Windows Server 2003 IIS and Scripting interview questions

1. What is presentation layer responsible for in the OSI model?
The presentation layer establishes the data format prior to passing it along to the network application’s interface. TCP/IP networks perform this task at the application layer.
2. Does Windows Server 2003 support IPv6?
Yes, run ipv6.exe from command line to disable it.
3. Can Windows Server 2003 function as a bridge?
Yes, and it’s a new feature for the 2003 product. You can combine several networks and devices connected via several adapters by enabling IP routing.
4. What’s the difference between the basic disk and dynamic disk?
The basic type contains partitions, extended partitions, logical drivers, and an assortment of static volumes; the dynamic type does not use partitions but dynamically manages volumes and provides advanced storage options
5. What’s a media pool?
It is any compilation of disks or tapes with the same administrative properties.
6. How do you install recovery console?
C:\i386\win32 /cmdcons, assuming that your Win server installation is on drive C.
7. What’s new in Terminal Services for Windows 2003 Server?
Supports audio transmissions as well, although prepare for heavy network load.
8. What scripts ship with IIS 6.0?
iisweb.vsb to create, delete, start, stop, and list Web sites, iisftp.vsb to create, delete, start, stop, and list FTP sites, iisdir.vsb to create, delete, start, stop, and display virtual directories, iisftpdr.vsb to create, delete, start, stop, and display virtual directories under an FTP root, iiscnfg.vbs to export and import IIS configuration to an XML file.
9. What’s the name of the user who connects to the Web site anonymously? IUSR_computername
10. What secure authentication and encryption mechanisms are supported by IIS 6.0?
Basic authentication, Digest authentication, Advanced digest authentication, Certificate-based Web transactions that use PKCS #7/PKCS #10, Fortezza, SSL, Server-Gated Cryptography, Transport Layer Security
11. What’s the relation between SSL and TLS?
Transport Layer Security (TLS) extends SSL by providing cryptographic authentication.
12. What’s the role of http.sys in IIS?
It is the point of contact for all incoming HTTP requests. It listens for requests and queues them until they are all processed, no more queues are available, or the Web server is shut down.
13. Where’s ASP cache located on IIS 6.0?
On disk, as opposed to memory, as it used to be in IIS 5.
14. What is socket pooling?
Non-blocking socket usage, introduced in IIS 6.0. More than one application can use a given socket.
15.Describe the process of clustering with Windows 2003 Server when a new node is added. As a node goes online, it searches for other nodes to join by polling the designated internal network. In this way, all nodes are notified of the new node’s existence. If other nodes cannot be found on a preexisting cluster, the new node takes control of the quorum resources residing on the shared disk that contains state and configuration data.
16. What applications are not capable of performing in Windows 2003 Server clusters?
The ones written exclusively for NetBEUI and IPX.
17.What’s a heartbeat?
Communication processes between the nodes designed to ensure node’s health.
18. What’s a threshold in clustered environment?
The number of times a restart is attempted, when the node fails.
19. You need to change and admin password on a clustered Windows box, but that requires rebooting the cluster, doesn’t it?
No, it doesn’t. In 2003 environment you can do that via cluster.exe utility which does not require rebooting the entire cluster.
20. For the document of size 1 MB, what size would you expect the index to be with Indexing Service?
150-300 KB, 15-30% is a reasonable expectation.
21. Doesn’t the Indexing Service introduce a security flaw when allowing access to the index?
No, because users can only view the indices of documents and folders that they have permissions for.
22. What’s the typical size of the index?
Less then 100K documents - up to 128 MB. More than that - 256+ MB.
23. Which characters should be enclosed in quotes when searching the index?
&, @, $, #, ^, ( ), and .
24. How would you search for C++?
Just enter C++, since + is not a special character (and neither is C).
25. What about Barnes&Noble?
Should be searched for as Barnes’&’Noble.
26. Are the searches case-sensitive?
No.
27. What’s the order of precedence of Boolean operators in Microsoft Windows 2003 Server Indexing Service?
NOT, AND, NEAR, OR.
28. What’s a vector space query?
A multiple-word query where the weight can be assigned to each of the search words. For example, if you want to fight information on ‘black hole’, but would prefer to give more weight to the word hole, you can enter black[1] hole[20] into the search window.
29. What’s a response queue?
It’s the message queue that holds response messages sent from the receiving application to the sender.
30. What’s MQPing used for?
Testing Microsoft Message Queue services between the nodes on a network.
31. Which add-on package for Windows 2003 Server would you use to monitor the installed software and license compliance? SMS (System Management Server).
32. Which service do you use to set up various alerts?
MOM (Microsoft Operations Manager).
33. What languages does Windows Scripting Host support?
VB, VBScript, JScript.

Windows Server 2003 Active Directory and Security questions

1. What’s the difference between local, global and universal groups?
Domain local groups assign access permissions to global domain groups for local domain resources. Global groups provide access to resources in other trusted domains. Universal groups grant access to resources in all trusted domains.
2. I am trying to create a new universal user group. Why can’t I?
Universal groups are allowed only in native-mode Windows Server 2003 environments. Native mode requires that all domain controllers be promoted to Windows Server 2003 Active Directory.
3. What is LSDOU?
It’s group policy inheritance model, where the policies are applied to Local machines, Sites, Domains and Organizational Units.
4. Why doesn’t LSDOU work under Windows NT?
If the NTConfig.pol file exist, it has the highest priority among the numerous policies.
5. Where are group policies stored?
%SystemRoot%System32\GroupPolicy
6. What is GPT and GPC?
Group policy template and group policy container.
7. Where is GPT stored?
%SystemRoot%\SYSVOL\sysvol\domainname\Policies\GUID
8. You change the group policies, and now the computer and user settings are in conflict. Which one has the highest priority?
The computer settings take priority.
9. You want to set up remote installation procedure, but do not want the user to gain access over it. What do you do?
gponame–> User Configuration–> Windows Settings–> Remote Installation Services–> Choice Options is your friend.
10. What’s contained in administrative template conf.adm?
Microsoft NetMeeting policies
11. How can you restrict running certain applications on a machine?
Via group policy, security settings for the group, then Software Restriction Policies.
12. You need to automatically install an app, but MSI file is not available. What do you do? A .zap text file can be used to add applications using the Software Installer, rather than the Windows Installer.
13. What’s the difference between Software Installer and Windows Installer?
The former has fewer privileges and will probably require user intervention. Plus, it uses .zap files.
14. What can be restricted on Windows Server 2003 that wasn’t there in previous products? Group Policy in Windows Server 2003 determines a users right to modify network and dial-up TCP/IP properties. Users may be selectively restricted from modifying their IP address and other network configuration parameters.
15.How frequently is the client policy refreshed? 90 minutes give or take.
16. Where is secedit?
It’s now gpupdate.
17.You want to create a new group policy but do not wish to inherit. Make sure you check Block inheritance among the options when creating the policy.
18. What is "tattooing" the Registry?
The user can view and modify user preferences that are not stored in maintained portions of the Registry. If the group policy is removed or changed, the user preference will persist in the Registry.
19. How do you fight tattooing in NT/2000 installations?
You can’t.
20. How do you fight tattooing in 2003 installations? User Configuration - Administrative Templates - System - Group Policy - enable - Enforce Show Policies Only.
21. What does IntelliMirror do? It helps to reconcile desktop settings, applications, and stored files for users, particularly those who move between workstations or those who must periodically work offline.
22. What’s the major difference between FAT and NTFS on a local machine? FAT and FAT32 provide no security over locally logged-on users. Only native NTFS provides extensive permission control on both remote and local files.
23. How do FAT and NTFS differ in approach to user shares?
They don’t, both have support for sharing.
24. Explan the List Folder Contents permission on the folder in NTFS. Same as Read & Execute, but not inherited by files within a folder. However, newly created subfolders will inherit this permission.
25. I have a file to which the user has access, but he has no folder permission to read it. Can he access it?
It is possible for a user to navigate to a file for which he does not have folder permission. This involves simply knowing the path of the file object. Even if the user can’t drill down the file/folder tree using My Computer, he can still gain access to the file using the Universal Naming Convention (UNC). The best way to start would be to type the full path of a file into Run… window.
26. For a user in several groups, are Allow permissions restrictive or permissive? Permissive, if at least one group has Allow permission for the file/folder, user will have the same permission.
27. For a user in several groups, are Deny permissions restrictive or permissive? Restrictive, if at least one group has Deny permission for the file/folder, user will be denied access, regardless of other group permissions.
28. What hidden shares exist on Windows Server 2003 installation? Admin$, Drive$, IPC$, NETLOGON, print$ and SYSVOL.
29. What’s the difference between standalone and fault-tolerant DFS (Distributed File System) installations? The standalone server stores the Dfs directory tree structure or topology locally. Thus, if a shared folder is inaccessible or if the Dfs root server is down, users are left with no link to the shared resources. A fault-tolerant root node stores the Dfs topology in the Active Directory, which is replicated to other domain controllers. Thus, redundant root nodes may include multiple connections to the same data residing in different shared folders.
30. We’re using the DFS fault-tolerant installation, but cannot access it from a Win98 box. Use the UNC path, not client, only 2000 and 2003 clients can access Server 2003 fault-tolerant shares.
31. Where exactly do fault-tolerant DFS shares store information in Active Directory? In Partition Knowledge Table, which is then replicated to other domain controllers.
32. Can you use Start->Search with DFS shares? Yes.
33. What problems can you have with DFS installed? Two users opening the redundant copies of the file at the same time, with no file-locking involved in DFS, changing the contents and then saving. Only one file will be propagated through DFS.
34. I run Microsoft Cluster Server and cannot install fault-tolerant DFS. Yeah, you can’t. Install a standalone one.
35. Is Kerberos encryption symmetric or asymmetric? Symmetric.
36. How does Windows 2003 Server try to prevent a middle-man attack on encrypted line? Time stamp is attached to the initial client request, encrypted with the shared key.
37. What hashing algorithms are used in Windows 2003 Server? RSA Data Security’s Message Digest 5 (MD5), produces a 128-bit hash, and the Secure Hash Algorithm 1 (SHA-1), produces a 160-bit hash.
38. What third-party certificate exchange protocols are used by Windows 2003 Server? Windows Server 2003 uses the industry standard PKCS-10 certificate request and PKCS-7 certificate response to exchange CA certificates with third-party certificate authorities.
39. What’s the number of permitted unsuccessful logons on Administrator account? Unlimited. Remember, though, that it’s the Administrator account, not any account that’s part of the Administrators group.
40. If hashing is one-way function and Windows Server uses hashing for storing passwords, how is it possible to attack the password lists, specifically the ones using NTLMv1? A cracker would launch a dictionary attack by hashing every imaginable term used for password and then compare the hashes.
41. What’s the difference between guest accounts in Server 2003 and other editions?
More restrictive in Windows Server 2003.
42. How many passwords by default are remembered when you check "Enforce Password History Remembered"?
User’s last 6 passwords.
43. How do you double-boot a Win 2003 server box?
The Boot.ini file is set as read-only, system, and hidden to prevent unwanted editing. To change the Boot.ini timeout and default settings, use the System option in Control Panel from the Advanced tab and select Startup.
44. What do you do if earlier application doesn’t run on Windows Server 2003? When an application that ran on an earlier legacy version of Windows cannot be loaded during the setup function or if it later malfunctions, you must run the compatibility mode function. This is accomplished by right-clicking the application or setup program and selecting Properties –> Compatibility –> selecting the previously supported operating system.
45. If you uninstall Windows Server 2003, which operating systems can you revert to? Win ME, Win 98, 2000, XP. Note, however, that you cannot upgrade from ME and 98 to Windows Server 2003.
46. How do you get to Internet Firewall settings?
Start –> Control Panel –> Network and Internet Connections –> Network Connections.
47. What are the Windows Server 2003 keyboard shortcuts?
Winkey opens or closes the Start menu. Winkey + BREAK displays the System Properties dialog box. Winkey + TAB moves the focus to the next application in the taskbar. Winkey + SHIFT + TAB moves the focus to the previous application in the taskbar. Winkey + B moves the focus to the notification area. Winkey + D shows the desktop. Winkey + E opens Windows Explorer showing My Computer. Winkey + F opens the Search panel. Winkey + CTRL + F opens the Search panel with Search for Computers module selected. Winkey + F1 opens Help. Winkey + M minimizes all. Winkey + SHIFT+ M undoes minimization. Winkey + R opens Run dialog. Winkey + U opens the Utility Manager. Winkey + L locks the computer.
48. What is Active Directory?
Active Directory is a network-based object store and service that locates and manages resources, and makes these resources available to authorized users and groups. An underlying principle of the Active Directory is that everything is considered an object—people, servers, workstations, printers, documents, and devices. Each object has certain attributes and its own security access control list (ACL).
49. Where are the Windows NT Primary Domain Controller (PDC) and its Backup Domain Controller (BDC) in Server 2003?
The Active Directory replaces them. Now all domain controllers share a multimaster peer-to-peer read and write relationship that hosts copies of the Active Directory.
50. How long does it take for security changes to be replicated among the domain controllers?
Security-related modifications are replicated within a site immediately. These changes include account and individual user lockout policies, changes to password policies, changes to computer account passwords, and modifications to the Local Security Authority (LSA).
51. What’s new in Windows Server 2003 regarding the DNS management?
When DC promotion occurs with an existing forest, the Active Directory Installation Wizard contacts an existing DC to update the directory and replicate from the DC the required portions of the directory. If the wizard fails to locate a DC, it performs debugging and reports what caused the failure and how to fix the problem. In order to be located on a network, every DC must register in DNS DC locator DNS records. The Active Directory Installation Wizard verifies a proper configuration of the DNS infrastructure. All DNS configuration debugging and reporting activity is done with the Active Directory Installation Wizard.
52. When should you create a forest?
Organizations that operate on radically different bases may require separate trees with distinct namespaces. Unique trade or brand names often give rise to separate DNS identities. Organizations merge or are acquired and naming continuity is desired. Organizations form partnerships and joint ventures. While access to common resources is desired, a separately defined tree can enforce more direct administrative and security restrictions.
53. How can you authenticate between forests?
Four types of authentication are used across forests: (1) Kerberos and NTLM network logon for remote access to a server in another forest; (2) Kerberos and NTLM interactive logon for physical logon outside the user’s home forest; (3) Kerberos delegation to N-tier application in another forest; and (4) user principal name (UPN) credentials.