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HybridCloudWorks
AssociateAZ-802

Administering Windows Server

Deploy, implement, manage, and troubleshoot Windows Server as a workload in on-premises, cloud, and hybrid environments — identity, security, compute, networking, storage, and monitoring. AZ-800 and AZ-801 retire on September 30, 2026; the credential is being renamed Windows Server Administrator Associate.

Study Hours
40h
Prep Time
~3 months

Topics Covered

AD DS
Hybrid Windows Server
Virtual Machines
Networking
Storage & File Services
Security
Monitoring

Skills measured

Official study guide

Microsoft's own objectives, in the order the exam presents them. Each area links to its section on Microsoft Learn. Checked 2026-10-26.

  1. Deploy and manage AD DS20–25%
    This area on Microsoft Learn

    Deploy and manage AD DS domain controllers

    • Deploy and manage domain controllers locally
    • Deploy and manage domain controllers in Azure
    • Deploy Read-Only Domain Controllers (RODCs)
    • Manage account security on an RODC
    • Manage and troubleshoot Flexible Single-Master Operations (FSMO) roles

    Configure and manage multi-site, multi-domain, and multi-forest environments

    • Configure domain and forest trust relationships
    • Configure and manage AD DS sites
    • Configure and manage AD DS replication

    Create and manage AD DS security principals

    • Create and manage AD DS users and groups
    • Manage users and groups in multi-domain or multi-forest environments
    • Select and manage service accounts

    Manage Windows Server by using domain-based Group Policies

    • Implement Group Policy
    • Implement Group Policy preferences
  2. Manage Windows Server instances and workloads in a hybrid environment10–15%
    This area on Microsoft Learn

    Configure remote management for Windows Server instances in a hybrid environment

    • Deploy and manage Windows Admin Center on-premises and in the Azure portal
    • Configure remote management by using PowerShell, including double-hop and Just Enough Administration (JEA)
    • Configure and manage remote Secure Shell (SSH)
    • Configure and manage remote desktop access

    Manage Windows Server instances and workloads by using Azure services in a hybrid environment

    • Implement Azure Arc–enabled Windows Server instances
    • Implement device configuration by using Azure Arc
    • Deploy Azure services with virtual machine (VM) extensions on non–Azure machines
    • Manage updates by using Azure Update Manager
    • Create and run Azure Automation runbooks
  3. Manage VMs10–15%
    This area on Microsoft Learn

    Manage Hyper-V and guest VM

    • Enable Enhanced Session Mode
    • Manage VMs remotely by using PowerShell, PowerShell Direct, and SSH Direct for Linux guests
    • Enable nested virtualization
    • Configure VM memory settings
    • Configure integration services
    • Configure device assignment
    • Configure GPU partitioning
    • Manage VM checkpoints
    • Implement high availability for Hyper-V VMs
    • Manage Hyper-V virtual hard disks
    • Configure Hyper-V network adapter
    • Configure network interface card (NIC) teaming on the Hyper-V host and VM
    • Configure Hyper-V Virtual Switch
    • Configure Hyper-V Replica

    Manage Windows Server VMs in Azure

    • Manage storage for Windows Server VMs in Azure
    • Manage capacity, including resizing and VM scale sets
    • Manage availability sets and zones
    • Manage just-in-time (JIT) VM access and Azure Bastion
    • Manage Azure Virtual Machines network configuration
  4. Implement and manage an on-premises and hybrid networking infrastructure10–15%
    This area on Microsoft Learn

    Implement on-premises and hybrid name resolution

    • Integrate domain name system (DNS) with AD DS
    • Create and manage DNS zones and records
    • Configure DNS forwarding and conditional forwarding
    • Configure DNS name resolution in a hybrid environment
    • Implement DNS policies
    • Implement DNS security extensions (DNSSEC)

    Manage IP addressing in on-premises and hybrid scenarios

    • Implement and configure the Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) server role
    • Troubleshoot IP addressing in hybrid environments
    • Create and manage DHCP scopes
    • Create IP reservations
    • Implement high availability for DHCP
  5. Manage storage and file services15–20%
    This area on Microsoft Learn

    Configure and manage Azure Files

    • Create and manage Azure file shares
    • Manage permissions for Azure file shares
    • Configure and manage Azure File Sync
    • Monitor Azure File Sync
    • Migrate Distributed File System (DFS) to Azure File Sync
    • Migrate from file shares to Azure Files

    Configure and manage Windows Server file shares

    • Configure access to Windows Server file shares
    • Configure File Server Resource Manager (FSRM)
    • Implement and configure DFS
    • Configure Server Message Block (SMB) over QUIC
    • Configure SMB settings and management

    Configure Windows Server storage

    • Configure disks and volumes
    • Configure and manage Storage Spaces
    • Implement and manage Storage Spaces Direct
    • Configure and manage Storage Replica
    • Configure Data Deduplication
    • Configure SMB direct (SMB over Remote Direct Memory Access [RDMA])
    • Configure Storage QoS
    • Select and configure file systems, including NTFS and ReFS
    • Configure and manage iSCSI
    • Manage BitLocker Drive Encryption
    • Manage and recover encrypted volumes
  6. Secure Windows Server infrastructure10–15%
    This area on Microsoft Learn

    Secure Windows Server operating system

    • Configure and manage exploit protection
    • Configure and manage Application Control for Windows
    • Configure and manage Credential Guard
    • Configure Microsoft Defender SmartScreen
    • Implement operating system security by using Group Policies
    • Manage Windows Server security baseline by using OSConfig
    • Implement Windows Local Administrator Password Solution
    • Configure and manage Defender for Servers
    • Manage Windows Firewall, including connection security rules

    Secure AD DS

    • Configure password policies
    • Implement Microsoft Entra Password Protection for AD DS
    • Manage protected users
    • Harden domain controllers
    • Restrict access to domain controllers
    • Configure security options for user accounts
    • Configure security options for built-in administrative groups
    • Manage AD delegation
    • Manage authentication protocols and methods for AD DS
  7. Monitor and troubleshoot Windows Server environments15–20%
    This area on Microsoft Learn

    Monitor by using Windows Server tools and Azure services

    • Monitor by using Performance Monitor
    • Create and configure data collector sets
    • Monitor servers and configure alerts by using Windows Admin Center
    • Analyze by using the System Insights feature of Windows Server
    • Manage event logs
    • Configure data collection rules for Azure Monitor
    • Create alerts
    • Monitor Azure Virtual Machines performance by using VM Insights

    Troubleshoot Windows Server issues

    • Troubleshoot connectivity issues
    • Troubleshoot name resolution
    • Troubleshoot Windows Update
    • Troubleshoot Time service
    • Troubleshoot performance issues
    • Troubleshoot VM and Azure Arc extension issues
    • Troubleshoot disk encryption issues
    • Troubleshoot storage issues

    Troubleshoot Active Directory

    • Restore objects from AD Recycle Bin
    • Recover AD database by using Directory Services Restore Mode
    • Recover SYSVOL
    • Troubleshoot AD replication
    • Troubleshoot on-premises AD
    • Troubleshoot Kerberos and authentication issues
    • Troubleshoot secure channel and computer account trust issues

What to Study Next

AZ-305
Azure Solutions Architect Expert