John Savill Master Series Part 2: Active Directory & Group Policy

Part 2: Active Directory & Group Policy

Almost every Microsoft server application and almost every organization uses Active Directory at a minimum to provide authentication and authorization services but often more as a complete directory service. In this class, we’ll explore the full capabilities of Active Directory and how to architect and manage Active Directory to meet your organization’s needs. Group Policy provides very advanced policy capabilities for Windows clients. We’ll provide best practices for application of Group Policy and discuss when to use Group Policy and when not to.

Session 1: Key Features of Active Directory from Windows 2000 to Windows Server 2012 - 60 min
From its initial introduction in Windows 2000 the Active Directory has grown in capability and scalability. This session will look at Active Directory fundamentals and how to get the most from Active Directory in your organization through all the features, including those in Windows Server 2012.

Session 2: Architecting and Managing Active Directory the Right Way - 74 min
A poorly architected Active Directory will prove a hindrance for the entire organization’s IT while a well architected Active Directory will guide every other service to be as optimal and functional as possible. This session will focus on architecture guidance in addition to using the latest features to provide extra capabilities in your bag of tools. We’ll cover architecture best practices from small to large multi-geographical organizations including utilizing the various types of trust relationships available. This session will include both Microsoft management features and those from third parties to aid in using features that Microsoft has been a little “slow” providing configuration interfaces for.

Session 3: Leveraging Group Policy in Your Environment - 50 min
Although Group Policy can bring huge benefits to organizations it is often poorly implemented, causing performance issues and unpredictable results. In this session, we’ll explain Group Policy and how to get the most from Group Policy policies and preferences. We’ll also look at using tools to report, troubleshoot, and resolve Group Policy problems.