The Fundamentals of Active Directory—Hands-On Lab Guide is a comprehensive, lab-based learning resource crafted for IT professionals, systems administrators, students, and technical trainers seeking a deep, practical understanding of Active Directory. Published by MVPDays Publishing, this book strongly emphasizes guided, real-world exercises that teach not just the “how” but the “why” behind Active Directory’s core services.
This guide is ideal for those preparing for certification, working in enterprise environments, or simply looking to master foundational AD concepts with a practical edge.
Learning by Doing: A Fully Immersive Lab Experience Rather than presenting theory in isolation, this book walks learners through a structured lab environment, enabling them to confidently deploy, manage, secure, and migrate an Active Directory infrastructure. From the initial installation of domain controllers to advanced domain migrations and hardening techniques, every chapter builds directly on hands-on tasks that reinforce core concepts.
Book Structure & Key Content Areas Getting Started The book begins with steps to access the lab environment, including the deployment of virtual machines and initial network configuration. This sets the stage for all subsequent exercises.
Lab 1 – Active Directory Design 101 Before implementing, learners are guided through the design process: understanding business and technical requirements, choosing the right topology, and planning a secure and scalable AD deployment.
Lab 2 – Installing Active Directory This chapter covers the step-by-step installation of two domain controllers (TMDC01 and TMDC02). It includes a comparative exercise on Active Directory Users and Computers (ADUC) versus ADSI Edit—helping readers understand the tools available for directory management at different levels of abstraction.
Lab 3 – Logical Structure & Core Concepts In this core section, learners explore:
- User creation and security principals
- Understanding SIDs, ACEs, ACLs, and DACLs
- Default security groups and their purposes
- Group scope and nesting
- Structuring Organizational Units (OUs) for delegation and policy targeting
- The AD schema and its role in extensibility
- Configuration of Active Directory Sites and Services
Each topic is reinforced with detailed instructor-led exercises.
Lab 4 – Group Policy A critical skill for any AD administrator, this lab teaches:
- Creating and applying GPOs
- Locking down environments (e.g., RDS servers)
- Managing inheritance, enforcement, and loopback processing
- Understanding SYSVOL replication and troubleshooting
Lab 5 – Backup and Recovery (Optional) For those interested in disaster recovery, this lab walks through:
- Performing authoritative and non-authoritative restores
- Using the Active Directory Recycle Bin
- Practical considerations for AD backup strategies
Lab 6 – Hardening Windows Servers Security is front and center as learners apply Microsoft’s Security Compliance Toolkit to harden Windows Server 2019/2022 and client systems (Windows 10/11) via Group Policy Security Baselines.
Lab 7 – Advanced Migration to Server 2022 (Optional) This capstone lab series takes learners through the complete process of upgrading an AD environment:
- Verifying replication health
- Extending the schema with ADPREP
- Installing and promoting new Server 2022 domain controllers
- Transferring FSMO roles
- Demoting legacy DCs
- Configuring time services (NTP)
- Updating domain and forest functional levels
The lab simulates a complete production migration scenario with IP reassignment, time synchronization via Group Policy, and post-migration validation steps.
Knowledge Check & Review Sections Review questions support each major topic and answer keys, making this book perfect for self-study or classroom environments. Question sets include:
- Active Directory architecture
- Group types and permissions
- Backup and recovery techniques
- Security hardening concepts
- Migration and upgrade best practices
Who Should Read This Book This guide is a must-have for:
- New and intermediate IT professionals learning Active Directory
- Microsoft certification candidates
- Systems engineers responsible for managing identity and access
- Educators and trainers looking for structured, real-world lab content
- Security professionals focused on hardening and compliance
Conclusion The Fundamentals of Active Directory – Hands-On Lab Guide equips readers with the skills and hands-on experience to confidently design, deploy, manage, secure, and migrate Active Directory environments. Rich in practical exercises and grounded in real-world application, this book ensures learners walk away with the knowledge and the muscle memory to succeed in today’s hybrid and cloud-connected IT landscape.
