Overview
This Microsoft 365 Technical Fundamentals course is a comprehensive, hands-on program designed to equip IT professionals with the core technical skills needed to administer and support Microsoft 365. Over five days, delegates will gain a deep understanding of Microsoft 365’s core backend services, including Entra ID, Exchange Online, SharePoint, Microsoft Teams, and Purview Compliance. The course covers the foundational elements of Microsoft 365, from licensing and setup to advanced configuration and security best practices, ensuring participants are well-prepared to manage and troubleshoot essential aspects of the Microsoft 365 environment.
Each delegate is provided with their own 30-day Microsoft 365 enterprise tenancy. This individual tenancy environment allows delegates to complete hands-on labs with real-world scenarios, giving them valuable practice with administration tasks in a controlled, isolated setting. Delegates will learn by doing, setting up users, configuring multi-factor authentication, managing permissions, and more, using the same tools they’ll encounter in live environments.
As the course progresses, delegates will dive into user and group management, hybrid identity configurations with Entra Connect and administrative roles, equipping participants to support a hybrid identity module. Additional modules on Microsoft Teams, SharePoint, Exchange Online and centralized Office app deployments, provide delegates with insights into how to effectively manage collaboration tools, focusing on best practices in Microsoft Teams policy management, security, external sharing, and Microsoft Team & SharePoint Site structure.
Finally, the course explores critical compliance and monitoring capabilities within Microsoft 365, helping delegates understand Microosft Purview data protection tools, including content search, DLP, retention policies, auditing, and alerting. The focus on security and monitoring ensures participants have the knowledge needed to maintain compliance and proactively monitor the health of the organization’s Microsoft 365 services. By the end of the course, delegates will be capable of confidently supporting and administering Microsoft 365 environments, troubleshooting common issues, and contributing to a more secure, collaborative, and efficient workspace.
Prerequisites
Important This course may require the use of Multifactor Authentication (MFA). Please read this page and download the Microsoft Authenticator app (or similar app) prior to attending the course:
https://www.qa.com/resources/faqs/mfa-requirements/
Please see the below Microsoft article for further information on reasons for the MFA requirement:
Before attending this course, students must have:
- An understanding of core technical concepts, DNS, Networking, Entra ID, Identities, User Accounts
Instructors will demonstrate features throughout the event. Optional lab exercises are available for students to complete using a commercial Microsoft 365 tenancy provided for each student free of charge by QA. This tenancy lasts for 30 days.
Delegates will learn how to
Delegates will learn how to effectively manage Microsoft 365's core components to support user productivity and maintain security - including the following
- Manage Microsoft 365 Core Components: Effectively administer Entra ID, Exchange Online, SharePoint, and Microsoft Teams using both Graphical tools and PowerShell
- Manage Users and Groups: Create, modify, and delete users and groups, assign licenses, and manage password policies.
- Understand and Implement Hybrid Identity: Understand an deploy a hybrid identity model using Entra Connect or Entra Cloud Sync
- Secure the Microsoft 365 Environment: Implement multi-factor authentication, conditional access, and other security best practices.
- Deploy and Manage Microsoft 365 Apps: Deploy and manage Microsoft 365 Apps, including Office applications, on various platforms.
- Configure Exchange Online: Manage mailboxes, distribution groups, and mail flow rules, as well as implement email security and compliance features.
- Collaborate with Microsoft Teams: Manage teams, channels, and meetings, and configure collaboration policies.
- Manage SharePoint Online: Create and manage sites, libraries, and lists, and configure permissions and external sharing.
- Protect Data with Microsoft Purview: Implement data loss prevention policies, content search, retention policies, and auditing.
- Monitor and Troubleshoot Microsoft 365: Use Microsoft 365 admin tools to monitor service health, troubleshoot issues, and optimize performance
Using a Microsoft 365 enterprise tenancy provided by QA for each delegate as part of the course, delegates will be able to explore these tasks in a real-world, isolated environment, practicing skills critical for supporting live deployments with structured hands on lab
By the end of the course, participants will understand how to set up core Microsoft 365 and Purview features. This course empowers delegates with the essential technical knowledge and confidence to support a secure, efficient, and collaborative Microsoft 365 environment.
Outline
Module 1: Microsoft 365 Core Concepts
- Lesson 1: Overview
- What is Microsoft 365?
- Microsoft 365 vs Office 365
- Microsoft 365 and Office 365 Confusion
- Microsoft 365 is evergreen
- Microsoft 365 Message Center
- Microsoft 365 Release Preferences
- Lesson 2: Microsoft 365 Core Components
- Microsoft Entra ID
- Microsoft 365 Apps for Business/Apps for Enterprise
- Exchange Online
- SharePoint Online
- Microsoft Teams – Separate Subscription
- Purview/Compliance/Security
- Microsoft 365 Additional Components
- Lesson 3: Microsoft 365 Subscriptions
- Available Microsoft 365 Subscriptions
- Microsoft 365 License Resources
- Microsoft 365 Add-On Services
- Microsoft 365 Subscription Features
- Lesson 4: Microsoft 365 Administration
- PowerShell for Microsoft 365
- Using PowerShell Modules
- Using Generative AI with PowerShell
- Lesson 5: Overview of Microsoft 365 Administrator Roles
- Microsoft 365 Admin Roles
- Relationships between Administrative Roles
- Custom Roles
- Privileged Identity Management (PIM)
- Access Reviews
- Lesson 6: Microsoft 365 Domains
- Adding a Custom Domain
- Custom Domain Considerations
- Required Microsoft 365 DNS Records
- Lesson 7: Microsoft 365 Network Requirements
- Microsoft 365 URLs and IP Address Ranges
- Network Recommendations
- Microsoft 365 Network Connectivity Tools
- Microsoft 365 Network Connectivity Test Tool
- Microsoft Remote Connectivity Analyzer
- Lab Exercises
- Lab: Using Edge Profiles
- Lab: Using Chrome Profiles
- Lab: Sign into Your Microsoft 365 Trial and Disable Security Defaults
- Lab: Microsoft 365 PowerShell
- Lab: Adding a Custom Domain
Module 2: Entra ID Users and Groups
- Lesson 1: Microsoft Entra ID
- Microsoft Entra ID and Zero Trust
- Microsoft Entra Editions
- Microsoft Entra ID Security Defaults
- Microsoft 365 Identity Models
- Cloud-only Identity Model
- Hybrid Identity Model
- Lesson 2: Creating User Accounts
- Creating User Accounts via the GUI
- Bulk Import Users Using a CSV File
- Creating Users in Microsoft Graph PowerShell
- Create and Use a Template to Add Users
- Lesson 3: Configuring User Accounts
- Managing User Accounts
- Managing Microsoft Entra ID Account Passwords
- Microsoft Entra ID Self-Service Password Reset (SSPR)
- Deleting User Accounts
- Steps to Take When a User Leaves the Business
- Restoring User Accounts
- Lesson 4: Security for User Accounts
- Microsoft Entra ID Password Protection
- Password Expiration
- Multi-factor Authentication
- Multi-factor Authentication in Microsoft 365
- Security Defaults
- Setting up Multi-factor Authentication in Microsoft 365
- MFA with Conditional Access
- Signals (Conditions)
- Decisions (Actions)
- GPS Named Location MFA Control
- MFA User Experience
- MFA Authentication App
- MFA Number Matching and Additional Context
- Entra ID System-preferred Authentication Policy
- Lesson 5: Creating and Configuring Groups
- Types of Groups in Microsoft 365
- Groups in Microsoft 365 for IT Architects
- Microsoft 365 Group Building Blocks
- Creating Microsoft 365 Groups
- Deleting Microsoft 365 Groups
- Recovering Microsoft 365 Groups
- Permanently Deleting Microsoft 365 Groups
- Guest Access in Microsoft 365 Groups
- Microsoft 365 Groups PowerShell Management
- Controlling Microsoft 365 Group Creation
- Obsolete Microsoft 365 Group Expiration and Removal
- Finding and Archiving Obsolete Microsoft 365 Groups
- Security Groups
- Mail Enabled Security Groups
- Lab Exercises
- Lab: Creating and Managing Users
- Lab: Admin Roles
- Lab: Self-service Password Reset
- Lab: Conditional Access
- Lab: Creating and Managing Groups
Module 3: Implementing Directory Synchronization
- Lesson 1: Authentication with Hybrid Identities
- Hybrid Identity Overview
- Password Hash Synchronization (PHS)
- Pass-through Authentication (PTA)
- Federated Authentication
- Authentication Method Selection
- Lesson 2: Microsoft Entra Connect Sync
- Installing Entra Connect
- Entra Connect Prerequisites
- Network Connectivity
- Entra Connect Supported Topologies
- Entra Connect Express vs Custom Installation
- Instructor Walkthrough Demo: Express Installation
- Instructor Walkthrough Demo: Custom Installation
- Entra Connect Sync: Scheduler
- Lesson 3: Monitoring and Troubleshooting Microsoft Entra Connect Sync
- Real World Entra Connect Monitoring and Troubleshooting
- Microsoft 365 Admin Center Notifications
- Microsoft Entra Admin Center Status
- Synchronization Service Manager
- Windows Server Event Logs
- Entra Connect Health
- Entra Connect Synchronization Errors
- Identity Synchronization and Duplicate Attribute Resiliency
- Troubleshooting Sync Errors Key Points
- ADConnectivityTool PowerShell Module
- Lesson 4: Microsoft Entra Connect Sync Staging Server and Disaster Recovery
- Staging Mode
- Lesson 5: Microsoft Entra Cloud Sync
- Installing Cloud Sync
- Cloud Sync Configuration
- Cloud Sync Single Sign-On
- Cloud Sync Troubleshooting
- Lab Exercises
- Lab: Entra Connect
Module 4: Microsoft 365 Apps
- Lesson 1: Versions of Microsoft 365 Apps
- Available Microsoft 365 Apps for End Users
- Office for the Web (Office Online)
- Office Mobile Apps
- Microsoft 365 Apps
- Lesson 2: Overview of Microsoft 365 Apps
- Microsoft Apps Common Features with Office 2024
- Microsoft 365 Apps: Differentiating Features
- Microsoft 365 Apps Licensing
- Microsoft 365 Apps Deployment
- Lesson 3: User Self-Service Deployment
- Organization Office Installation Options
- Lesson 4: Centralized Microsoft 365 Apps Deployments
- Office Deployment Tool
- Installing the ODT
- ODT Components
- ODT Modes
- ODT Configuration Files
- Office Customization Tool
- Managing Microsoft 365 Apps Using Policies
- Microsoft 365 Apps Group Policies
- Lesson 5: Microsoft 365 Apps Updates
- Update Channels
- Administrator Control of Microsoft 365 App Updates
- Apps Admin Center Cloud Updates
- Lesson 6: Monitoring Office Apps
- Apps Health
- Security Update Status
- Service Health Dashboard
- Apps Inventory
- Lab Exercises
- Lab: Deploying Microsoft 365 Apps
Module 5: Exchange Online
- Lesson 1: Introduction
- Exchange Online Service Overview
- Exchange Online Limits
- Lesson 2: Administering Exchange Online
- Exchange Administrator Role
- Exchange Online Admin Tools
- Exchange Online Admin Center
- Exchange Online RBAC
- Requirements for Using PowerShell to Manage Exchange Online
- Exchange Online PowerShell v3 Module
- Lesson 3: Administering Exchange Online Recipients
- Recipient Types
- Mailboxes
- Creating User Accounts via the GUI
- Deleting and Restoring Mailboxes
- Soft Deleting User Mailboxes
- Hard-deleted User Mailboxes
- Restoring User Mailboxes
- Configuring Mailboxes
- Mailbox E-mail Addresses
- Default Message Size Restrictions
- Exchange Online Groups and Distribution Lists
- PowerShell – Distribution Lists
- Dynamic Distribution Lists
- Group Naming Policies
- Creating and Configuring Resources
- Configuring Resources Using PowerShell
- Creating a Room Distribution List
- Creating and Configuring Contacts
- Creating Contacts
- Creating and Configuring Shared Mailboxes
- Lesson 4: Creating and Configuring Address Lists and Address Book Policies
- Address Lists
- Offline Address Books
- Custom Address Lists
- Managing Address Lists
- Creating an Address List
- Address Book Policies
- Lesson 5: Exchange Online Mail Flow
- Mail Flow Rules
- Creating Mail Flow Rules
- Duplicate a Rule
- Configuring Rule Priority
- Mail Flow Rule PowerShell
- Running Rule Reports
- Exchange Online Message Tracing
- Running a Message Trace
- Message Trace Report Types
- Mail Flow Reports
- Lesson 6: Email Auto Forwarding
- Email Forwarding Rule Alerts
- Exchange Online Auto Forwarded Message Reports
- Mail Forwarding Insights
- Introduction to Exchange Online Protection (EOP) and Preset Security Policies
- Secure Email in 5 Minutes
- Lab Exercises
- Lab: Exchange Online PowerShell
- Lab: Configuring Mailboxes and Email Addresses
- Lab: Creating Other Recipient Objects
- Lab: Exchange Online RBAC
- Lab: Exchange Online Mail Flow and Message Trace
Module 6: Microsoft Teams
- Lesson 1: Overview of Teams
- Introduction
- Teams Audio Calls
- Collaboration in Microsoft 365
- Microsoft Teams Features and Licensing
- Microsoft Teams Limits
- Team Components
- Teams and Channels
- Teams Content Storage
- Teams Meeting Recordings
- Controlling Team Creation and Expiration
- Clients for Microsoft Teams
- Teams Update Policies
- Overview of Teams Premium
- Lesson 2: Administering Teams
- Microsoft Teams Admin Roles
- Microsoft Teams Administrative Tools
- Microsoft Teams Admin Center
- Microsoft Teams PowerShell
- Microsoft Teams Settings and Policies
- Policy Precedence
- Policy Packages
- Managing Teams
- Archiving and Deleting Teams
- Team Templates
- Managing Teams Meetings
- Managing Teams Messaging
- Lesson 3: Managing Access to Teams
- Team Owners and Members
- Dynamic Team Membership
- Lesson 4: Microsoft Teams External Collaboration
- External Access vs Guest Access
- Microsoft Teams External Access
- Microsoft Teams Guest Access
- Lab Exercises
- Lab: Managing Microsoft Teams
Module 7: SharePoint Sites and Navigation
- Lesson 1: Introduction
- SharePoint Service Overview
- Isn’t SharePoint Just a Part of Microsoft Teams?
- SharePoint Six Pillars
- SharePoint Updates
- Lesson 2: SharePoint Administration
- SharePoint Administrator Role
- SharePoint Admin Center
- SharePoint Management Shell
- SharePoint PnP
- PnP Resources for Administrators
- PnP PowerShell
- PnP PowerShell Installation and Updates
- Lesson 3: SharePoint Sites
- SharePoint Sites
- Team Sites
- Team Site Without Microsoft 365 Group
- Team Site “Groupification”
- Administrator Team Site Creation
- Communication Sites
- SharePoint Subsites
- Deleting and Restoring Sites
- Deleting Content Within a Site
- Lesson 4: Hub Sites
- Hub Site Benefits
- Configuring Hub Sites
- Associating Sites to a Hub Site
- Hub Site Approval Flow (Power Automate)
- Parent Hub Association and Navigation
- Hub Site Permissions and Limitations
- Lesson 5: Planning Sites
- The Importance of Planning Sites
- When to Create a New Site
- Site Architecture and Navigation Relationship
- Single Site vs Multiple Sites
- Lesson 6: SharePoint Navigation
- Team Site Navigation
- Communication Site Navigation
- Cascading vs Mega Menu Navigation
- WebPart Navigation Options
- SharePoint Audiences
- Site Navigation Updates and Documentation
- Lab Exercises
- Lab: SharePoint PowerShell and PnP
- Lab: Creating and Managing Sites
- Lab: Creating and Managing Sites Using PowerShell
- Lab: Configuring Hub Sites
- Lab: SharePoint Search Driven Navigation
Module 8: SharePoint Permissions, External Sharing & Guest Access
- Lesson 1: SharePoint Permissions
- SharePoint Team Sites
- Communication Sites and Non-365 Group Team Sites
- Access Requests
- Member Sharing Options
- Lesson 2: SharePoint Sharing vs Advanced Permission Management
- SharePoint Site Access
- Sharing a Site
- Sharing a Document Library/List
- Sharing a Folder or Items (Link Sharing)
- Item QR Codes
- Lesson 3: Advanced Permissions
- Permission Levels
- Bespoke Permission Levels
- Granting Explicit Permissions
- Permission Inheritance
- Breaking and Managing Inheritance
- Lesson 4: SharePoint Groups
- Adding Entra ID Groups into SharePoint Groups
- SharePoint Group Best Practices
- Special SharePoint Groups
- Lesson 5: Granting and Managing Permissions
- Permissions Panel
- SharePoint Admin Center
- Checking Permissions
- SharePoint Permissions via PowerShell
- Lesson 6: SharePoint Permissions Best Practices
- SharePoint Permissions Essentials and Key Takeaways
- Recommended Solutions for Permissions
- Lesson 7: SharePoint External Sharing
- Authenticated External User Sharing
- Anonymous Access Links
- Lesson 8: SharePoint External Sharing Administration
- Tenant Level External Sharing Administration
- File and Folder Links
- PowerShell External Sharing
- Lesson 9: SharePoint External Sharing Alerts, Auditing, and Reporting
- Lesson 10: SharePoint and OneDrive File Requests
- Requirements and Managing File Requests
- User File Request Experience
- Lesson 11: Guest Access in Microsoft 365
- Controlling Microsoft 365 Group Guest Access
- Removing Guest Users
- Admin Center Guest Access Controls
- Controlling Guest Access with PowerShell
- Lab Exercises
- Lab: SharePoint Permissions
- Lab: SharePoint External Sharing
- Lab: Managing Microsoft 365 Group Guest Access
Module 9: Microsoft 365 Purview
- Lesson 1: Introduction
- What is Microsoft 365 Purview?
- Microsoft’s Commitment to Compliance
- Microsoft Shared Responsibility Model
- Microsoft Cybersecurity Reference Architecture (MCRA)
- Microsoft’s Information Protection Model
- Lesson 2: Microsoft 365 Security and Compliance Administration Tools
- Admin Centers for Security and Compliance
- Microsoft Purview Administrative Roles
- Microsoft Purview PowerShell
- Lesson 3: Microsoft 365 Data Loss Prevention
- Introduction to Data Loss Prevention Policies
- Components of DLP Policies
- Creating DLP Policies
- Document Fingerprinting
- Custom DLP Policies
- DLP Policy Locations and Settings
- DLP Conditions and Exceptions
- DLP PowerShell
- DLP Activity Explorer
- DLP Alerts
- Lesson 4: Retention Policies
- Retention Policy Data Behavior
- Creating Retention Policies
- Adaptive vs Static Retention Policies
- Retention Policy Locations and Options
- Lesson 5: Microsoft 365 Content Search
- Content Search Security
- eDiscovery Administrators and Managers
- Configuring Security Filtering for Content Search
- Content Search Limits and Results
- Searching Teams Chat Data and Other Targets
- PowerShell for Content Search
- Exporting Content Search Results
- Lesson 6: Microsoft 365 Auditing and Alerts
- Audit Log Permissions and Searches
- Exporting Audit Log Results
- Compliance Manager and Compliance Scores
- Compliance Manager Automated Testing
- Microsoft Regulations and Assessments
- Lab Exercises
- Lab: Data Loss Prevention
- Lab: Retention Policies and Content Search
- Lab: Microsoft 365 Auditing
- Lab: Alerts
- Lab: Secure Score
Module 10: Microsoft 365 Monitoring and Support
- Lesson 1: Microsoft 365 Monitoring and Support
- Microsoft 365 Troubleshooting Fundamentals
- Microsoft Support and Recovery Assistant
- Microsoft 365 Health Reports
- Microsoft 365 Troubleshooting Guide
- Microsoft 365 Community Resources
- Microsoft 365 Technical Support
- Microsoft Support SLAs
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