Windows Administration Course

Lesson 1 • Boot Process and Startup Sequence

Traces the full boot sequence from firmware to desktop, including UEFI and Secure Boot. Prepares students to troubleshoot startup failures effectively.

Lesson 2 • File System Structure and Navigation

Introduces NTFS, FAT32, and ReFS file systems and the standard directory hierarchy. Enables administrators to locate and manage system files correctly.

Lesson 3 • Administrative Tools and Consoles

Introduces built-in tools including MMC, Computer Management, and Settings. Students gain immediate hands-on access to the administration environment.

Lesson 4 • Windows Editions and Licensing Overview

Covers differences between Home, Pro, Enterprise, and Server editions and their use cases. Establishes context for all subsequent administration decisions.

Lesson 1 • User Rights and Privilege Assignment

Teaches assignment of logon rights and privileges through Local Security Policy. Reinforces least-privilege principles introduced in earlier sections.

Lesson 2 • Active Directory Users and Computers

Introduces domain user creation, organisational units, and group membership in AD. Connects local account skills to enterprise-scale identity management.

Lesson 3 • Authentication and Credential Management

Explains NTLM, Kerberos, and Windows Hello authentication mechanisms. Students can select and configure appropriate authentication for each scenario.

Lesson 4 • User Profile Management

Covers local, roaming, and mandatory profiles and their storage locations. Ensures students can manage user environments consistently across machines.

Lesson 1 • Shared Folder Permissions

Covers SMB share creation, share-level permissions, and combining them with NTFS. Students learn how the two permission layers interact at access time.

Lesson 2 • Ownership and Permission Delegation

Teaches taking ownership, delegating control, and using the icacls command. Enables administrators to recover and reassign access without disrupting operations.

Lesson 3 • NTFS Permission Fundamentals

Explains basic and advanced NTFS permissions, inheritance, and effective access. Provides the foundation for all file-level security configurations.

Lesson 4 • Auditing File and Folder Access

Configures object access auditing and reviews Security event logs for file activity. Connects permission design to ongoing monitoring and compliance.

Lesson 1 • Active Directory Domain Services Deployment

Promotes servers to domain controllers, configures forests and domains, and manages replication. Builds the identity infrastructure that underpins enterprise environments.

Lesson 2 • Print and Document Services

Deploys print servers, manages drivers, and publishes printers via Active Directory. Centralises print management and simplifies client printer deployment.

Lesson 3 • File and Storage Services

Configures file server roles, DFS namespaces, and Storage Spaces for shared storage. Provides scalable and resilient file access for users and applications.

Lesson 4 • Server Manager and Role Installation

Uses Server Manager and PowerShell to add and remove server roles and features. Establishes the workflow for all role deployments covered in this chapter.

Lesson 1 • Network Troubleshooting Tools and Techniques

Applies ping, tracert, nslookup, netstat, and Wireshark basics to diagnose issues. Equips students with a systematic toolkit for resolving connectivity problems.

Lesson 2 • TCP/IP Configuration and Addressing

Covers static and dynamic IP assignment, subnetting, and IPv6 basics on Windows. Provides the networking foundation required for all subsequent service configuration.

Lesson 3 • DHCP Server Setup and Management

Covers DHCP scope creation, reservations, options, and failover configuration. Students can provide reliable automatic addressing across network segments.

Lesson 4 • DNS Configuration and Management

Explains DNS roles, zone types, record creation, and client resolver settings. Enables administrators to deploy and maintain name resolution services.

Lesson 1 • Group Policy Preferences

Distinguishes GP Preferences from GP Settings and configures drive maps, printers, and registry items. Extends policy capabilities beyond enforced settings.

Lesson 2 • Troubleshooting Group Policy

Uses gpresult, RSOP, and event logs to diagnose policy application failures. Builds systematic troubleshooting skills for one of the most common admin tasks.

Lesson 3 • Group Policy Architecture and Processing

Explains GPO structure, LSDOU processing order, and inheritance rules. Establishes the conceptual framework before any GPO is created or edited.

Lesson 4 • Creating and Linking GPOs

Covers creating GPOs in GPMC, linking to sites, domains, and OUs, and scoping with filters. Students can deploy targeted policies to the correct objects.

Lesson 1 • Event Log Management

Navigates Windows Event Viewer, creates custom views, and configures log subscriptions. Centralises log data for efficient monitoring across multiple systems.

Lesson 2 • Windows Update and Patch Management

Configures Windows Update, WSUS, and update policies to keep systems current. Balances security patching with operational stability requirements.

Lesson 3 • Task Scheduler and Automation

Creates scheduled tasks using the GUI and PowerShell to automate routine operations. Reduces manual workload and ensures consistent maintenance execution.

Lesson 4 • Performance Monitoring Tools

Uses Performance Monitor, Resource Monitor, and data collector sets to track metrics. Establishes baselines and identifies bottlenecks before they cause failures.

Lesson 1 • PowerShell Fundamentals and Syntax

Introduces the shell, cmdlet syntax, pipelines, and the help system. Provides the language foundation required for all scripting work in this chapter.

Lesson 2 • Active Directory PowerShell Module

Performs bulk AD operations including user creation, group management, and reporting. Scales identity management tasks that are impractical through the GUI.

Lesson 3 • Managing Windows with PowerShell

Uses PowerShell to manage users, services, processes, and registry settings. Demonstrates how scripting accelerates common administration workflows.

Lesson 4 • Scripting Logic and Control Flow

Covers conditionals, loops, functions, and error handling in PowerShell scripts. Enables students to write robust scripts that handle real-world variability.