprehensive understanding of Fine-Grained Password Policies (FGPPs) in Windows Server 2012․ This module moves beyond the limitations of traditional domain-level password policies‚ enabling you to define unique password requirements for specific users or groups․
Learn to implement FGPPs to enforce stronger passwords for privileged accounts‚ mitigating the risk of compromise; Discover how to customize password complexity‚ length‚ history‚ and age restrictions based on individual user roles and security needs․ This targeted approach enhances security without impacting the usability for all users․
Master the process of creating and managing FGPPs using Active Directory Administrative Center (ADAC) and PowerShell․ Understand how to assign policies to users and groups‚ and how to monitor their effectiveness․ Explore best practices for designing FGPPs that align with your organization’s security policies and compliance requirements․
Gain practical experience with troubleshooting FGPP issues and resolving conflicts․ Learn how to leverage auditing features to track password changes and identify potential security vulnerabilities․ This hands-on training will equip you with the skills to implement a robust and flexible password management strategy․
Active Directory Federation Services (AD FS)
Unlock seamless and secure access to applications and resources with Active Directory Federation Services (AD FS) in Windows Server 2012․ This module explores the core concepts of federated identity management‚ enabling single sign-on (SSO) across organizational boundaries․
Learn to deploy and configure AD FS as a trusted identity provider‚ allowing users to authenticate with their existing credentials․ Discover how to establish trust relationships with relying party applications‚ extending access to cloud services and partner organizations․
Master the configuration of claims-based authentication‚ defining the attributes and information shared during the authentication process․ Explore different authentication methods‚ including multi-factor authentication (MFA)‚ to enhance security․
Gain practical experience with managing AD FS farms‚ configuring high availability‚ and troubleshooting common issues․ Understand how to monitor AD FS performance and security logs․ This training will empower you to implement a robust and scalable identity federation solution‚ improving user experience and strengthening security․
Networking and Infrastructure Services
This section focuses on bolstering network resilience and availability through advanced Windows Server 2012 features․ Explore DHCP failover‚ NLB‚ and WSFC configurations․
Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) Failover
Implementing DHCP failover is crucial for maintaining network connectivity and minimizing downtime․ This training module provides a detailed walkthrough of configuring DHCP failover in Windows Server 2012 and 2012 R2‚ ensuring high availability for IP address assignment․
Learn to establish a redundant DHCP environment where a secondary DHCP server seamlessly takes over if the primary server becomes unavailable․ We’ll cover the necessary prerequisites‚ including Active Directory integration and proper network configuration․
The course will guide you through the process of setting up the failover relationship‚ configuring the scope options‚ and testing the failover functionality․ You’ll gain practical experience in monitoring the DHCP failover status and troubleshooting potential issues․
Understand the importance of load balancing and how it can be utilized within a DHCP failover configuration to distribute IP address assignments across multiple servers․ This hands-on approach will empower you to design and implement a robust and reliable DHCP infrastructure․
Furthermore‚ we will explore best practices for DHCP failover‚ including considerations for network segmentation and disaster recovery planning․ This ensures your network remains operational even in the face of unforeseen circumstances․
Network Load Balancing (NLB) Configuration
This module focuses on configuring Network Load Balancing (NLB) in Windows Server 2012 and 2012 R2‚ a key technology for enhancing the scalability and availability of network services․ You’ll learn how to distribute network traffic across multiple servers‚ improving performance and resilience․
The training will cover the installation and configuration of the NLB feature‚ including the creation of NLB clusters and the assignment of IP addresses․ We’ll delve into the different NLB modes – unicast‚ multicast‚ and IGMP multicast – and their respective advantages․
Gain practical experience in configuring NLB parameters such as port rules‚ affinity settings‚ and health detection․ Understanding these settings is crucial for optimizing NLB performance and ensuring seamless failover․
We’ll also explore the monitoring and troubleshooting aspects of NLB‚ enabling you to quickly identify and resolve any issues that may arise․ Learn how to utilize NLB’s built-in diagnostic tools and event logs․
This hands-on approach will equip you with the skills to design and implement NLB solutions tailored to your specific network requirements‚ providing a highly available and scalable infrastructure for critical applications and services․
Windows Server Failover Clustering (WSFC)
This section provides in-depth training on Windows Server Failover Clustering (WSFC)‚ a cornerstone of high availability in Windows Server 2012 and 2012 R2 environments․ You’ll learn to create and manage clusters that ensure continuous service availability even in the event of hardware or software failures․
The course covers the prerequisites for WSFC‚ including hardware and software compatibility‚ network configuration‚ and shared storage requirements․ We’ll guide you through the cluster creation wizard‚ explaining each step in detail․
Gain practical skills in configuring cluster resources‚ such as clustered disks‚ network names‚ and IP addresses․ Understanding resource dependencies and failover order is critical for optimal cluster operation․
We’ll explore advanced WSFC features like quorum configuration‚ dynamic quorum‚ and witness disks‚ ensuring cluster resilience in various scenarios․ Learn how to monitor cluster health and troubleshoot common issues․
Through hands-on labs‚ you’ll master the techniques to design‚ implement‚ and maintain robust WSFC deployments‚ providing a highly available and reliable infrastructure for your critical applications and data․
Storage and File Services
This module focuses on optimizing storage and file services within Windows Server 2012‚ covering File Server Resource Manager‚ data deduplication‚ and Storage Spaces configuration․
File Server Resource Manager (FSRM) – Quota Management
File Server Resource Manager (FSRM) is a powerful tool within Windows Server 2012 for managing file server storage utilization․ This section of the training guide provides in-depth instruction on implementing and configuring quota management using FSRM․ Participants will learn how to establish hard and soft quotas to control the amount of disk space users can consume on file servers․
The course covers defining quota limits based on users‚ groups‚ or volume‚ and configuring notifications to alert users when they approach their quota limits․ You’ll explore how to implement quota entry standard settings to automatically handle quota violations‚ such as denying write access or placing files in a quota exceeded folder․
Practical exercises will focus on creating and managing FSRM quotas‚ monitoring storage usage‚ and generating reports to identify potential storage issues․ Understanding FSRM’s quota management capabilities is crucial for maintaining file server performance‚ preventing storage exhaustion‚ and ensuring efficient resource allocation within the organization․ This hands-on approach will equip IT professionals with the skills to proactively manage file server storage and optimize resource utilization․
Data Deduplication Implementation
Data deduplication is a key feature in Windows Server 2012 designed to significantly reduce storage capacity requirements․ This training module provides a comprehensive guide to implementing and configuring data deduplication on file servers․ Participants will learn the underlying principles of deduplication‚ including how it identifies and eliminates redundant data blocks․
The course details the process of enabling deduplication on volumes‚ selecting appropriate deduplication modes (variable or fixed)‚ and configuring deduplication schedules to minimize performance impact․ You’ll explore best practices for identifying suitable workloads for deduplication‚ considering factors like data type and access patterns․
Practical labs will focus on configuring deduplication settings‚ monitoring deduplication progress‚ and analyzing deduplication savings․ Understanding how to effectively implement data deduplication is vital for optimizing storage utilization‚ reducing storage costs‚ and improving overall storage efficiency․ This hands-on experience will empower IT professionals to leverage deduplication to maximize storage resources and minimize infrastructure expenses․
Storage Spaces Configuration
Storage Spaces‚ introduced in Windows Server 2012‚ offers a flexible and cost-effective solution for creating virtual disks from available physical storage․ This training segment provides a detailed walkthrough of configuring Storage Spaces‚ enabling IT professionals to build highly available and scalable storage solutions․
The curriculum covers creating storage pools from various disk types (HDDs‚ SSDs)‚ defining storage tiers to optimize performance and cost‚ and configuring virtual disks with specific resiliency levels (simple‚ mirror‚ parity)․ Participants will learn to manage storage pools and virtual disks through Server Manager and PowerShell․
Hands-on labs will focus on creating and configuring Storage Spaces‚ testing different resiliency options‚ and monitoring storage performance․ Understanding Storage Spaces is crucial for maximizing storage utilization‚ improving data protection‚ and adapting to evolving storage needs․ This module equips you with the skills to build and manage resilient‚ scalable‚ and cost-optimized storage solutions within your Windows Server environment․
Security and Identity Management
This section focuses on bolstering server security through advanced identity solutions like Active Directory Certificate Services‚ Rights Management Services‚ and Just Enough Administration․
Active Directory Certificate Services (AD CS)
Dive deep into Active Directory Certificate Services (AD CS)‚ a crucial role within Windows Server 2012 for establishing a Public Key Infrastructure (PKI)․ This training module provides comprehensive instruction on deploying and managing AD CS‚ enabling secure authentication and data encryption across your network․
Learn to configure Certification Authorities (CAs)‚ issue and revoke digital certificates‚ and manage certificate templates․ Understand the different CA types – standalone‚ enterprise‚ and root – and determine the best fit for your organization’s security needs․ Explore certificate enrollment methods‚ including auto-enrollment and manual requests‚ ensuring seamless certificate distribution to users and devices․
Master the intricacies of certificate lifecycle management‚ including renewal policies and revocation lists․ Discover how to leverage AD CS for secure remote access‚ VPN connections‚ and email security․ This module will equip you with the skills to implement a robust PKI‚ enhancing your organization’s overall security posture and compliance with industry regulations; Practical exercises and real-world scenarios will solidify your understanding of AD CS configuration and best practices․
Rights Management Services (RMS)
Explore Rights Management Services (RMS)‚ a powerful feature within Windows Server 2012 designed to protect sensitive information from unauthorized access and use․ This training segment focuses on configuring RMS to control how documents and emails are accessed‚ printed‚ forwarded‚ and copied‚ even after they leave your organization’s network․
Learn to define usage rights policies‚ specifying exactly what users can do with protected content․ Understand the concepts of rights policy templates and apply them to various file types and applications․ Discover how to integrate RMS with Microsoft Office applications‚ ensuring consistent protection across your document workflow․
Master the deployment and management of RMS servers‚ including the configuration of licensing and authentication․ Explore the benefits of using RMS for data loss prevention (DLP) and compliance with regulatory requirements․ This module will provide hands-on experience in implementing RMS‚ safeguarding your organization’s confidential data and mitigating the risk of information breaches․ Practical scenarios will demonstrate how to effectively leverage RMS in real-world environments․
Just Enough Administration (JEA)
Delve into Just Enough Administration (JEA)‚ a groundbreaking feature in Windows Server 2012 that revolutionizes administrative access control․ JEA allows you to delegate specific administrative tasks to users without granting them full administrative privileges‚ significantly reducing the attack surface and improving security posture․
Learn to define role capabilities‚ specifying precisely which commands and PowerShell scripts users are authorized to execute․ Understand how to create JEA endpoints and configure session configurations to restrict access to specific resources․ This training will cover the creation of custom JEA roles tailored to your organization’s unique needs․
Master the implementation of JEA‚ including the configuration of constrained language modes and the use of PowerShell Desired State Configuration (DSC) to enforce consistent configurations․ Explore best practices for managing JEA roles and monitoring user activity․ Practical exercises will demonstrate how to effectively deploy JEA‚ empowering users to perform necessary tasks while maintaining robust security controls and minimizing potential risks․
Advanced Server Roles & Features
Explore advanced server roles like Hyper-V Replica‚ Remote Desktop Services‚ and IIS‚ enhancing server capabilities․ This training focuses on configuration and security best practices․
Hyper-V Replica Configuration
Hyper-V Replica provides disaster recovery capabilities by replicating virtual machines from a primary site to a secondary site․ This configuration ensures business continuity with minimal data loss in case of outages․
The training guide covers establishing a replica relationship‚ configuring replication frequency‚ and managing recovery points․ You’ll learn to initiate planned and unplanned failovers‚ testing the recovery process to validate its effectiveness․
Key aspects include network configuration for replication traffic‚ storage considerations for replica disks‚ and security measures to protect the replicated data․ Understanding the differences between initial and differential replication is crucial for optimizing bandwidth usage․
Furthermore‚ the course details troubleshooting common replication issues‚ monitoring replica health‚ and implementing best practices for maintaining a reliable disaster recovery solution․ Hands-on labs will solidify your understanding of Hyper-V Replica configuration and management‚ preparing you for real-world scenarios․
Mastering Hyper-V Replica is essential for any IT professional responsible for ensuring the availability and resilience of virtualized environments within a Windows Server 2012 infrastructure․
Remote Desktop Services (RDS) – Advanced Settings
This section of the training delves into advanced configurations for Remote Desktop Services (RDS) in Windows Server 2012‚ extending beyond basic deployment․ It focuses on optimizing user experience and enhancing security․
You will learn to configure RDS policies for granular control over user sessions‚ including resource allocation‚ printing‚ and clipboard redirection․ Mastering these settings allows tailoring the RDS environment to specific user needs and application requirements․
The guide covers load balancing RDS deployments for high availability and scalability‚ ensuring seamless access for a large number of concurrent users․ Implementing Remote Desktop Connection Broker for session management and user redirection is also detailed․
Security is paramount‚ so the course explores securing RDS with network level authentication (NLA) and configuring smart card authentication for enhanced user verification․ Troubleshooting common RDS issues and monitoring performance are also key components․
Ultimately‚ this training empowers you to build a robust‚ secure‚ and highly available RDS infrastructure‚ delivering virtualized applications and desktops efficiently․
Web Server (IIS) – Advanced Security
This module focuses on fortifying Internet Information Services (IIS) in Windows Server 2012 against evolving web threats․ It moves beyond basic firewall configurations to implement a layered security approach․
You’ll explore implementing SSL/TLS encryption for secure communication‚ configuring certificate bindings‚ and managing certificate revocation lists․ The training details securing IIS with URL authorization and IP address restrictions‚ controlling access to sensitive content․
A key component is understanding and configuring Windows Authentication methods‚ including Integrated Windows Authentication and Basic Authentication‚ alongside appropriate security protocols․
The guide covers Request Filtering‚ a powerful IIS feature for blocking malicious requests based on URL‚ headers‚ and content․ You’ll learn to configure dynamic IP restrictions to mitigate denial-of-service attacks․
Furthermore‚ the course addresses logging and auditing IIS events for security monitoring and incident response․ This ensures proactive detection and analysis of potential security breaches‚ bolstering overall web server protection․