Active Directory Course

Lesson 1 • AD Schema and Data Store

Describes the AD schema as the blueprint for all objects and the NTDS.dit database as the data store. Prepares students for object management in later chapters.

Lesson 2 • Authentication Protocols in AD

Introduces Kerberos and NTLM as the primary authentication mechanisms in AD environments. Provides the security foundation needed for advanced topics.

Lesson 3 • Directory Services and AD Overview

Covers the purpose of directory services and how AD fits into Windows-based networks. Establishes context for all subsequent AD administration topics.

Lesson 4 • Core AD Logical Components

Explains domains, trees, forests, and organizational units as the logical building blocks of AD. Students map these structures to real enterprise scenarios.

Lesson 1 • Promoting a Server to Domain Controller

Covers the dcpromo process and the Active Directory Domain Services Configuration Wizard. Students promote servers into new and existing domains.

Lesson 2 • Post-Installation Verification

Teaches validation steps using built-in tools to confirm a healthy AD deployment. Connects to troubleshooting skills developed in later chapters.

Lesson 3 • Planning an AD DS Deployment

Covers hardware, OS, and network prerequisites before installation begins. Proper planning prevents common post-deployment issues addressed later in the course.

Lesson 4 • Configuring Additional Domain Controllers

Explains adding redundant DCs for high availability and load distribution. Students configure replication and verify multi-DC environments.

Lesson 1 • Group Types and Scopes

Explains security vs. distribution groups and the AGDLP/AGUDLP nesting strategy. Students apply correct group scopes to control resource access efficiently.

Lesson 2 • Managing Computer Accounts

Covers joining machines to the domain, managing computer objects, and resetting accounts. Prepares students for Group Policy application to computer objects.

Lesson 3 • Bulk Operations with PowerShell

Introduces the Active Directory PowerShell module for bulk user and group management. Students write scripts to automate repetitive administrative tasks.

Lesson 4 • Delegation of Control

Teaches granting granular administrative permissions over OUs without full domain admin rights. Reinforces the principle of least privilege in AD management.

Lesson 1 • Creating and Linking GPOs

Covers creating GPOs in the Group Policy Management Console and linking them to sites, domains, and OUs. Students practice scoping policies to the correct targets.

Lesson 2 • Configuring Security and Desktop Settings

Teaches configuring password policies, account lockout, software restriction, and desktop settings via GPO. Directly applies to hardening covered in the security chapter.

Lesson 3 • Troubleshooting Group Policy

Covers gpresult, RSOP, and event log analysis to diagnose GPO application failures. Builds diagnostic skills applicable to all AD troubleshooting scenarios.

Lesson 4 • Group Policy Architecture

Explains GPO structure, SYSVOL storage, and the client-side extension processing model. Provides the conceptual foundation for all GPO design decisions.

Lesson 1 • DNS Integration with Active Directory

Covers AD-integrated DNS zones, dynamic updates, and SRV record registration. Proper DNS configuration is prerequisite to reliable DC location and authentication.

Lesson 2 • Troubleshooting Replication Failures

Teaches diagnosing replication errors using repadmin, dcdiag, and event logs. Students resolve USN rollback, lingering objects, and connectivity-related failures.

Lesson 3 • Designing AD Sites and Subnets

Covers creating sites, associating subnets, and aligning site design with physical network topology. Correct site design reduces unnecessary replication and authentication traffic.

Lesson 4 • Configuring Site Links and Replication

Explains site link objects, replication schedules, and the KCC's role in generating replication topology. Students tune replication to balance currency and bandwidth.

Lesson 1 • Securing AD Administrative Accounts

Covers securing built-in accounts, using Managed Service Accounts, and enforcing just-in-time access. Directly mitigates the privileged account abuse threats identified earlier.

Lesson 2 • Privileged Access and Tiered Administration

Covers the tiered administration model and Privileged Access Workstations to isolate high-value credentials. Reduces blast radius of compromised accounts.

Lesson 3 • Auditing and Monitoring AD Events

Configures advanced audit policies to log authentication, object access, and privilege use events. Provides the visibility needed to detect and respond to AD-based attacks.

Lesson 4 • AD Attack Surface and Threat Landscape

Identifies common AD attack vectors including pass-the-hash, Kerberoasting, and DCSync. Understanding threats drives the hardening decisions covered throughout this chapter.

Lesson 1 • Domain Controller Recovery

Covers nonauthoritative and authoritative DC restores from system state backups. Students practice full DC recovery in lab scenarios simulating real outages.

Lesson 2 • AD Backup Strategies

Covers Windows Server Backup, system state backups, and backup frequency planning for AD. A solid backup strategy is the prerequisite for all recovery procedures.

Lesson 3 • FSMO Role Management

Explains the five FSMO roles, their impact on AD operations, and procedures for transferring or seizing them. Prepares students for planned maintenance and emergency recovery.

Lesson 4 • Restoring Deleted Objects

Teaches using the AD Recycle Bin and authoritative restore to recover accidentally deleted objects. Students practice both methods and understand when each applies.

Lesson 1 • AD Trusts and Cross-Forest Access

Covers trust types, directions, and transitivity to enable resource sharing across domains and forests. Builds on domain and forest concepts established in Chapter 1.

Lesson 2 • Active Directory Lightweight Directory Services

Explains AD LDS as a standalone LDAP directory for application-specific identity stores. Students deploy AD LDS instances without requiring a full domain infrastructure.

Lesson 3 • AD Certificate Services Integration

Covers deploying an enterprise CA integrated with AD for certificate auto-enrollment and smart card authentication. Completes the advanced security posture built throughout the course.

Lesson 4 • Azure AD Connect and Hybrid Identity

Covers installing and configuring Azure AD Connect to synchronize on-premises identities to the cloud. Students choose the correct sync method for their organization's requirements.