Hour 1: Introduction to Active Directory

  • Objectives:
    • Gain an understanding of Windows Active Directory and its significance.
    • Learn key concepts and components of Active Directory.
  • Activities:
    • Presentation: Overview of Windows Active Directory and its role in network management.
    • Explanation: Key components (domain, tree, forest, objects).
    • Q&A session to clarify basic concepts.

Hour 2: Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS)

  • Objectives:
    • Understand the role of AD DS in Windows Server environments.
    • Learn the functions of domain controllers.
  • Activities:
    • Lecture: Role of AD DS in authentication, authorization, and policy enforcement.
    • Demo: Installing and configuring AD DS on a Windows Server.
    • Group discussion: Role of domain controllers in network infrastructure.

Hour 3: Active Directory Structure and Objects

  • Objectives:
    • Explore the structure of AD: forests, domains, and organizational units (OUs).
    • Understand AD objects like user accounts, groups, and computer accounts.
  • Activities:
    • Presentation: Explanation of forests, domains, and OUs.
    • Demo: Creating and managing user accounts, groups, and computer accounts.
    • Hands-on lab: Organizing users and computers into OUs.

Hour 4: Active Directory Schema and Global Catalog

  • Objectives:
    • Learn about the schema and how it defines object classes and attributes.
    • Understand the role of the Global Catalog in object searches.
  • Activities:
    • Lecture: What is the Active Directory schema, and how it functions.
    • Explanation: Role of the Global Catalog in large organizations.
    • Demo: Viewing the AD schema and querying the Global Catalog.

Hour 5: Active Directory Sites and Replication (Part 1)

  • Objectives:
    • Learn about AD sites and their significance in optimizing network traffic.
    • Understand replication between domain controllers.
  • Activities:
    • Presentation: Configuring and managing AD sites for network efficiency.
    • Discussion: Importance of AD replication and its types (intra-site vs. inter-site).
    • Demo: Configuring AD replication between sites.

Hour 6: Active Directory Sites and Replication (Part 2)

  • Objectives:
    • Hands-on practice in managing AD sites and replication.
  • Activities:
    • Hands-on lab: Configuring and managing multiple AD sites.
    • Exercise: Monitoring replication and troubleshooting replication issues.
    • Q&A: Discuss potential challenges with site replication.

Hour 7: Group Policies in Active Directory

  • Objectives:
    • Understand the role of Group Policy in managing users and computers.
    • Learn to create and apply Group Policy Objects (GPOs).
  • Activities:
    • Lecture: Overview of Group Policy and GPO structure.
    • Demo: Creating and linking GPOs to OUs and domains.
    • Hands-on lab: Applying GPOs to enforce security settings or software installation.

Hour 8: Review, Practical Application, and Conclusion

  • Objectives:
    • Review the core concepts learned throughout the day.
    • Apply Active Directory concepts to real-world scenarios.
  • Activities:
    • Recap: Key points from each topic (AD DS, schema, replication, GPOs).
    • Group activity: Setting up a basic AD infrastructure with sites, OUs, and GPOs.
    • Final discussion: Best practices for managing AD environments.
    • Quiz: Test knowledge on Active Directory concepts.


The four major components of Active Directory (AD) are domains, trees, forests, and objects:


Domain
A collection of objects, such as users, computers, and other AD objects, within an AD DS network. Domains are identified by a DNS name, which is usually the same as the organization's public domain name.


Tree
A collection of domains that share a common namespace and configuration. Domains in a tree are linked together by trust relationships.


Forest
A collection of one or more domain trees that share a common logical structure, directory schema, directory configuration, and global catalog. A forest is considered the primary security boundary in AD.


Object
A single element contained in an AD, such as a user, group, application, or device.


A domain controller is a window server that runs AD DS. Every domain has at least one domain controller, but can have more. Domain controllers are important servers and primary targets for attackers because they hold the key to the Active Directory environment.