MCSE Microsoft Exam 70-294 Tutorial

"Planning, Implementing, and Maintaining a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Active Directory Infrastructure"

by: Jan Philipp, MCT

First you should check the Skills being Measured by this exam according to the vendors official preparation guide, and print that out. That way you can check topics off as you cover them, and chart your progress toward certification!

You are now ready to start the tutorial. After mastering the following 10 parts, you will be well prepared for the Microsoft 70-294 Exam, and you should schedule your exam.

This tutorial is based on the concept that many of the technologies implemented in Windows 2003, with their numerous tools and snap-ins, can be grouped into six distinct technology structures. Each of these are completely independent of one another and can be understood and planned independently.

The Microsoft 70-294 Exam focuses on the "AD (AD = Active Directory) Security Structure", "AD Logical Structure", "AD Physical Structure (Topology)", and to some extend the "AD Data Structure".

As you go through these sections, it is a good idea to have a Windows 2003 Advanced Server or R2 handy, a VirtualPC one will do, then look for the settings and configurations in the GUI, and type in commands with /? as you come across them.

• Part 1: The Windows "AD Security Structure"
  Skill: Planning and Implementing User, Computer, and Group Strategies.
   
• Part 2: Extended Security Structure - Domains and Trusts
  Skill: Managing and Maintaining an Active Directory Infrastructure.

• Part 3: Designing Administration based on the Security Structure
  Skill: Planning and Implementing User, Computer, and Group Strategies.
   
• Part 4: The "AD Logical Structure"- Processing Order and Tools
  Skill: Planning and Implementing User, Computer, and Group Strategies & Planning and Implementing Group Policy.
   
• Part 5: The "AD Logical Structure" - Key Policies to know!
  Skill: Planning and Implementing Group Policy & Managing and Maintaining Group Policy.
   
• Part 6: The "AD Data Structure"
  Skill: Managing and Maintaining an Active Directory Infrastructure.
   
• Part 7: Backup/Restore and Manage the "AD Data Structure"
  Skill: Managing and Maintaining an Active Directory Infrastructure.
   
• Part 8: The "AD Physical Structure (Replication Topology)"
  Skill: Planning and Implementing an Active Directory Infrastructure & Managing and Maintaining an Active Directory Infrastructure.
   
• Part 9: Global Catalog and FSMO Placement Considerations
  Skill: Planning and Implementing an Active Directory Infrastructure.
   
• Part 10: Managing Replication in Active Directory
  Skill: Planning and Implementing an Active Directory Infrastructure.

Printing in Windows

by: Jan Philipp, MCT

• Windows Printing Model (Back On-Line Shortly)
  Basics of printing in Windows, including multiple printer setup for the same printing device, printer pooling, etc...
   
• Location Tracking using Active Directory (Back On-Line Shortly)
  How to configure the Active Directory Service (ADS) to help mobile users to connect to local printers.

Networking 101

by: Jan Philipp, CEI

• OSI Reference Model (Back On-Line Shortly)
  This zip file extract into an Excel Spreadsheet that compares the OSI Reference model to other network models using Excel's outline feature to expand or collapse the information you need.  Originally written to prepare for Microsoft's TCP/IP exam (retired) it also contains a TCP/IP subnet calculator.