MCSA: Windows Server 2008 Solutions Associate

Validate your skills and differentiate yourself as better able to work with Windows Server 2008 in a real-world business context. (New to IT? Learn about MTA certification for new entrants.)

Required Exams

  • Windows Server 2008 Active Directory, Configuring, Exam 640
  • Windows Server 2008 Network Infrastructure, Configuring, Exam 642
  • Windows Server 2008, Server Administrator, Exam 646
  • (6425C) Exam: 70-640, Windows Server 2008 Active Directory, Configuring

    Course Content

    Module 1: Introducing Active Directory Domain Services

    Overview of Active Directory, Identity, and Access
    Active Directory Components and Concepts
    Install Active Directory Domain Services

    Module 2: Administering Active Directory Securely and Efficiently

    Work with Active Directory Administration Tools
    Custom Consoles and Least Privilege
    Find Objects in Active Directory
    Use Windows PowerShell to Administer Active Directory

    Module 3: Managing Users and Service Accounts

    Create and Administer User Accounts
    Configure User Object Attributes
    Automate User Account Creation
    Create and Configure Managed Service Accounts

    Module 4: Managing Groups

    Overview of Groups
    Administer Groups
    Best Practices for Group Management

    Module 5: Managing Computer Accounts

    Create Computers and Join the Domain
    Administer Computer Objects and Accounts
    Perform an Offline Domain Join

    Module 6: Implementing a Group Policy Infrastructure

    Understand Group Policy
    Implement GPOs
    Manage Group Policy Scope
    Group Policy Processing
    Troubleshoot Policy Application

    Module 7: Managing User Desktop with Group Policy

    Implement Administrative Templates
    Configure Group Policy Preferences
    Manage Software with GPSI

    Module 8: Managing Enterprise Security and Configuration with Group Policy Settings

    Manage Group Membership by Using Group Policy Settings
    Manage Security Settings
    Auditing
    Software Restriction Policy and Applocker

    Module 9: Securing Administration

    Delegate Administrative Permissions
    Audit Active Directory Administration

    Module 10: Improving the Security of Authentication in an AD DS Domain

    Configure Password and Lockout Policies
    Audit Authentication
    Configure Read-Only Domain Controllers

    Module 11: Configuring Domain Name System

    Install and Configure DNS in an AD DS Domain
    Integration of AD DS, DNS, and Windows
    Advanced DNS Configuration and Administration

    Module 12: Administering AD DS Domain Controllers

    Domain Controller Installation Options
    Install a Server Core Domain Controller
    Manage Operations Masters
    Configure Global Catalog
    Configure DFS-R Replication of SYSVOL

    Module 13: Managing Sites and Active Directory Replication

    Configure Sites and Subnets
    Configure Replication

    Module 14: Directory Service Continuity

    Monitor Active Directory
    Manage the Active Directory Database
    Active Directory Recycle Bin
    Back Up and Restore AD DS and Domain Controllers

    Module 15: Managing Multiple Domains and Forests

    Configure Domain and Forest Functional Levels
    Manage Multiple Domains and Trust Relationships
    Move Objects between Domains and Forests

    (6421B) Exam: 70-642, Windows Server 2008 Network Infrastructure, Configuring

    Module 1: Planning and Configuring IPv4

    Implementing an IPv4 Network Infrastructure
    Overview of Name Resolution Services in an IPv4 Network Infrastructure
    Configuring and Troubleshooting IPv4

    Module 2: Configuring and Troubleshooting DHCP

    Overview of the DHCP Server Role
    Configuring DHCP Scopes
    Configuring DHCP Options
    Managing a DHCP Database
    Monitoring and Troubleshooting DHCP
    Configuring DHCP Security

    Module 3: Configuring and Troubleshooting DNS

    Installing the DNS Server Role
    Configuring the DNS Server Role
    Configuring DNS Zones
    Configuring DNS Zone Transfers
    Managing and Troubleshooting DNS

    Module 4: Configuring and Troubleshooting IPv6 TCP/IP

    Overview of IPv6
    IPv6 Addressing
    Coexistence with IPv6
    IPv6 Transition Technologies
    Transitioning from IPv4 to IPv6

    Module 5: Configuring and Troubleshooting Routing and Remote Access

    Configuring Network Access
    Configuring VPN Access
    Overview of Network Policies
    Overview of the Connection Manager Administration Kit
    Troubleshooting Routing and Remote Access
    Configuring DirectAccess

    Module 6: Installing, Configuring, and Troubleshooting the Network Policy Server Role Service

    Installing and Configuring a Network Policy Server
    Configuring RADIUS Clients and Servers
    NPS Authentication Methods
    Monitoring and Troubleshooting a Network Policy Server

    Module 7: Implementing Network Access Protection

    Overview of Network Access Protection
    How NAP Works
    Configuring NAP
    Monitoring and Troubleshooting NAP

    Module 8: Increasing Security for Windows Servers

    Windows Security Overview
    Configuring Windows Firewall with Advanced Security
    Deploying Updates with Windows Server Update Services

    Module 9: Increasing Security for Network Communication

    Overview of IPsec
    Configuring Connection Security Rules
    Configuring NAP with IPsec Enforcement
    Monitoring and Troubleshooting IPsec

    Module 10: Configuring and Troubleshooting Network File and Print Services

    Configuring and Troubleshooting File Shares
    Encrypting Network Files with EFS
    Encrypting Partitions with BitLocker
    Configuring and Troubleshooting Network Printing

    Module 11: Optimizing Data Access for Branch Offices

    Branch Office Data Access
    DFS Overview
    Overview of DFS Namespaces
    Configuring DFS Replication
    Configuring BranchCache

    Module 12: Controlling and Monitoring Network Storage

    Monitoring Network Storage
    Controlling Network Storage Utilization
    Managing File Types on Network Storage

    Module 13: Recovering Network Data and Servers

    Recovering Network Data with Volume Shadow Copies
    Recovering Network Data and Servers with Windows Server Backu

    Module 14: Monitoring Windows Server 2008 Network Infrastructure Servers

    Monitoring Tools
    Using Performance Monitor
    Monitoring Event Logs

    (6433A) Exam: 70-646, Windows Server 2008, Server Administrator

    Module 1: Planning Server Deployment and Upgrade

    Developing a Deployment Strategy
    Virtualization Considerations
    Selecting an Automation Strategy
    Implementing an Automation Strategy

    Module 2: Planning Server Management and Delegated Administration

    Remote Server Management Tools
    Decentralizing Systems Administration

    Module 3: Planning Network Addressing and Name Resolution

    Provisioning IPv4 Addresses on Enterprise Networks
    Provisioning IPv6 Addresses on Enterprise Networks
    Transitioning to IPv6
    Provisioning DNS Services on Enterprise Networks

    Module 4: Planning and Provisioning Active Directory Domain Services

    Deploying Domain Controllers in Multi-Site Organizations
    Planning Administrative and Management Structures for AD DS
    Planning a Maintenance Strategy for AD DS
    Planning a Backup and Restore Strategy for AD DS

    Module 5: Planning Group Policy Strategy

    Planning Group Policy Settings
    Planning the Assignment of Group Policies
    Planning the Management of Group Policy Objects

    Module 6: Planning Active Directory Certificate Services

    Enterprise PKI Deployment and Administration
    Managing Certificate Templates
    Planning Certificate Enrollment and Revocation

    Module 7: Planning and Provisioning Application Servers

    Planning and Provisioning Web Services
    Planning and Provisioning Presentation Virtualization
    Planning and Provisioning Application Virtualization

    Module 8: Planning File and Print Services

    Provisioning File Services
    Provisioning and Managing Storage
    Provisioning and Managing Network Print Services
    Migrating File and Print Services

    Module 9: Planning Network Access

    Planning Network Security
    Planning Virtual Private Networks
    Planning Network Access Protection
    Planning DirectAccess

    Module 10: Provisioning Data and Storage

    Planning and Implementing Distributed File System
    Planning and Implementing BranchCache
    Provisioning Storage

    Module 11: Planning Update Deployment

    WSUS Topologies
    Update Management

    Module 12: Planning High Availability

    Planning Network Load Balancing
    Planning Failover Clustering
    Planning for Service Availabilit

    Module 13: Planning Performance and Event Monitoring

    Monitoring and Analyzing Server Performance
    Managing Events

    Module 14: Enterprise Backup and Recovery

    Disaster Recovery Concepts
    Planning Windows Server Backup
    Planning Recovery of Data and servers