Introduction

This five-day instructor-led course includes self-paced and instructor-facilitated components. It provides students with the knowledge and skills to successfully plan, implement, and troubleshoot a Microsoft Windows® Server 2003 Active Directory® directory service infrastructure. The course focuses on a Windows Server 2003 directory service environment, including forest and domain structure, Domain Name System (DNS), site topology and replication, organizational unit structure and delegation of administration, Group Policy, and user, group, and computer account strategies.

This is the sixth course in the Windows Server 2003 Systems Engineer curriculum.

Audience

This course is appropriate for individuals employed or seeking a position as a systems engineer. This course is also appropriate for individuals who currently support a competitive platform who want to enhance their skills using Windows Server 2003 Active Directory.

Professionals who take this course should meet the following entry criteria:

• New to implementing Windows Server 2003 Active Directory.
• Preparing for MCP exam 70-294: Planning, Implementing, and Maintaining a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Active Directory Infrastructure, a core requirement for the MCSE certification.

At Course Completion

After completing this course, students will be able to:

• Describe the logical and physical components of Active Directory.
• Create and configure a forest and domain structure by using an Active Directory infrastructure design.
• Plan and implement an organizational unit structure.
• Plan and implement Active Directory user, group, and computer accounts.
• Plan and implement a Group Policy strategy to centrally manage users and computers in an enterprise.
• Deploy, manage, and troubleshoot software that is deployed using Group Policy.
• Implement sites to manage and monitor Active Directory replication.
• Plan and implement the placement of domain controllers, global catalog servers, and DNS servers that are integrated with Active Directory.
• Plan and manage operations masters.
• Back up, restore, and maintain Active Directory.
• Plan and implement an Active Directory infrastructure that is based on a directory service design that an enterprise architect provides.

Prerequisites

Before attending this course, students must have completed:

• Course 2278: Planning and Maintaining a Windows Server 2003 Network Infrastructure, or have the equivalent knowledge and skills.

Microsoft Certified Professional Exams

• Exam 70-294: Planning, Implementing, and Maintaining a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Active Directory Infrastructure

Course Materials

The student kit includes a comprehensive workbook and other necessary materials for this class.

Course Outline

Module 1: Introduction to Active Directory Infrastructure

This module introduces students to the Active Directory infrastructure, its logical and physical structure, and its function as a directory service. The module also introduces the command-line utilities and scripts that you can use to examine the components of Active Directory and the Active Directory design, planning, and implementing process.

After completing this module, students will be able to:

• Describe the architecture of Active Directory.
• Describe the working of Active Directory.
• Use administrative tools to examine the components of Active Directory.
• Describe the Active Directory design, planning, and implementation processes.

Module 2: Implementing an Active Directory Forest and Domain Structure

This module discusses Active Directory installation requirements, how to create a forest and domain structure by using the Active Directory Installation Wizard, and what post-installation tasks you must perform. It also explains how to configure DNS in an Active Directory environment, raise forest and domain functional levels, and create trust relationships.

After completing this module, students will be able to:

• Create a forest and domain structure.
• Configure DNS in an Active Directory environment.
• Raise the functional level of a forest and a domain.
• Create trust relationships between domains.
• Secure trusts by using SID filtering.

Module 3: Implementing an Organizational Unit Structure

This module discusses the creation of organizational units, how to delegate common administrative tasks, how to customize the delegation of administrative tasks for an organizational unit, and plan the implementation of an organizational unit structure.

After completing this module, students will be able to:

• Create an organizational unit.
• Delegate control for an organizational unit.
• Plan an organizational unit strategy.

Module 4: Implementing User, Group, and Computer Accounts

This module explains how to plan and implement Active Directory user, group, and computer accounts. It also explains how to create multiple user and computer accounts by using command-line utilities such as CSVDE and LDIFDE, and how to manage accounts by using Windows Script Host. The module also explains how to implement User Principle Name (UPN) suffixes.

After completing this module, students will be able to:

• Describe the types of Active Directory accounts and groups.
• Create multiple user and computer accounts.
• Implement UPN suffixes.
• Move objects within a domain and across domains in a forest.
• Plan a strategy for user computer and group accounts.
• Plan an Active Directory audit strategy.

Module 5: Implementing Group Policy

This module provides students with the knowledge and skills necessary for planning and implementing a Group Policy strategy to centrally manage users and computers in an enterprise.

After completing this module, students will be able to:

• Create and configure GPOs.
• Configure when Group Policy is applied.
• Manage GPOs.
• Verify and troubleshoot Group Policy.
• Delegate administrative control of Group Policy.
• Plan a Group Policy strategy for the enterprise.

Module 6: Deploying and Managing Software by Using Group Policy

In this module, students learn how to deploy and manage software by using Group Policy. The module focuses on basic concepts of deploying, configuring, and maintaining software, troubleshooting deployed software, and planning software deployment.

After completing this module, students will be able to:

• Explain the basic concepts of software deployment by using Group Policy.
• Deploy software by using Group Policy.
• Configure software deployment by using Group Policy.
• Maintain deployed software by using Group Policy.
• Troubleshoot some common problems with software deployment.
• Plan a software deployment strategy.

Module 7: Implementing Sites to Manage Active Directory Replication

This module explains how to implement sites to manage and monitor replication in Active Directory. The module presents basic concepts of replication and sites in Active Directory, specifically: creating, configuring, and managing sites; monitoring and troubleshooting replication failures; and planning a site strategy.

After completing this module, students will be able to:

• Explain the components and the process of replication.
• Create and configure sites.
• Manage an Active Directory site topology.
• Monitor and troubleshoot Active Directory replication failures.
• Plan a site strategy.

Module 8: Implementing Placement of Domain Controllers

This module introduces students to the placement of domain controllers. It focuses on the placement and planning of domain controllers, including global catalog servers, and DNS servers that are integrated with Active Directory. The module also discusses guidelines for caching universal group membership for a site.

After completing this module, students will be able to:

• Implement the global catalog in Active Directory.
• Determine the placement of domain controllers in Active Directory.
• Plan for placing domain controllers in Active Directory.

Module 9: Managing Operations Masters

This module introduces students to managing operations masters in Active Directory. It explains the purpose of each of the five types of operations masters, how to transfer and seize operations master roles, and how to plan a strategy for placing operations masters.

After completing this module, students will be able to:

• Explain the purpose of each of the five operations master roles in Active Directory.
• Transfer and seize operations master roles in Active Directory.
• Plan for placing operations masters in Active Directory.

Module 10: Maintaining Active Directory Availability

This module explains basic concepts about maintaining Active Directory availability, including how to defragment, move, back up, restore, and monitor an Active Directory database.

After completing this module, students will be able to:

• Describe the relationship between data modification and maintenance of the Active Directory database.
• Move and defragment the Active Directory database.
• Back up Active Directory.
• Restore Active Directory by using the authoritative restore and the normal, or nonauthoritative, restore methods.
• Apply guidelines for monitoring Active Directory.

Module 11: Planning and Implementing an Active Directory Infrastructure

This module provides students with the skills to plan and implement an Active Directory service infrastructure based on the business requirements of a fictitious organization.

After completing this module, students will be able to:

• Review the Active Directory design and create an Active Directory implementation plan for Tailspin Toys.
• Implement the Active Directory infrastructure for Tailspin Toys.