Windows 11 Desktop Administration with Server & Cloud course

Setting up a practice lab is optional; you can learn plenty by watching the course and practicing on your own computer or with 24/7 simulations.

download the Windows Server 2022 ISO from Microsoft, save the file via save link as, and place the ISO on your desktop for immediate use.

Learn how to install and enable Hyper-V on Windows 10 Pro or Enterprise, select Hyper-V platform and management tools, verify hardware virtualization, and launch Hyper-V manager to create virtual machines.

Create a virtual switch in Hyper-V manager to connect virtual machines and enable internet access. Set up an external switch named external internet switch by selecting the internet-connected network adapter.

Configure a Windows Server 2022 virtual machine with Hyper-V, including memory, storage, and ISO boot, then install the desktop experience on NYC DC1.

Disable large send offload version 2 on the Hyper-V virtual ethernet adapter to fix slow or dropped internet connections, using device manager to access network adapters.

Access the Windows 11 ISO download page, select the English United States 64-bit ISO, and download it after completing a form with optional details.

Learn to create a Windows 11 virtual machine in Hyper-V, enable trusted platform module, allocate RAM and processors, attach an ISO, install the operating system, and rename the VM.

Set up a Microsoft Active Directory domain on a Windows Server 2022 VM, install domain services, and promote the server to a new forest for exam lab practice.com.

Configure Windows 11 DNS to the domain controller, rename the computer to nyc-cl11, disable IPv6, then join the exam lab practice domain with administrator credentials and restart.

Compare deployment tools for Windows, from fresh installs to imaging with MDT and the Windows ADK, including light and zero-touch options, Autopilot with Intune, and provisioning packages.

Compare side-by-side and wipe-and-load migrations, using the user state migration tool to back up and restore user state on Windows, and consider in-place upgrade versus rebuilding.

Compare traditional imaging using WDS, pixie, MDT, and offline images. Explore provisioning with Intune autopilot and on-prem provisioning packages for zero-touch deployment.

Compare Windows editions—from home to enterprise LTSC—highlighting features like Edge, Windows Hello, virtual desktops, BitLocker, Remote Desktop, and management options such as Intune, Azure AD, and Group Policy.

Explore PowerShell fundamentals and the verb-noun command structure, admin access, piping, remoting, and scripting in ISE to manage Windows services and cloud technologies.

Enable Windows Remote Management and PowerShell remoting by turning on WinRM, configure ports 5985 and 5986, and use dash computer name, invoke-command, and PS sessions to manage remote machines.

Explore Windows 365 and Azure Virtual Desktop options for cloud-hosted Windows, comparing thin client streaming, central storage, and scalable host pools to fit small teams or large deployments.

Deploy the imaging in a Hyper-V lab, watch for a NIC driver error at the end, and use the workaround: recreate a win 11 Deploy demo VM joined to domain.

Microsoft is phasing out MDT and its imaging method, making MDT harder to download while an older version remains available.

Install and configure the Windows ADK and MDT, create a deployment share, and explore MDT components (applications, operating systems, drivers, packages, and task sequences) for image deployment.

Learn to deploy Windows images using MDT and Windows Deployment Services, prepare Windows PE, import a Windows 11 image, create applications, and configure a task sequence for network-based installations.

Create and deploy Windows images with MDT and Windows deployment services. Regenerate boot images, configure bootstrap and rules, and automate domain join via task sequences in a Hyper-V lab.

Learn to back up and restore user state with scan state and load state, enabling side-by-side or wipe-and-load migrations using usmt and MigApp, MigDocs, MigUser XML files.

Explore how domains, trees, and forests organize Active Directory, including trust relationships, enterprise admins and domain admins, and the global catalog, with diagrams showing single and multiple trees and forests.

Explore domain and forest trust relationships, including two-way transitive and one-way directional trusts, shortcuts, and realm trusts, to share resources and authenticate across forests.

Learn how Active Directory uses user accounts and organizational units to organize people by location or department, apply group policy objects, and delegate control with single OU membership.

Create and manage organizational units and users in Active Directory using the AD UC tool and the DAC, and delegate control.

Group types and scopes drive who can access resources: use security groups with permissions, distribute groups for email, and implement global, domain local, and universal groups for scalable access.

Learn to create and manage Active Directory groups using AD DS, including global, domain local, and universal groups, assign membership, and configure ACLs for shared folders like sales DB.

Implement laps to randomize and expire unique local admin passwords across computers, and deploy via domain controller, AD schema, PowerShell, and GPO.

Learn how to redo simulations after completing an assignment in this course. Follow quick steps—go to summary, return to assignment, open instructions to access the simulation link.

Explore how group policy objects deploy settings across sites, domains, and organizational units. Understand last-wins conflicts, block inheritance, and enforced policies, including password policy.

Learn to create, link, and manage group policy objects in AD DS using the Group Policy Management Console, including default domain policies, starter GPOs, and scope controls.

Discover how to deploy default settings with group policy preferences in AD DS, using item level targeting, and manage power options, printers, and more while allowing users to modify defaults.

Explore Microsoft Intune, a cloud device management solution for mobile and desktop devices, and learn to set up a free cloud subscription and manage Windows 11 devices hands-on.

Set up a lab with Microsoft 365 and Azure by starting a free Office 365 trial to obtain a Microsoft 365 E5 subscription, and learn activation steps and regional limitations.

Create and manage a free Microsoft 365 trial account for Azure and Office 365, verify with a phone number, assign licenses, and navigate portal changes.

Explore Microsoft Intune as an MDM and MAM, enrolling diverse devices across Windows, iOS, macOS, Android, and Linux, while deploying apps, policies, and monitoring compliance with Entra ID licensing requirements.

Enroll a Windows 11 device into Microsoft Intune via the Company Portal app or enroll in device management, with EMS or Microsoft 365 E5 licenses, and note DNS issues.

Create and deploy configuration profiles with Microsoft Intune across Windows, iOS, Android, and macOS to manage settings, certificates, VPN, Wi‑Fi, and baselines using settings catalog or templates.

Learn to deploy a device configuration policy using Microsoft Intune, including creating groups, choosing templates or settings catalog, and handling conflicts with domain policies.

Explore the Windows 11 update model, detailing feature and quality updates, update channels (Windows Insider, general availability, LTSC), update rings (preview, limited, broad), and delivery optimization.

Configure Windows 11 update settings to check for updates, download and install, pause updates, view update history, join Windows Insider program, and manage delivery optimization with group policy and Intune.

Manage Windows update settings on domain-joined devices via group policy, configuring automatic updates, auto download and notify, and scheduling, with a note on Intune and WSUS deprecation.

Create update rings—preview, limited, broad—in Intune and configure feature updates, quality updates, and driver updates, with defer periods and update policies.

Learn tcp/ip basics, ipv4 addressing, and subnetting—from 32-bit octets and mac addresses to routers and cidr notation—rooted in arpanet.

Learn how IPv4 address scarcity led to NAT, private ranges (10.x, 172.16.x, 192.168.x, 169.254.x), and how proxy servers combine NAT, firewall, VPN, web caching, and URL control.

Configure and troubleshoot tcp/ip settings in Windows 11 by using network and internet settings, dhcp and dns options, 802.1x authentication, metered connections, and essential tools like ipconfig, ping, and pathping.

Explore how Windows 11 uses vpn tunnels to securely connect remote users, encrypting traffic with protocols like Pctp, L2tp, Sstp, and Ikev2 via a Ras server.

Learn to configure the Windows 11 VPN client, selecting IKEv2 or L2TP/IPsec with certificate or pre-shared key, entering the server address, and setting up authentication and connection.

Install the connection manager administration kit (CMAK), create a VPN profile named LP VPN, and deploy the profile file to auto-configure VPN settings across devices.

Explore the four Windows 11 file systems—Fat32, exFAT, NTFS, and ReFS—their use cases and security features, and why NTFS is recommended for most Windows 11 deployments.

Manage disks and file systems in Windows 11 using disk management and diskpart. Create virtual disks, initialize GPT, format NTFS, and partition volumes.

Explore how NTFS permissions and share permissions govern access, locally or remotely, using a cumulative model and the rule that deny always wins, illustrated by a table-based example.

Learn how to manage Windows file permissions with NTFS ACLs, inheritance, and effective access, using groups like sales, marketing, and managers to grant read, modify, or full control.

Connect to a Windows 11 server shared folder using UNC paths, map network drives, and scripts, and control access with different credentials via group policy or Intune.

Configure disk quotas on Windows 11 to limit user space on an NTFS drive, using soft quotas by default and hard quotas for enforcement, with per-user exceptions and fsutil CLI.