Windows Server Hybrid Administration Training in San Francisco, USA

This hands-on program provides IT beginners and junior administrators with a practical introduction to hybrid Windows Server administration using only open-source, and Azure trial resources. Participants learn how to deploy and manage Windows Server using evaluation editions, configure Active Directory, integrate identity with Azure AD, establish hybrid networking using open-source VPN solutions, and manage servers using Windows Admin Center and PowerShell.

The course emphasizes practical, real-world administration, enabling participants to build an end-to-end hybrid environment without requiring paid Microsoft licenses. Through guided labs, learners configure hybrid identity syncing, secure on-prem and cloud-connected servers, manage resources using Azure’s free features, and troubleshoot common hybrid issues using built-in Windows and Azure tools.

Windows Server Foundations & Hybrid Identity

1. Introduction to Hybrid Windows Environments

• Hybrid infrastructure concepts
• When hybrid is useful
• Tools we will use (all free or trial)

2. Windows Server Core Administration

• Installing Windows Server evaluation edition
• Configuring roles & features
• Basic server authentication and domain concepts
• Hands-on: Install AD DS using trial OS
• Hands-on: Manage server via Windows Admin Center

3. Windows Admin Center (WAC) Setup & Usage

• Installing Windows Admin Center
• Adding servers to WAC
• Managing roles, updates, certificates
• Event viewer, performance, services (all within WAC)
• Hands-on lab

4. Hybrid Identity with Azure AD

• Azure AD Free Tier capabilities
• Installing Azure AD Connect
• Syncing on-prem identities to Azure AD
• Hands-on: Hybrid join (Azure AD Join + on-prem AD)
• Verifying sync & sign-in logs

5. Hands-On Labs

Hybrid Networking, Open-Source VPN, Storage & Virtualization

1. Networking in Hybrid Environments

• WireGuard (open-source VPN) to simulate site-to-site hybrid connectivity

• Configuring Windows Server networking
• DNS hybrid design basics
• Hands-on
• Hands-on

2. Azure-based Management

• Manage VMs with Azure VM agent
• Using free Azure monitoring features:
• Activity logs
• Basic metrics (CPU/memory/disk)

3. File & Storage Services

• Storage Spaces setup
• SMB shares
• NTFS permissions
• ACL best practices
• Hands-on
• Hands-on

4. Virtualization & Replication

• Hyper-V
• Hyper-V Replica
• Hands-on: Set up VM replication between two trial servers

Hybrid Management, Security, Monitoring & Troubleshooting

1. Lightweight Azure Arc-like Management

• Overview of Azure Arc
• Registering server in Arc
• Viewing servers in Azure
• Hands-on: Use WAC → Connect to Azure

2. Security in Hybrid Setup

• Local security baselines
• GPO hardening
• Microsoft Security Baselines
• Windows Firewall
• Azure AD password protection
• MFA for Azure AD

• Privileged Identity Management

Modules:

• Hardening Windows Server
• Implementing MFA
• Secure administrative roles with free-tier controls
• Hands-on

3. Monitoring & Troubleshooting

• Event Viewer
• WAC performance dashboard
• Azure Activity Logs
• Azure VM metrics

Modules:

• Troubleshooting identity sync
• Troubleshooting VPN (WireGuard)
• Analyzing server performance
• Hands-on

4. Final Hands-On Lab