Managing Identity Services using AD DS and Microsoft Entra (Coursera)

By the end of this course, you will be able to:

• Describe the various aspects of AD DS domain controllers and related operations, such as deployment options, AD DS operations master roles, and so on.
• Explain the ways to manage and secure AD DS environments, including trust relationships, forest configurations, and active directory replication.
• Describe identity management in hybrid environments using Microsoft Entra Connect, Microsoft Entra Cloud Sync, and Microsoft Entra Connect Health.

This course is best suited for those having experience working with Windows Server operating systems and in implementing and managing on-premises and hybrid solutions.
This course is part of the AZ-800 Exam Prep Specialization.

What you'll learn

• Describe the basic concepts of AD DS
• Describe the configuration and deployment options that are considered when deploying AD DS domain controllers on-premises and on Azure IaaS
• Describe the aspects that should be considered to maintain business continuity of the authentication services provided by AD DS domain controllers
• Identify the key factors to be considered when setting up a read-only domain controller

Syllabus

Introduction to AD DS Domain Controllers
In this module, you will learn about Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS) domain controllers. You will become familiar with terms such as domain and forest. You will learn about the configuration and deployment options that are considered when deploying AD DS domain controllers on-premises and on Azure IaaS. This includes configuration options for on-premises deployment, such as DNS name, and deployment options such as network topology. You will also learn how to maintain business continuity of the authentication services provided by AD DS domain controllers, such as implementing backup and restore options. In addition, you will learn about the key factors to be considered when setting up a read-only domain controller. You will also learn about the AD DS operations master roles, such as schema master.

AD DS Environments: Management and Security
In this module, you will learn about managing and securing AD DS environments. You will understand how to configure trust relationships for forests and domains and the parameters you can configure in a multi-site AD DS forest. You will learn the concepts related to active directory replication and the key parameters to be defined while creating users, groups, and computers. You will also learn the factors to consider when managing users and groups in a multi-domain and multi-site environment. In addition, you will learn about the tools you can use to manage objects and their properties in AD DS. You will also learn the steps to join Windows Servers to AD DS.

Hybrid Identity and Group Policies
In this module, you will explore hybrid identity management and group policies. You will learn about the best practices for integrating on-premises domains with Microsoft Entra ID. You will learn about the features of Microsoft Entra Connect and Microsoft Entra Connect cloud sync. In addition, you will learn about the behavior differences when running Microsoft Entra Domain Services compared to traditional on-premises AD DS environments. You will understand the key benefits of using Microsoft Entra Connect Health. You will learn about the authentication methods used in Microsoft Entra and how Microsoft Entra ensures password protection. You will understand the various settings associated with domain-based GPOs. You will also learn how to administer group policy in a Microsoft Entra Domain Services managed domain.

Final Project
In this module, you will participate in a final project. You will be provided scenarios that mimic real-life situations that Windows Server Hybrid administrators commonly face. You will attempt a set of multiple-choice questions where you will make several decisions on managing identity services using AD DS and Microsoft Entra.