Active Directory: Advanced AD DS infrastructure management

Name: Active Directory: Advanced AD DS infrastructure management
Rating: 4.4 (80 reviews)

Multiple domains and forests, DC in Azure, Complex Active Directory deployments, Domain and Forest Functional levels

Created byVitalii Shumylo

Last updated 2/2026

English

What you'll learn

Why implement multiple domains?
Why implement multiple forests?
Deploying a domain controller in Azure IaaS
Managing objects in complex AD DS deployments
AD DS domain functional levels
AD DS forest functional levels
Deploying new AD DS domains
Considerations for implementing complex AD DS environments
Upgrading a previous version of AD DS to Windows Server 2016
Migrating to Windows Server 2016 AD DS from a previous version
And more...

Course content

5 sections • 68 lectures • 8h 36m total length

Course Overview2:29
Section Overview6:07
Overview of domain and forest boundaries in an AD DS structure8:05
Knowledge Check 1: Overview of domain and forest boundaries7:46
Knowledge Check 2: Overview of domain and forest boundaries9:36
Why implement multiple domains?3:59
Discover when to deploy multiple active directory domains to address replication and bandwidth constraints, DNS namespace needs, and distributed administration, while balancing administrative autonomy with forest-level considerations.
Why implement multiple forests?3:42
Knowledge Check 1: Why implement multiple domains and forests?9:04
Knowledge Check 2: Why implement multiple domains and forests?9:46
Deploying a domain controller in Azure IaaS9:45
Knowledge Check 1: Deploying a domain controller in Azure IaaS8:47
Knowledge Check 2: Deploying a domain controller in Azure IaaS9:54
Managing objects in complex AD DS deployments6:56
Learn to manage objects in multi-forest AD DS deployments with automation, delegation, and self-service, using Microsoft Identity Manager 2016 to sync identities with Azure Active Directory and secure admin accounts.
Knowledge Check 1: Managing objects in complex AD DS deployments6:53
Knowledge Check 2: Managing objects in complex AD DS deployments5:52
Knowledge Check 3: Managing objects in complex AD DS deployments7:03

Section Overview5:22
AD DS domain functional levels10:19
Examine the spectrum of Active Directory domain functional levels from Windows 2000 native to Windows 2016, and evaluate upgrade benefits, features, and rollback limitations.
Knowledge Check 1: AD DS domain functional levels9:04
Knowledge Check 2: AD DS domain functional levels9:48
AD DS forest functional levels6:39
Deploying new AD DS domains3:03
Considerations for implementing complex AD DS environments13:38
Explore DNS considerations for complex AD DS environments: centralized vs decentralized models, DNS client configuration, monitoring, conditional forwarding, stop zones, devolution, suffix search order, and AD integrated DNS.
Demo: Installing a domain controller in a new domain in an existing forest5:34
Upgrading a previous version of AD DS to Windows Server 20166:36
Migrating to Windows Server 2016 AD DS from a previous version10:51

Setting Up Azure Account and Exploring Cloud Shell9:00
Create an Azure account, explore the Azure portal, and launch Cloud Shell to run PowerShell or Bash commands, using a free one-year subscription for hands-on labs.
A Quick Overview of Azure Portal3:38
Azure Resource Groups Fundamentals and Creation8:42
Resource Group Management in Azure Portal13:36
Creating Windows Server VM in Azure Step-by-Step12:15
Azure Free Subscription Benefits4:41
Azure Subscription Types and Effective Management7:33
Explore Azure subscription types—free, pay-as-you-go, enterprise agreement, and cloud service provider—and learn effective management using RBAC, budgets, and governance across environments and departments.
Azure Resource Groups Efficient Organization6:47
Use resource groups as logical containers to organize related Azure resources by lifecycle, environment, department, or application, enabling efficient management with naming, tagging, and RBAC.
Azure Regions Selection Criteria and Pricing8:19
Azure Availability Zones High Availability and9:03
Exploring Azure Services12:38
Budget Setup How to control Azure subscription7:24
Learn to set up a budget in Azure to control subscription costs using cost management, alerts, and forecasts.
GitHub Codespaces and Azure CloudShell Integration7:58
Clone the Azure Learning Lessons repository in Azure Cloud Shell and run PowerShell scripts to create or remove VMs. Use Codespaces for online VS Code editing and committing changes.
Overview: Building Single-VM Windows Server 20227:27
Azure Resource Management using PowerShell6:24
PowerShell Script for Azure VM Basic Settings6:27
PowerShell Script for Azure VM Operating System5:58
Use PowerShell to create an Azure NSG rule for RDP, attach it to the NIC, and deploy a Windows VM with credentials.
PowerShell Script for Azure VM Operating System9:18
Create an Azure VM with a PowerShell script, configure operating system image and edition, attach a network interface, disable boot diagnostics, and output VM details and public IP for RDP.
Azure VM Creation with PowerShell Script6:06
Creating a Resource Removal Script in GitHub Code7:22
Executing Resource Removal Script on Azure Portal8:38
Building Multi-VM Windows Server 2022 Lab on Azure9:44
Removing Multi-VM Windows Server 2022 Lab on Azure12:48
Azure Bastion Enhancing VM Security5:54
Explore azure bastion to securely access windows vms in the azure portal using tls over 443, eliminating public ips and centralizing rdp access.
LAB Overview What is the structure of our ADDS4:59
Promoting DC with GUI How to set up static IP10:55
Network Connectivity Troubleshooting Using PS7:29
Troubleshooting Network Connectivity5:00
Network Configuration How to set static IP using4:44
Network Troubleshooting Managing network interface9:59
Addinging Sub Domain Using GUI6:50
Configuring VNet Peering for Subdomain Controller11:41
Promoting Secondary Domain Controller for SubDC7:00
Promote a secondary domain controller for the subdomain, configure DNS and IP settings, and demonstrate a three-location AD DS deployment with a root domain and two subdomains.
Verifying and Configuring DNS Settings in Multi8:28
Verifying and Configuring DNS Settings in Multi6:53
Verify and configure DNS settings across multi-site environments by creating delegations, managing forwarders, and validating zone properties and VNet peering in a lab.
AD Site Configuration and Domain Controller6:36
Configuring AD Sites and Subnets for Multi Region7:27

Requirements

Familiarity with general Windows and Microsoft server administration and technologies

Description

This course is aimed to IT Pros and is supposed to give the viewer the information they need to know to get started with Active Directory (AD DS) and its key concepts. The goal is to provide coverage of AD DS components of advanced AD DS deployments, how to deploy a distributed AD DS environment and· Configure AD DS trusts.

The course is targeted to help learning Active Directory and do your job more efficiently.

After completing this course, you will be able to describe:

Why implement multiple domains?

Why implement multiple forests?

Deploying a domain controller in Azure IaaS

Managing objects in complex AD DS deployments

AD DS domain functional levels

AD DS forest functional levels

Deploying new AD DS domains

Demonstration: Installing a domain controller in a new domain in an existing forest

Considerations for implementing complex AD DS environments

Upgrading a previous version of AD DS to Windows Server 2016

Migrating to Windows Server 2016 AD DS from a previous version

Who this course is for:

Active Directory Administrators
System Administrators
IT Specialists
Automation Specialists
Power Users

Active Directory: Advanced AD DS infrastructure management

What you'll learn

Explore related topics

Course content

Overview of advanced AD DS deployments16 lectures • 1hr 56min

Deploying a distributed AD DS environment10 lectures • 1hr 21min

Configuring AD DS trusts5 lectures • 24min

Building Windows Server 2022 Lab on Azure37 lectures • 4hr 56min

Practice Tests0

Requirements

Description

Who this course is for: