1. What is the Active Directory?
Answer: Active Directory is a directory service provided by Microsoft that stores information about objects on a network and allows administrators to manage and control access to resources.

2. How do you create a user account in Active Directory?
Answer: To create a user account in Active Directory, you can use the Active Directory Users and Computers (ADUC) management console. Open ADUC, right-click on the appropriate organizational unit (OU), select “New,” and then choose “User” to create a new user account.

3. What is Group Policy in Windows?
Answer: Group Policy is a feature in Windows that allows administrators to manage and control the configuration settings of Windows operating systems and applications for users and computers within an Active Directory environment.

4. How do you assign a Group Policy to an OU?
Answer: To assign a Group Policy to an Organizational Unit (OU), open the Group Policy Management console, expand the forest, domain, and the OU you want to assign the policy to. Right-click on the OU, click “Create a GPO in this domain, and Link it here.” Then, select the desired Group Policy Object (GPO) and click “OK.”

5. What is a Domain Controller?
Answer: A Domain Controller (DC) is a server that manages security and access control within a Windows domain. It stores and replicates the Active Directory database and authenticates users who log in to the domain.

6. How do you promote a server to a Domain Controller?
Answer: To promote a server to a Domain Controller, you can use the “dcpromo” command-line tool or the Server Manager console. Run “dcpromo” or select “Add Roles and Features” in Server Manager, choose the Active Directory Domain Services role, and follow the installation wizard.

7. What is the difference between a local user account and a domain user account?
Answer: A local user account is created and managed locally on a single computer, while a domain user account is created and managed in Active Directory and can be used to log in to any computer joined to the domain.

8. How do you reset a user’s password in Active Directory?
Answer: To reset a user’s password in Active Directory, open the Active Directory Users and Computers (ADUC) management console, search or browse for the user, right-click on the user account, select “Reset Password,” and follow the instructions.

9. How do you back up Active Directory?
Answer: Active Directory can be backed up using the Windows Server Backup feature. Open the Windows Server Backup management console, select “Local Backup,” choose the items to back up (including System State for Active Directory), and follow the backup wizard.

10. How do you restore an Active Directory backup?
Answer: To restore an Active Directory backup, boot the server into Directory Services Restore Mode (DSRM), open the Windows Server Backup management console, select “Recover,” choose the backup location, select the backup to restore, and follow the restore wizard.

11. What is DNS and what is its role in Active Directory?
Answer: DNS (Domain Name System) is a hierarchical decentralized naming system for computers and resources connected to the internet or a private network. DNS plays a vital role in Active Directory as it translates domain names into IP addresses and enables the location of domain controllers and other network resources.

12. How do you configure a static IP address in Windows?
Answer: To configure a static IP address in Windows, open the Network Connections settings, right-click on the network adapter, select “Properties,” double-click on “Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4),” choose “Use the following IP address,” and enter the desired IP address, subnet mask, default gateway, and DNS settings.

13. How do you troubleshoot network connectivity issues in Windows?
Answer: To troubleshoot network connectivity issues in Windows, you can perform various tasks such as checking the physical connections, verifying IP configurations, testing DNS resolution, disabling firewall temporarily, using the built-in network diagnostic tools like ping, tracert, and ipconfig.

14. How do you enable Remote Desktop in Windows?
Answer: To enable Remote Desktop in Windows, right-click on “My Computer” (or “This PC”), select “Properties,” click on “Remote settings” (or “Remote Desktop settings”), check the “Allow remote connections” box, and configure other desired settings like network level authentication and user permissions.

15. What is a firewall and how do you configure it in Windows?
Answer: A firewall is a network security device that filters and controls incoming and outgoing network traffic based on predefined security rules. In Windows, you can configure the built-in Windows Firewall settings by opening the Control Panel, selecting “Windows Defender Firewall,” and modifying the inbound and outbound rules.

16. How do you uninstall a program in Windows?
Answer: To uninstall a program in Windows, open the Control Panel, select “Programs and Features” (or “Uninstall a program”), locate the program you want to uninstall from the list, right-click on it, and choose “Uninstall” (or “Change/Uninstall”). Follow the prompts to complete the uninstallation.

17. What is the purpose of the “Services” console in Windows?
Answer: The Services console in Windows is used to manage and configure system services that run in the background, such as network services, security services, and application services. It allows you to start, stop, enable, disable, and configure the properties of these services.

18. How do you schedule a task in Windows?
Answer: To schedule a task in Windows, open the Task Scheduler, click on “Create Basic Task” (or “Create Task”), follow the task creation wizard, specify the task name, triggers, actions, and schedule, and configure any additional settings as required.

19. How do you enable BitLocker encryption on a drive in Windows?
Answer: To enable BitLocker encryption on a drive in Windows, right-click on the drive, select “Turn on BitLocker,” choose “Enter a password” or “Insert a USB flash drive,” follow the encryption wizard, save the recovery key, and wait for the encryption process to complete.

20. What is the “Event Viewer” in Windows, and how do you use it?
Answer: The Event Viewer is a tool in Windows that allows administrators to view and analyze system, security, and application event logs. To use it, open the Event Viewer, expand the different log categories, examine the event entries, and filter or search for specific events of interest.

1. What is the difference between a local user and a domain user in Windows?
A local user account is specific to a single computer, whereas a domain user account can be used to log in to multiple computers within a Windows domain.

2. How do you delegate administrative control in Active Directory?
Administrative control can be delegated by using the Active Directory Users and Computers console. You can assign specific permissions and roles to individual users or groups.

3. How do you troubleshoot and resolve DNS issues in Windows?
To troubleshoot DNS issues, you can start by checking the DNS server configuration, ensuring that DNS resolution is enabled, and verifying DNS records. Common tools like nslookup and ipconfig can also be used for troubleshooting.

4. Explain the purpose of Active Directory Sites and Services.
Active Directory Sites and Services is used to manage and configure replication between domain controllers in different locations. It helps in optimizing network traffic and ensuring efficient replication of directory data.

5. How do you configure Group Policy in Windows?
Group Policy can be configured using the Group Policy Management Console (GPMC) or the Active Directory Users and Computers console. You can create Group Policy Objects (GPOs) and link them to Organizational Units (OUs) to apply specific settings and policies.

6. What is a trust relationship in Windows Server?
A trust relationship allows users from one domain to access resources in another domain. It establishes a secure connection that enables authentication and authorization across domains.

7. How do you monitor and manage Windows Server performance?
Performance monitoring can be done using tools like Performance Monitor (perfmon), Resource Monitor, and Windows Reliability and Performance Monitor (RELP). These tools provide insights into CPU usage, memory utilization, disk activity, network performance, and more.

8. Explain the process of restoring Active Directory from a backup.
To restore Active Directory from a backup, you need to boot into Directory Services Restore Mode (DSRM), restore the system state using backup software, and then reboot the domain controller.

9. How do you deploy software applications using Group Policy?
Software applications can be deployed using Group Policy by creating a software distribution package in a GPO. This package can be applied to OUs or individual computers, allowing for automated software installation.

10. How do you configure and manage Windows Server failover clustering?
Windows Server failover clustering can be configured and managed using the Failover Cluster Manager. It enables high availability for applications and services by grouping multiple servers into a cluster and allowing failover in case of a node failure.

11. How do you manage Active Directory Replication?
Active Directory Replication can be managed using the Active Directory Sites and Services console. You can configure replication schedules, control the replication topology, and monitor replication status.

12. Explain the difference between a physical and virtual domain controller.
A physical domain controller runs on dedicated hardware, whereas a virtual domain controller runs as a virtual machine on a hypervisor. Virtual domain controllers offer benefits such as easier deployment, better resource utilization, and increased flexibility.

13. How do you secure the Windows Server environment?
Windows Server can be secured by implementing measures such as strong password policies, regular patching and updates, enabling firewalls, configuring access controls, implementing network segmentation, and using security groups and permissions.

14. What is the purpose of the Active Directory Schema?
The Active Directory Schema defines the structure and attributes of all objects within the Active Directory. Any customizations or extensions to the directory need to be defined in the schema.

15. How do you troubleshoot and resolve Group Policy issues?
Group Policy issues can be troubleshooted by checking event logs, running gpupdate and gpresult commands, verifying network connectivity, and reviewing Group Policy settings and permissions.

16. How do you manage Active Directory Trusts?
Active Directory Trusts can be managed using the Active Directory Domains and Trusts console. You can create, modify, and delete trusts between domains to establish trust relationships.

17. How do you configure and manage Windows Server Backup?
Windows Server Backup can be configured and managed using the Windows Server Backup snap-in or PowerShell commands. It allows for scheduled backups, bare-metal recovery, and backup of specific files and folders.

18. Explain the difference between DNS forwarders and conditional forwarders.
DNS forwarders are used when a DNS server needs to forward all unresolved queries to another DNS server for resolution. Conditional forwarders are used to forward queries for specific domains to specific DNS servers, based on the configured conditions.

19. How do you configure and manage Active Directory Certificate Services?
Active Directory Certificate Services can be configured and managed using the Certification Authority snap-in or the Certificate Services web interface. It allows for the issuance, revocation, and management of digital certificates within an Active Directory environment.

20. How do you perform system monitoring and event log analysis in Windows?
System monitoring and event log analysis can be done using tools like Microsoft System Center Operations Manager (SCOM), PowerShell scripts, and third-party monitoring solutions. These tools help in identifying system issues, resource utilization, and potential security breaches.