1) what is Active Directory?

An active directory is a directory structure used on Microsoft Windows based servers and
computers to store data and information about networks and domains.
2) Mention what are the new features in Active Directory (AD) of Windows server 2012?

dcpromo (Domain Controller Promoter) with improved wizard: It allows you to

view all the steps and review the detailed results during the installation process

Enhanced Administrative Center: Compared to the earlier version of active directory,

the administrative center is well designed in Windows 2012. The exchange management
console is well designed

Recycle bin goes GUI: In windows server 12, there are now many ways to enable the
active directory recycle bin through the GUI in the Active Directory Administrative
Center, which was not possible with the earlier version

Fine grained password policies (FGPP): In windows server 12 implementing FGPP is

much easier compared to an earlier It allows you to create different password policies
in the same domain

Windows Power Shell History Viewer: You can view the Windows PowerShell
commands that relates to the actions you execute in the Active Directory Administrative
Center UI

3) Mention which is the default protocol used in directory services?

The default protocol used in directory services is LDAP ( Lightweight Directory Access
Protocol).
4) Explain the term FOREST in AD?
An Active Directory forest is the highest level of organization within Active Directory. Each
forest shares a single database, a single global address list and a security boundary. By default,
a user or administrator in one forest cannot access another forest.
5) Explain what is SYSVOL?
The SysVOL folder keeps the servers copy of the domains public files. The contents such as
users, group policy, etc. of the sysvol folders are replicated to all domain controllers in the
domain.

6) Mention what is the difference between domain admin groups and enterprise admins
group in AD?
Enterprise Admin Group

Members of this group have complete

control of all domains in the forest

By default, this group belongs to the

administrators group on all domain
controllers in the forest

As such this group has full control of

the forest, add users with caution

Domain Admin Group

Members of this group have

complete control of the domain

By default, this group is a member of

the administrators group on all
domain controllers, workstations and
member servers at the time they are
linked to the domain

As such the group has full control in

the domain, add users with caution

7) Mention what system state data contains?

System state data contains

Contains start-up files

Registry

Com + Registration Database

Memory page file

System files

AD information

SYSVOL Folder

Cluster service information

8) Mention what is Kerberos?

Kerberos is an authentication protocol for network. It is built to offer strong authentication for
server/client applications by using secret-key cryptography.
9) Explain where does the AD database is held? What other folders are related to AD?

AD database is saved in %systemroot%/ntds. In the same folder, you can also see other files;
these are the main files controlling the AD structures they are

dit

log

res 1.log

log

chk

10) Mention what is PDC emulator and how would one know whether PDC emulator is
working or not?
PDC Emulators: There is one PDC emulator per domain, and when there is a failed
authentication attempt, it is forwarded to PDC emulator. It acts as a tie-breaker and it
controls the time sync across the domain.
These are the parameters through which we can know whether PDC emulator is working or
not.

Time is not syncing

Users accounts are not locked out

Windows NT BDCs are not getting updates

If pre-windows 2000 computers are unable to change their passwords

11) Mention what are lingering objects?

Lingering objects can exists if a domain controller does not replicate for an interval of time that
is longer than the tombstone lifetime (TSL).

If a domain controller does not replicate for a period of time that is longer than the
tombstone lifetime and the domain controller is then reconnected to the replication topology,
objects that were deleted from Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS) while the domain
controller was offline can remain on the domain controller as lingering objects.
A lingering object can be reintroduced into AD DS if it is allowed to replicate to another
domain controller that has deleted the object and has also deleted (garbage-collected) the
tombstone for the deleted object.
]
12) Mention what is TOMBSTONE lifetime?

Tombstone lifetime in an Active Directory determines how long a deleted object is retained in
Active Directory. The deleted objects in Active Directory is stored in a special object referred
as TOMBSTONE. Usually, windows will use a 60- day tombstone lifetime if time is not set in
the forest configuration.
13) Explain what is Active Directory Schema?
Schema is the blueprint of AD DS, the schema defines every class and attribute that can be
stored in AD DS. Before an object can be created in AD DS, its class must first be defined in
the schema. There is one schema per forest, and a copy of the schema is replicated to every
domain controller in the forest.
Schema is an active directory component describes all the attributes and objects that the
directory service uses to store data.
14) Explain what is a child DC?
CDC or child DC is a sub domain controller under root domain controller which share name
space
15) Explain what is RID Master?
RID master stands for Relative Identifier for assigning unique IDs to the object created in AD.
16) Mention what are the components of AD?
Components of AD includes

Logical Structure: Trees, Forest, Domains and OU

Physical Structures: Domain controller and Sites

17) Explain what is Infrastructure Master?

Infrastructure Master is accountable for updating information about the user and group and
global catalogue.
1)

Explain what is Windows Server?

Window server is a series of server operating system developed by Microsoft Corporation.

2)

Explain in windows DNS server what is Primary, Secondary and Stub zone?

In windows DNS server,

Primary Zone: In this, the file is saved as normal text file with filename (.dns).

Secondary Zone: It maintains a read-only copy of zone database on another DNS

server. Also, it acts as a back-up server to the primary server by providing fault
tolerance and load balancing

Stub Zone: It consists of a copy of name server and SOA records which is used for
reducing the DNS search orders.

3)

Explain what does IntelliMirror do?

IntelliMirror helps to reconcile desktop settings, applications and stored files for users
especially for those users who move between workstations or those who works offline
4)

In the case when MSI file is not available, how you can install an app?

To add the application using the Software Installer.ZAP text file can be used rather than the
windows installer
5)
Explain how you can set up remote installation procedure without giving access to
user?
To do that, you have to go to,
gponame User Configuration Windows Settings Remote Installation Services Choice
Options
6)

What does it mean by tattooing the Registry ?

Tattooing the registry means user can modify and view user preference that are not stored in
the maintained portions of the Registry. Even if the group policy is changed or removed, the
user preference will still persist in the registry.
7)

Mention how many types of queries DNS does?

The types of queries DNS does are

8)

Iterative Query

Recursive Query
Explain what is the primary function of the domain controller?

Primary function of the domain controller is to validate users to the networks, it also provide a
catalog of Active Directory Objects.
9)

What information is required when TCP/IP is configured on Window Server?

To configure a TCP/PI client for an IPv4 client, you have to provide the IP address and the
subnet mask.

10) Explain what does it mean caching only server in terms of DNS?
The caching only DNS server provides information related to queries based on the data it
contains in its DNS cache.
11) Explain what is the way to configure the DHCP server such that it allocates the same
IP address to certain devices each time the address is removed?
To configure the DHCP server, you can create a reservation for the device. To create a
reservation, you must know the MAC hardware address of the device. To determine the MAC
address for a network device you can use the ipconfig or nbs tat command line utilities.
12)

Explain what is LDAP?

To look up for the information from the server, e-mail and another program follows or uses the
internet protocol. This protocol is referred as LDAP or Lightweight Directory Access Protocol.
13) Explain what is SYSVOL folder?
It is a set of files and folders that is stored on the local hard disk of each domain controller in a
domain and are replicated by the FRS ( File Replication Service). These files contain group or
user policy information.
14) Explain what is the difference between a thread and a computer process?
Computer Process: In computing, a process is an instance of a computer program that is
executed sequentially by a computer system which can run several computer programs
concurrently.
Thread: A thread is a several executable program that work together as a single process. For
instance, one thread might send an error message to the user; another might handle error
signals while the third thread might be executing the original action.
15) Explain what is INODE?
INODE holds the metadata of files; INODE is a pointer to a block on the disk, and it is unique.
In simple words, it is a unique number allocated to a file in UNIX-like OS.
16) Explain what is RAID in Windows Server?
For storing same data at a different place RAID or Redundant Array of Independent Disks
strategy is used. It is a strategy for building fault tolerance and increase the storage capacity.
On separate drives it allows you to combine one or more volumes so that they are accessed by
a single drive letter
17) Explain what is the purpose of deploying local DNS servers?

A local DNS server provides the local mapping of fully qualified domain names to IP
addresses. To resolve remote requests related to the domains names on your network, local
DNS servers can provide record information to remote DNS servers.
18) To check TCP/IP configurations and IP connectivity, what are the two command line
utilities that can be used?
Ipconfig: To check the computers IP configuration, command ipconfig can be used and also it
can be used to renew the clients IP address if it is provided by a DHCP server.
Ping: To check the connection between the local computer and any of the other computer
device on the network Ping command is used
19) Explain if it is possible to connect Active Directory to other 3rd party Directory
services?
Yes, you can connect other vendors directory services with Microsoft version. By using
dirXML or LDAP to connect to other directories.
20) Explain where is the AD database is held?
AD database is saved in %systemroot%/ntds. Files that controls the AD structure are

ntds.dit

edb.log

res1.log

res2.log

edn.chk

21) Explain what is the major difference between NTFS ( New Technology File System)
or FAT (File Allocation Table) on a local server?
For local users FAT (File Allocation Table) and FAT32 provides security, while NTFS ( New
Technology File System) provides security for domain users as well as local users. NTFS
provides file level security which is not possible through FAT32.
22) Mention what windows server 2008 service is used to install client operating system
over the network?
WDE ( Windows Deployment Services ) allows you to install client and server operating
systems over the network to any computer with a PXE enabled network interface

Server 2008 Metadata Cleanup

(Server01)
1) Ntdsutil
2) Metadata cleanup
3) Connections
4) Set creds connected_domainname(Server02) Username
password
4) Connect to server Servername(Server02)
5) QUIT
6) Select operation target
7) List domains

8) Select domain 0
9) List sites
10) Select site 0
11) List servers in site
12) Select server Servername(Server02)
13) Quit
14) Remove selected server

Open a command prompt.

Type the following command, and then press ENTER:
ntdsutil
At the ntdsutil: prompt, type:
metadata cleanup
Perform metadata cleanup as follows
At the metadata cleanup: prompt, type:
connection
set creds domainname username password
At the server connections: prompt, type:
connect to server Server
At the server connections: prompt, type:
quit
At the metadata cleanup: prompt, type:
select operation target
At the select operation target: prompt, type:
list sites
A numbered list of sites appears.
At the select operation target: prompt, type:
select site SiteNumber
At the select operation target: prompt, type:
list domains in site
A numbered list of domains in the selected site appears.
At the select operation target: prompt, type:
select domain DomainNumber
At the select operation target: prompt, type:
list servers in site
A numbered list of servers in a domain and site appears.
At the select operation target: prompt, type:
select server ServerNumber
At the select operation target: prompt, type:
quit
At the metadata cleanup: prompt, type:
remove selected server