Windows Server 2025 - Beginners Guide and Hands on Labs

Name: Windows Server 2025 - Beginners Guide and Hands on Labs
Rating: 4.7 (69 reviews)

Learn Windows Server 2025 from Scratch – Install, Configure, and Manage with Real Hands-On Labs

Role Play

Created byDan Mill

Last updated 4/2026

English

What you'll learn

Install and configure Windows Server 2025 step by step inside a virtual machine for hands-on lab practice
Set up a virtualised lab environment using VMware, Hyper-V, or VirtualBox to practise every skill in the course
Deploy and manage Active Directory Domain Services, the core identity management platform in enterprise IT environments
Configure and manage DNS to provide reliable name resolution across a Windows Server network environment
Install and manage DHCP to automate IP address assignment and network configuration across client devices
Create and manage Group Policy Objects to enforce security settings and manage desktops across the entire organisation
Set up and manage Windows file servers including NTFS permissions, share permissions, and Distributed File System
Deploy and configure IIS to host websites and web applications on a Windows Server 2025 environment
Configure Remote Desktop Services to provide users and administrators with secure remote access to server resources
Use PowerShell to manage server roles, automate administrative tasks, and perform bulk operations more efficiently
Configure Storage Spaces and use Disk Management to manage server storage volumes, redundancy, and disk resources
Monitor system performance, analyse Event Viewer logs, and apply security and backup best practices professionally

Course content

16 sections • 133 lectures • 11h 31m total length

Introduction to Course2:01
Virtualization Platforms – Let’s Talk About Your Options5:09
Course Content1:54
Provide your early impressions on Udemy to help other students decide if this Windows Server 2025 course fits their needs. Share what you enjoyed and what you hope to learn.
Using the Udemy AI Assistant1:40

Understanding Roles vs Features7:20
Lab: Install and Configure DNS & Active Directory Domain Services17:40
Lab: Create DNS Records8:17
Lab: Creating and Managing Users, Groups, and OUs11:23
Lab: Join Second Server to Domain5:01
Group Policy Basics7:18
What are FSMO Roles? (Flexible Single Master Operations)11:20
Lab: FSMO Roles in Action2:01
Lab: Install and Configure DHCP Server7:38
Lab: Install the Web Server (IIS) Role5:53
Install and configure the Windows Server IIS web server to host HTML pages and ASP.Net applications, enabling internal portals, client web apps, and test environments.
Lab: Install and Configure the Remote Desktop Services14:01
Assignment: List 3 Server Roles and What They Do

Understanding Volumes, Disks, and Storage Spaces8:07
Explore disks, volumes, and storage spaces in Windows Server 2025, including GPT vs MBR, simple/spanned/striped/mirrored volumes, NTFS and ReFS, and fault-tolerant, scalable storage pools.
Lab: Storage Spaces8:05
Create and manage a storage pool with multiple disks, provision a 10 GB virtual disk, configure parity protection, and mount a formatted volume using storage spaces in Windows Server 2025.
Lab: Installing and Configuring File Server Role7:34
Lab: Setting NTFS and Share Permissions4:01
Storage and File Services Quiz
Role Play Scenario: Planning Storage Spaces for a New File Server

PowerShell Essentials for Server Admins4:27
Lab: Create and Run a Script to Automate User Creation3:03
Referencing Variables in Scripts0:51
Tips for using PowerShell effectively6:20
Learn essential PowerShell efficiency tips, including using get-help, get-command, update-help, tab completion, show command, and managing aliases to speed up server tasks.
Visual Studio Code and Powershell5:11
Discover how to install and use Visual Studio Code for PowerShell scripting on servers, and leverage extensions, syntax highlighting, intellisense, and the integrated terminal.

Lab: Windows Updates3:18
Event Viewer and Logs6:24
Performance Monitor / Resource Monitor / Task Manager8:04
Lab: Windows Firewall4:12
Learn to configure the built-in Windows Defender Firewall to control inbound and outbound traffic by IP, port, and application, across domain, private, and public profiles, including adding port rules.
Lab: Windows Virus Scan4:22
Learn to manage antivirus protection on Windows Server 2025 with Microsoft Defender Antivirus, including real-time protection, quick and full scans, updates, ransomware protection, and exclusions.
Lab: Back Up and Restore Files10:11
Server 2025 Monitoring, Maintenance & Updates Quiz

Create and Manage Organizational Units (OUs)11:03
Create and Manage User Accounts9:12
Create and Manage Security Groups5:48
Delegate Control with Delegation Wizard4:55
Learn to use the delegation of control wizard in Active Directory to assign granular permissions via groups, enabling password resets and group management without full domain admin access.
Configure and Apply Group Policy Objects (GPOs)6:12
Configure and apply GPOs (group policy objects) in Active Directory to centrally manage user and computer settings across domains and OUs, with proper scope, processing order, and best practices.
GPO Password Policies4:50
Active Directory Sites and Services3:07
Discover how Active Directory sites and services define the physical network to optimize replication, authentication, and service localization across multiple office locations.
Active Directory Domain and Trusts1:50

Requirements

A general awareness of IT systems and technology is recommended to get the most out of this course
A computer capable of running virtualisation software such as VMware, Hyper-V, or VirtualBox for the hands-on labs
A willingness to learn and work through practical, step-by-step labs covering real Windows Server administration tasks

Description

Windows Server 2025 — Beginners Guide and Hands-On Labs is a comprehensive course covering the installation, configuration, and management of Windows Server 2025, designed for aspiring system administrators who want to build practical Windows Server skills from the ground up.

Hands-on exercises are completed inside a virtualised lab environment, beginning with the installation and initial configuration of Windows Server 2025 before progressing through the core server roles and features found in real enterprise environments. Topics covered include Active Directory Domain Services, DNS, DHCP, Group Policy, file server configuration and management, web server deployment with IIS, and Remote Desktop Services.

The course also covers PowerShell for server administration, Storage Spaces and Disk Management, system monitoring using built-in tools including Task Manager, Resource Monitor, Performance Monitor, and Event Viewer, and security best practices including firewall management, audit policies, and backup tools. Security is treated as a priority throughout rather than a standalone topic.

The knowledge and skills covered in this course are relevant and transferable across Windows Server versions, making it a practical foundation for anyone working in or moving towards Windows-based IT infrastructure roles.

The course is designed for beginners in IT, helpdesk and support professionals looking to develop deeper server administration knowledge, career changers building Windows Server competencies, certification candidates preparing for Microsoft Certified Windows Server Administrator or CompTIA Server+, students wanting hands-on experience beyond their coursework, and small business IT generalists managing their own server environments.

Please note that this course is intended for educational purposes only.

Upon completion, students receive a Certificate of Completion suitable for adding to a résumé or LinkedIn profile.

Who this course is for:

IT support and helpdesk professionals who work in Windows environments and want to develop deeper server skills
Career changers moving into IT who need to build Windows Server competencies from the ground up
Certification candidates preparing for Microsoft Windows Server Administrator or CompTIA Server+ qualifications
Aspiring system administrators who want to learn how Windows Server is deployed and managed in real organisations
Small business IT generalists who manage Windows Server environments and want to formalise and deepen their knowledge
Helpdesk technicians who want to move beyond user support into genuine Windows Server administration roles
IT professionals who have used older Windows Server versions and want to get up to speed with the 2025 release
Anyone preparing for a junior sysadmin or infrastructure role who needs practical Windows Server skills to stand out

Windows Server 2025 - Beginners Guide and Hands on Labs

What you'll learn

Explore related topics

Course content

Introduction to Course4 lectures • 11min

Getting Started with Windows Server 20252 lectures • 13min

Download and Installation of Windows Server 20256 lectures • 29min

Server Roles and Features11 lectures • 1hr 38min

Hyper-V3 lectures • 13min

Storage and File Services5 lectures • 28min

PowerShell for Server Management5 lectures • 20min

Monitoring, Maintenance & Updates6 lectures • 37min

Managing Windows Server Update Services (WSUS)6 lectures • 52min

Active Directory - Deep Dive8 lectures • 47min

Requirements

Description

Who this course is for: