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DIGI-MS-AZ-ADV-3D · advanced · In person · 21 hours

Microsoft Enterprise Infrastructure: Windows Server + Azure Technical Bootcamp

Overview

A three-day, advanced, implementation-heavy bootcamp that moves experienced IT professionals beyond routine Windows administration into enterprise infrastructure engineering. Participants design and build solutions spanning Active Directory, Hyper-V, failover clustering, storage, disaster recovery, Azure networking and virtual machines, hybrid services, identity, security, monitoring and automation.

Who should attend

  • Windows Server and systems administrators
  • Infrastructure and virtualisation engineers
  • Cloud administrators and junior to mid-level cloud engineers
  • IT operations, security and technical support leads
  • Technical managers responsible for Windows and Azure hybrid estates

Recommended prerequisites: practical knowledge of Windows Server, AD DS, DNS, IP networking, virtualisation and basic Azure terminology. If you need a bridge, take Windows Server & Azure Infrastructure: Technical Foundations (2 days) first.

What you will learn

  • Design and administer secure, enterprise-grade Windows Server and Active Directory environments.
  • Implement Hyper-V virtualisation, enterprise networking and high-availability patterns.
  • Explain and configure failover clustering with appropriate storage and workload prerequisites.
  • Plan storage, backup, replication, tested restores and disaster recovery.
  • Structure Azure resources with governance, RBAC, policy and appropriate cost controls.
  • Design secured Azure networking, virtual machines and storage solutions.
  • Extend on-premises server management using Azure Arc and appropriate hybrid management services.
  • Plan or demonstrate hybrid identity and monitoring with Microsoft Entra and Azure tools.
  • Evaluate Azure Backup, Site Recovery, Defender for Cloud and Log Analytics for workload protection and operations.
  • Automate selected provisioning and administration tasks with PowerShell, Azure CLI and Bicep.
  • Present a technically reasoned hybrid enterprise architecture including risk, resilience, licensing and cost.

How it works

  • About 70% hands-on practical work, with short focused explanations and demonstrations
  • Every major topic follows Explain, Demonstrate, Build, Break, Troubleshoot and Fix
  • Seven hands-on labs across Windows Server, Azure, hybrid management, security and automation
  • A realistic enterprise scenario that builds over all three days
  • A final capstone where teams design, demonstrate and defend a secure, monitored hybrid platform

What you take away

  • Enterprise Windows and Active Directory configuration evidence
  • Hyper-V and cluster architecture and validation worksheet
  • Backup and disaster recovery test plan
  • Azure landing-zone and network topology
  • Azure compute, storage, identity and policy checklists
  • Hybrid operations, monitoring and security runbook
  • PowerShell, Azure CLI and Bicep practice files
  • Enterprise hybrid infrastructure capstone presentation

Assessment and certificate

  • Supervised practical labs and verified outputs: 45%
  • Final capstone solution and technical defence: 35%
  • Troubleshooting and knowledge assessment: 20%
  • Pass mark: 70%, plus satisfactory completion of core practical work
  • Successful participants receive a Digilink Certificate of Completion, not a Microsoft certification.

What to bring

  • An internet-connected laptop capable of remote lab access, with a web browser and basic office editing.

Modules

    1. 08:30–09:30 · Windows Server enterprise architecture

      Windows Server 2022/2025 capabilities, editions, Server Core, Windows Admin Center, remote administration and PowerShell.

    2. 09:30–11:00 · Active Directory beyond users and passwords

      Sites and replication, FSMO, DNS, advanced Group Policy, gMSAs, delegation, LAPS and privileged access.

    3. 11:15–12:30 · Enterprise Hyper-V

      Virtual switches, VHDX, VM configuration, checkpoints, performance, migration and host security.

    4. 13:15–14:15 · Failover clustering and high availability

      Cluster design, quorum, shared storage concepts, validation and failover testing.

    5. 14:15–15:15 · Enterprise storage

      Storage Spaces concepts, ReFS/NTFS, SMB, iSCSI concepts, tiers, capacity and performance.

    6. 15:15–16:00 · Backup, DR and resilience

      Backup versus replication, RPO/RTO, Hyper-V Replica, restore tests and recovery planning.

    7. 16:00–16:30 · Day 1 capstone

      Assemble and validate the on-premises enterprise foundation.

    8. LabLab A1: Enterprise Windows and Active Directory

      • Deploy or connect to Windows Server 2022/2025 practice hosts.
      • Configure a defined AD DS hierarchy, DNS, delegated administration and example Group Policy rules.
      • Inspect replication and FSMO roles; review privileged-account and service-account protections.
      • Introduce a DNS, replication or privilege fault and troubleshoot it.
      • Evidence: AD diagram, command output, policy results and incident notes.

    9. LabLab A2: Hyper-V, clustering and enterprise storage

      • Create Hyper-V guests, disks and appropriate virtual switches.
      • Run a cluster validation exercise and test Windows Server Failover Clustering and planned failover.
      • Compare iSCSI, SMB-based and other relevant shared-storage patterns.
      • Evidence: host and VM inventory, validation report, failover sequence and chosen storage architecture.

    10. LabLab A3: Backup and recovery

      • Choose RPO/RTO targets for a critical application.
      • Protect a workload and run a restore validation exercise.
      • Compare backup, replication and disaster recovery approaches.
      • Evidence: recovery checklist, test findings and remediation priorities.

Digilink completion certificate, not a vendor certification