1) What is Active Directory?

A central component of the Windows platform, Active Directory directory service provides the means to manage the identities and relationships that make up network environments. For example we can create, manage and administrator users, computers and printers in the network from active directory.

2) What is DNS? Why it is used? What is “forward lookup” and “reverse lookup” in DNS? What are A records and mx records?

DNS is domain naming service and is used for resolving names to IP address and IP addresses to names. The computer understands only numbers while we can easily remember names. So to make it easier for us what we do is we assign names to computers and websites. When we use these names (Like yahoo.com) the computer uses DNS to convert to IP address (number) and it executes our request.

Forward lookup: Converting names to IP address is called forward lookup.

Reverse lookup: Resolving IP address to names is called reverse lookup.

‘A’ record: Its called host record and it has the mapping of a name to IP address. This is the record in DNS with the help of which DNS can find out the IP address of a name.

‘MX’ Record: its called mail exchanger record. Its the record needed to locate the mail servers in the network. This record is also found in DNS.

3) What id DHCP? Why it is used? What are scopes and super scopes?

DHCP: Dynamic host configuration protocol. Its used to allocate IP addresses to large number of PCs in a network environment. This makes the IP management very easy.

Scope: Scope contains IP address like subnet mask, gateway IP, DNS server IP and exclusion range which a client can use to communicate with the other PCs in the network.

Superscope: When we combine two or more scopes together its called super scope.

4) What are the types of LAN cables used? What is a cross cable?

Types of LAN cables that are in use are “Cat 5″ and “Cat 6″. “Cat 5″ can support 100 Mbps of speed and “CAT 6″ can support 1Gbps of speed.

Cross cable: Its used to connect same type of devices without using a switch/hub so that they can communicate.

5) What is the difference between a normal LAN cable and cross cable? What could be the maximum length of the LAN cable?

The way the paired wires are connected to the connector (RJ45) is different

in cross cable and normal LAN cable.

The theoretical length is 100 meters but after 80 meters you may see drop in speed due to loss of signal.

6) What would you use to connect two computers without using switches?

Cross cable.

7) What is IPCONFIG command? Why it is used?

IPCONFIG command is used to display the IP information assigned to a computer. From the output we can find out the IP address, DNS IP address, gateway IP address assigned to that computer.

What is APIPA IP address? Or what IP address is assigned to the computer when the DHCP server is not available?

When DHCP server is not available the Windows client computer assigns an automatic IP address to itself so that it can communicate with the network computers. This ip address is called APIPA. ITs in the range of 169.254.X.X.

APIPA stands for Automatic private IP addressing. Its in the range of 169.254.X.X.

9) What is a DOMAIN? What is the difference between a domain and a workgroup?

Domain is created when we install Active Directory. It’s a security boundary which is used to manage computers inside the boundary. Domain can be used to centrally administrator computers and we can govern them using common policies called group policies.

We can’t do the same with workgroup.

10) Do you know how to configure outlook 2000 and outlook 2003 for a user?

Please visit the link below to find out how to configure outlook 2000 and outlook 2003. http://www.it.cmich.edu/quickguides/qg_outlook2003_server.asp

11) What is a PST file and what is the difference between a PST file and OST file? What file is used by outlook express?

PST file is used to store the mails locally when using outlook 2000 or 2003. OST file is used when we use outlook in cached exchanged mode. Outlook express used odb file.

12) What is BSOD? What do you do when you get blue screen in a computer? How do you troubleshoot it?

BSOD stands for blue screen of Death. when there is a hardware or OS fault due to which the windows OS can run it give a blue screen with a code. Best way to resolve it is to boot the computer is “Last known good configuration”.

If this doesn’t work than boot the computer in safe mode. If it boots up than the problems with one of the devices or drivers.

13) What is RIS? What is Imaging/ghosting?

RIS stands for remote installation services. You save the installed image on a windows server and then we use RIS to install the configured on in the new hardware. We can use it to deploy both server and client OS. Imaging or ghosting also does the same job of capturing an installed image and then install it on a new hardware when there is a need. We go for RIS or imaging/ghosting because installing OS every time using a CD can be a very time consuming task. So to save that time we can go for RIS/Ghosting/imaging.

14) What is VPN and how to configure it?

VPN stands for Virtual private network. VPN is used to connect to the corporate network to access the resources like mail and files in the LAN. VPN can be configured using the steps mentioned in the KB: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/305550

15) Your computer slowly drops out of network. A reboot of the computer

fixes the problem. What to do to resolve this issue?

Update the network card driver.

16) Your system is infected with Virus? How to recover the data?

Install another system. Install the OS with the lates patches, Antivirus with latest updates. Connect the infected HDD as secondary drive in the system. Once done scan and clean the secondary HDD. Once done copy the files to the new system.

17) How to join a system to the domain? What type of user can add a system to the domain?

Please visit the article below and read “Adding the Workstation to the Domain” http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/windowsserver2003/technologi /directory/

18) What is the difference between a switch and a hub?

Switch sends the traffic to the port to which its meant for. Hub sends the traffic to all the ports.

19) What is a router? Why we use it?

Router is a switch which uses routing protocols to process and send the traffic. It also receives the traffic and sends it across but it uses the routing protocols to do so.

20) What are manageable and non manageable switches?

Switches which can be administered are called manageable switches. For example we can create VLAN for on such switch. On no manageable switches we can’t do so.

KCC

The KCC is a built-in process that runs on all domain controllers and generates replication topology for the Active Directory forest. The KCC creates separate replication topologies depending on whether replication is occurring within a site (intrasite) or between sites (intersite). The KCC also dynamically adjusts the topology to accommodate new domain controllers, domain controllers moved to and from sites, changing costs and schedules, and domain controllers that are temporarily unavailable.

How do you view replication properties for AD?

By using Active Directory Replication Monitor.

Start--> Run--> Replmon

What are sites What are they used for?

One or more well-connected (highly reliable and fast) TCP/IP subnets. A site allows administrators to configure Active Directory access and replication topology to take advantage of the physical network.

Name some OU design considerations?

OU design requires balancing requirements for delegating administrative rights - independent of Group Policy needs - and the need to scope the application of Group Policy. The following OU design recommendations address delegation and scope issues:

Applying Group Policy An OU is the lowest-level Active Directory container to which you can assign Group Policy settings. Delegating administrative authority usually don't go more than 3 OU levels

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc783140.aspx

What are FMSO Roles? List them.

Fsmo roles are server roles in a Forest

There are five types of FSMO roles

1-Schema master

2-Domain naming master

3-Rid master

4-PDC Emullator

5-Infrastructure master

Logical Diagram of Active Directory ?, What is the difference between child domain & additional domain Server?

Well, if you know what a domain is then you have half the answer. Say you have the domain Microsoft.com. Now microsoft has a server named server1 in that domain, which happens to the be parent domain. So it's FQDN is server1.microsoft.com. If you add an additional domain server and name it server2, then it's FQDN is server2.microsoft.com.

Now Microsoft is big so it has offices in Europe and Asia. So they make child domains for them and their FQDN would look like this: europe.microsoft.com & asia.microsoft.com. Now lets say each of them have a server in those child domains named server1. Their FQDN would then look like this: server1.europe.microsoft.com & server1.asia.microsoft.com..

What are Active Directory Groups?

Groups are containers that contain user and computer objects within them as members. When security permissions are set for a group in the Access Control List on a resource, all members of that group receive those permissions. Domain Groups enable centralized administration in a domain. All domain groups are created on a domain controller.

In a domain, Active Directory provides support for different types of groups and group scopes. The group type determines the type of task that you manage with the group. The group scope determines whether the group can have members from multiple domains or a single domain.



Group Types

* Security groups: Use Security groups for granting permissions to gain access to resources. Sending an e-mail message to a group sends the message to all members of the group. Therefore security groups share the capabilities of distribution groups.

* Distribution groups: Distribution groups are used for sending e-main messages to groups of users. You cannot grant permissions to security groups. Even though security groups have all the capabilities of distribution groups, distribution groups still requires, because some applications can only read distribution groups.

Group Scopes

Group scope normally describe which type of users should be clubbed together in a way which is easy for there administration. Therefore, in domain, groups play an important part. One group can be a member of other group(s) which is normally known as Group nesting. One or more groups can be member of any group in the entire domain(s) within a forest.

* Domain Local Group: Use this scope to grant permissions to domain resources that are located in the same domain in which you created the domain local group. Domain local groups can exist in all mixed, native and interim functional level of domains and forests. Domain local group memberships are not limited as you can add members as user accounts, universal and global groups from any domain. Just to remember, nesting cannot be done in domain local group. A domain local group will not be a member of another Domain Local or any other groups in the same domain.

* Global Group: Users with similar function can be grouped under global scope and can be given permission to access a resource (like a printer or shared folder and files) available in local or another domain in same forest. To say in simple words, Global groups can be use to grant permissions to gain access to resources which are located in any domain but in a single forest as their memberships are limited. User accounts and global groups can be added only from the domain in which global group is created. Nesting is possible in Global groups within other groups as you can add a global group into another global group from any domain. Finally to provide permission to domain specific resources (like printers and published folder), they can be members of a Domain Local group. Global groups exist in all mixed, native and interim functional level of domains and forests.

* Universal Group Scope: these groups are precisely used for email distribution and can be granted access to resources in all trusted domain as these groups can only be used as a security principal (security group type) in a windows 2000 native or windows server 2003 domain functional level domain. Universal group memberships are not limited like global groups. All domain user accounts and groups can be a member of universal group. Universal groups can be nested under a global or Domain Local group in any domain.

What are the types of backup? Explain each?

Incremental

A "normal" incremental backup will only back up files that have been changed since the last backup of any type. This provides the quickest means of backup, since it only makes copies of files that have not yet been backed up. For instance, following our full backup on Friday, Monday’s tape will contain only those files changed since Friday. Tuesday’s tape contains only those files changed since Monday, and so on. The downside to this is obviously that in order to perform a full restore, you need to restore the last full backup first, followed by each of the subsequent incremental backups to the present day in the correct order. Should any one of these backup copies be damaged (particularly the full backup), the restore will be incomplete.

Differential

A cumulative backup of all changes made after the last full backup. The advantage to this is the quicker recovery time, requiring only a full backup and the latest differential backup to restore the system. The disadvantage is that for each day elapsed since the last full backup, more data needs to be backed up, especially if a majority of the data has been changed.

What is the SYSVOL folder?

The Windows Server 2003 System Volume (SYSVOL) is a collection of folders and reparse points in the file systems that exist on each domain controller in a domain. SYSVOL provides a standard location to store important elements of Group Policy objects (GPOs) and scripts so that the File Replication service (FRS) can distribute them to other domain controllers within that domain.

You can go to SYSVOL folder by typing : %systemroot%/sysvol

What is the ISTG Who has that role by default?

The first server in the site becomes the ISTG for the site, The domain controller holding this role may not necessarily also be a bridgehead server.

What is the order in which GPOs are applied?

Local, Site, Domain, OU

Understanding of Flexible Single Master Operations (FSMO) Role / Server or Simply Operations Master for Windows 2003 and 2008 servers

What is FSMO Roles?

Microsoft designed Active Directory in such a fashion that you can perform most configuration activities from any domain controller. However, certain functions within the directory are restricted to specific domain controllers, which are known as Flexible Single Master Operations (FSMO) Role / Server or Simply Operations Master.

There are five roles in FSMO out which two roles are forest based and rest three are domain based roles.

Forest Based Roles

•Schema master

•Domain naming master

Domain Based Roles

•PDC emulator

•Infrastructure master

•RID master

In details below:-

•Schema master—holds the only writable copy of the Active Directory Schema. This is a configuration database that describes all available object and function types in the Active Directory forest. Only one domain controller in the forest holds this role.

•Domain naming master—ensures that any newly created domains are uniquely identified by names that adhere to the proper naming conventions for new trees or child domains in existing trees. Only one domain controller in the forest holds this role.

•PDC emulator—Serves as a primary domain controller (PDC) for Windows NT 4.0 client computers authenticating to the domain and processes any changes to user properties on these clients, such as password changes. This server also acts as a time synchronization master to synchronize the time on the remaining domain controllers in the domain. One domain controller in each domain holds this role.

•Infrastructure master—Updates references in its domain from objects such as domain group memberships to objects in other domains. This server processes any changes in objects in the forest received from global catalog servers and replicates these changes to other domain controllers in its domain. One domain controller in each domain holds this role.

•RID master—Assigns security identifiers (SIDs) to objects created in its domain. A SID consists of a domain identifier common to all objects in its domain and a relative identifier (RID) that is unique to each object. This server ensures that no two objects have the same RID and hands out pools of RIDs to every domain controller in its domain. One domain controller in each domain holds this role.

What is FSMO Roles?(Flexible Single Master Operations)

What is FSMO Roles?(Flexible Single Master Operations)
There are times when you may need to change the Domain Controller which holds one of the 5 FSMO roles. Either you could be facing a disaster recovery, where you have lost the first Windows 2003 Domain Controller, or you are organized and want to get the most out of your Active Directory Forest. Although you rarely need to deal with Microsoft's FSMO, there is the feeling that knowledge of these Operation Masters gives you power over your Windows 2003 Servers.
Background of Operations Masters
For most Active Directory operations, Windows 2003 uses the multiple master model. The benefit is you can add a computer, or change a user's password on any domain controller. For example, if you have three domain controllers, you can physically create a new computer account in the NTDS.dit database on any of the three. Within five minutes (15 seconds in Windows 2003), the new computer object will be replicated to the other two domain controllers.Technically, the Microsoft multiple master model uses a change notification mechanism. Occasionally problems arise if two administrators perform duplicate operations before the next replication cycle. For example, you created an OU called Accounts last week, today at the same instant you create new users in that OU, another administrator on another DC, deletes that OU. Active Directory does it's best to obey both administrators. It deletes the OU and creates the Users, but as it cannot create the Users in the OU because it was deleted, the result is the users are added to the orphaned objects in the 'LostAndFound' folder. You can troubleshoot what has happed by locating the 'LostAndFound' folder in Active Directory Users and Computers.
From the View Menu in Active Directory Users and Computer-> Advanced Features.It was worth investigating how Active Directory handles orphaned objects because the point of FSMO is that a few operations are so critical that only one domain controller can carry out that process. Imagine what would happen if two administrators tried to make different changes to the same schema object - chaos. That is why administrators can only change the schema on one Domain Controller. Emulating a PDC is the most famous example of such a Single Master Operation; creating a new child domain would be another example.
The Five FSMO Roles
There are just five operations where the usual multiple master model breaks down, and the Active Directory task must only be carried out on one Domain Controller. FSMO roles:
1. PDC Emulator - Most famous for backwards compatibility with NT 4.0 BDC's. However, there are two other FSMO roles which operate even in Windows 2003 Native Domains, synchronizing the W32Time service and creating group policies. I admit that it is confusing that these two jobs have little to do with PDCs and BDCs.
2. RID Master - Each object must have a globally unique number (GUID). The RID master makes sure each domain controller issues unique numbers when you create objects such as users or computers. For example DC one is given RIDs 1-4999 and DC two is given RIDs 5000 - 9999.
3. Infrastructure Master - Responsible for checking objects in other other domains. Universal group membership is the most important example. To me, it seems as though the operating system is paranoid that, a) You are a member of a Universal Group in another domain and b) that group has been assigned Deny permissions. So if the Infrastructure master could not check your Universal Groups there could be a security breach.
4. Domain Naming Master - Ensures that each child domain has a unique name. How often do child domains get added to the forest? Not very often I suggest, so the fact that this is a FSMO does not impact on normal domain activity. My point is it's worth the price to confine joining and leaving the domain operations to one machine, and save the tiny risk of getting duplicate names or orphaned domains.
5. Schema Master - Operations that involve expanding user properties e.g. Exchange 2003 / forestprep which adds mailbox properties to users. Rather like the Domain naming master, changing the schema is a rare event. However if you have a team of Schema Administrators all experimenting with object properties, you would not want there to be a mistake which crippled your forest. So its a case of Microsoft know best, the Schema Master should be a Single Master Operation and thus a FSMO role.
How many FSMO Domain controllers in your Forest?
Three of the FSMO roles (1. 2. and 3.) are held in each domain, whilst two (4. 5.) are unique to the entire forest. Thus, if you have three domains there will be 3 PDC emulators, but only 1 Schema Master.
Checking which DC holds which FSMO role
RID, PDC, Infrastructure (1. 2. and 3.)
You can discover which server holds the Operation Master by opening Active Directory Users and Computers, Right click your Domain and select Properties, Operations Masters.Domain Naming Master (4.)To see the Domain Naming Master (4.), navigate to the little used, Active Directory Domains and Trusts, Right click your Domain and select Properties, Operations Masters.
Schema Master (5.)
The Schema Master (5.) is the most difficult FSMO to find. The reason is the Schema snap-in is hidden by default. Perhaps is this is Microsoft saying - don't mess with the object definitions. However, you can reveal the Schema and its FSMO settings thus:1) Register the Schema Snap with this command, RUN regsvr32 schmmgmt.dll2) Run MMC, File menu, Add\Remove Snap-in,


click the Add button and select,
Active Directory Schema
3) Select Active Directory Schema, Right Click, Operations Master.

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.