Fastrack2Windows Server 2003: (Part 1) Managing and Maintaining a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Environment

Overview

This official Microsoft course combines five days of instructor-led training with additional e-Learning content to provide students with the knowledge and skills that are required to manage accounts and resources, maintain server resources, monitor server performance, and safeguard data in a Microsoft Windows Server™ 2003 environment.

This is the first course in the Systems Administrator and Systems Engineer tracks for Windows Server 2003 and serves as the entry point for other courses in the Windows Server 2003 curriculum.

This five-day instructor-led course forms part of QA's Fastrack2Windows 2003 MCSE programme. By combining Microsoft Official Curriculum with a focused and accelerated delivery, an individual can gain a deep understanding of Windows 2003 technologies in the shortest possible time. With a quicker pace of delivery, these courses are designed for individuals with existing Windows experience who need to achieve MCSE level skills.

Given the nature of "Fastrack" courses, delegates will need to be prepared to spend study time in the evenings to fully cover the syllabus.

QA recommends this course as complete offering rather than the following Microsoft courses:

• Course 2274: Managing a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Environment
• Course 2275: Maintaining a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Environment

Prerequisites

Before attending this course, students must have:

• CompTIA A certification, or equivalent knowledge and skills.
• CompTIA Network certification, or equivalent knowledge and skills.

Delegates will learn how to

• Create and manage groups.
• Create and populate organizational units with user and computer accounts.
• Manage access to resources.
• Implement printing.
• Manage printing.
• Manage access to objects in organizational units.
• Implement Group Policy.
• Prepare to administer server resources.
• Configure a server to monitor system performance.
• Manage device drivers by configuring device driver signing and restoring a device driver.
• Maintain software by using Microsoft Software Update Services.
• Manage the user and computer environment by using Group Policy.
• Audit accounts and resources.
• Monitor system performance.
• Manage data storage.
• Manage disaster recovery.
• Manage hard disks.
• Manage user and computer accounts.

Course Outline.

Module 1: Introduction to Administering Accounts and Resources
This module explains how to administer accounts and resources on computers running Microsoft Windows Server 2003 software in a networked environment.

Lessons

• Multimedia: Introduction to Administering Accounts and Resources
• The Windows Server 2003 Environment
• Logging on to Windows Server 2003
• Using the Run As Feature for Administration
• Installing and Configuring Administrative Tools
• Creating an Organizational Unit

Lab : Creating Organizational Units

• Creating an Organizational Unit

Module 2: Managing User and Computer Accounts
This module explains how to modify user and computer accounts on computers running Microsoft Windows Server 2003 in a networked environment.

Lessons

• Creating User Accounts
• Creating Computer Accounts
• Modifying User and Computer Account Properties
• Creating a User Account Template
• Managing User and Computer Accounts
• Using Queries to Locate User and Computer Accounts in Active Directory

Lab : Managing User and Computer Accounts

• Creating User Accounts
• Creating Computer Accounts
• Using Queries to Locate Objects
• Modifying User and Computer Properties

Module 3: Managing Groups
This module explains how to perform various administrative functions using groups.

Lessons

• Creating groups.
• Managing group membership.
• Strategies for using groups.
• Using default groups.

Lab : Creating and Managing Groups

• Creating Global and Domain Local Groups
• Managing Group Membership
• Managing Default Groups

Module 4: Managing Access to Resources
This module explains how to enable resource access with permissions, manage access to files and folders using permissions, and manage permission inheritance.

Lessons

• Overview of Managing Access to Resources
• Managing Access to Shared Folders
• Managing Access to Files and Folders Using NTFS Permissions
• Determining Effective Permissions
• Managing Access to Shared Files Using Offline Caching

Lab : Managing Access to Resources

• Creating and Sharing Folders
• Configuring NTFS Permissions
• Publishing Shared Folders
• Testing Permissions
• Configuring Automatic Caching

Module 5: Managing Access to Objects in Organizational Units
This module explains the permissions available for managing access to Active Directory objects, how to move objects between organizational units in the same domain, and how to delegate control of an organizational unit.

Lessons

• Modifying Permissions for Active Directory Objects
• Delegating Control of Organizational Units

Lab : Managing Access to Objects in Organizational Units

• Modifying the Delegation of Control Wizard and Delegating Permissions
• Testing the Delegated Permissions
• Granting Permissions to the Legal Organizational Unit and Creating a Taskpad
• Testing the Delegated Permissions

Module 6: Implementing Group Policy
This module explains the purpose and function of Group Policy in a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 environment. It also explains how to implement Group Policy objects (GPOs) and manage GPOs.

Lessons

• Implementing Group Policy Objects
• Implementing GPOs on a Domain
• Managing the Deployment of Group Policy

Lab : Implementing a GPO

• Disabling and Deleting a GPO
• Creating and Linking Multiple GPOs
• Filtering the GPOs to Exempt Selected Users
• Backing Up and Importing GPO Settings

Module 7: Manage the deployment of Group Policy.
This module explains how to use Group Policy to assign scripts, restrict group membership and access to software and configure folder redirection. As well, this module explains how to determine which GPOs are being applied on a computer.

Lessons

• Configuring Group Policy Settings
• Assigning Scripts with Group Policy
• Restricting Group Membership and Access to Software
• Configuring Folder Redirection
• Determining Applied GPOs

Lab : Managing the User Environment by Using Group Policy

• Creating and Applying a GPO to the Graphics Organizational Unit
• Assigning a Logon Script to Connect to a Printer
• Using a GPO to Configure the Members of the Backup Operators Group
• Using the Group Policy Results Wizard to Verify the Policy Settings

Module 8: Implementing Administrative Templates and Audit Policy
This module provides a broad overview of security in Microsoft Windows ServerT 2003. It also explains how to deploy security templates and test computer security policy and how to configure auditing and manage security logs.

Lessons

• Overview of Security in Windows Server 2003
• Using Security Templates to Secure Computers
• Testing Computer Security Policy
• Configuring Auditing
• Managing Security Logs

Lab : Managing Security Settings

• Creating a Custom Security Template
• Importing and Deploying the Custom Template

Module 9: Preparing to Administer a Server
This module explains how to administer a server. It describes how to manage servers remotely, what tools to use, and the rights and permissions that are needed to administer a server.

Lessons

• Introduction to Administering a Server
• Configuring Remote Desktop to Administer a Server
• Managing Remote Desktop Connections

Lab : Preparing to Administer a Server

• Enabling Remote Desktop
• Creating a Shared Folder on a Remote Computer
• Connecting to a Remote Console Session
• Creating runas Shortcuts to Administration Tools

Module 10: Preparing to Monitor Server Performance
This module explains how to monitor server performance by using performance tools, configure and manage performance logs, configure and manage alerts, and manage system monitor views.

Lessons

• Introduction to Monitoring Server Performance
• Performing Real-Time and Logged Monitoring
• Configuring and Managing Counter Logs
• Configuring Alerts

Lab : Preparing to Monitor Server Performance

• Selecting the Appropriate Monitoring Technique

Module 11: Managing Data Storage
This module explains the Encrypting File System (EFS), which contributes to the safe storage of data and helps to keep the network from harm. It also explains how to administer disk quotas.

Lessons

• Managing File Compression
• Configuring File Encryption
• Configuring EFS Recovery Agents
• Implementing Disk Quotas

Lab : Managing Data Storage

• Troubleshooting Disk-Quota Entries
• Recovering an Encrypted File

Module 12: Managing Disaster Recovery
This module explains how to plan for a computer disaster and how to use the features of Windows Server 2003 to prevent a disaster or recover when one occurs.

Lessons

• Preparing for Disaster Recovery
• Backing Up Data
• Scheduling Backup Jobs
• Restoring Data
• Configuring Shadow Copies
• Recovering from Server Failure

Lab : Managing Disaster Recovery

• Backing Up the System State Data
• Recovering from a Corrupt Registry by Using Last Known Good Configuration
• Recovering from a Corrupt Registry by Restoring System State Data

Module 13: Software Maintenance Using Windows Server Update Services
This module explains how to use Microsoft Windows Server Update Services to manage and distribute critical software updates that resolve known security vulnerabilities and other stability issues.

Lessons

• Introduction to Windows Server Update Services
• Installing and Configuring Windows Server Update Services
• Managing Windows Server Update Services

Lab : Software Maintenance Using Windows Server Update Services

• Create a Test Computer Group
• View the Status of Updates and Computers
• Back up WSUS

Module 14: Securing Windows Server 2003
This module describes how to secure Microsoft Windows ServerT 2003. The module provides an overview of securing servers, core server security, hardening servers, and the Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer tool.

Lessons

• Introduction to Securing Servers
• Implementing Core Server Security
• Hardening Servers
• Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer

Lab : Securing Windows Server 2003

• Using the Security Configuration Wizard
• Configuring a Group Policy Object for Member Servers
• Scanning a Range of Computers by Using MBSA

Module 15: Self-Study: Implementing Printing
This module explains how to implement printing in a Windows Server 2003 environment.

Lessons

• Multimedia: Introduction to Printing in the Windows Server 2003 Family
• Installing and Managing Access to Printers
• Managing Printer Drivers
• Implementing Printer Locations

Lab : Implementing Printing

• Installing Printers and Setting Printer Locations and Permissions
• Searching for Printers and Testing Permissions

Module 16: Self-Study: Managing Printing
This module explains how to set up a network-wide printing strategy to meet the needs of users and troubleshoot installation or configuration problems.

Lessons

• Changing the Location of the Print Spooler
• Setting Printer Priorities and Scheduling Printer Availability
• Configuring a Printing Pool and Redirecting Print Queues

Lab : Managing Printing

• Installing Printers and Creating a Printing Pool
• Setting Printer Priorities and Availability

Module 17: Self-Study: Monitoring Server Performance
This module explains how to collect performance data by monitoring primary server subsystems. It also covers how to identify system bottlenecks by using the Performance console and Task Manager in Microsoft Windows Server 2003.

Lessons

• Multimedia: The Primary Server Subsystems
• Monitoring Server Memory
• Monitoring Processor Usage
• Monitoring Disks
• Monitoring Network Usage
• Monitoring Best Practices

Lab : Monitoring Server Performance

• Create and Configure Alerts
• Configure the Messaging Service
• Finding a High CPU Usage Process
• Finding a High Memory Usage Process

Module 18: Self-Study: Maintaining Device Drivers
This module explains how to maintain device drivers.

Lessons

• Configuring Device Driver Signing Options
• Using Device Driver Rollback

Module 19: Self-Study: Managing Disks
This module explains how to manage disks and how to use the tools to manage and set up disks.

Lessons

• Preparing Disks
• Managing Disk Properties
• Managing Mounted Drives
• Converting Disks
• Creating Volumes
• Creating Fault-Tolerant Volumes
• Importing a Foreign Disk

Lab : Managing Disks

• Recovering from a Failed Mirrored Drive

Leads to examination

• 70-290 - Managing and Maintaining a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Environment

Recommended Follow on Courses 

• MS22762277 Fastrack2Windows Server 2003: (Part 2) Implementing, Managing and Maintaining a Windows 2003 Network Infrastructure