Install, configure and manage a Windows 2012 domain from start to finish!

This course is intended for students who are interested in learning the basics of configuring and managing a Windows 2012 server in a domain environment. The course covers everything from installing the operating system, creating a Windows domain, setting up basic services like Active Directory, DNS and DHCP, and lays the foundation for more advanced courses in Windows server administration. We will learn the basics of Windows Server and Windows Domain by creating a domain and managing the roles and features in it using an example business.

Who should take this course?

This course will be beneficial to those who wish to work in a typical business that uses Windows workstations and servers. All of the individual topics covered are applicable to most businesses that use these technologies, and is a great foundation for anyone interested in network & server administration and the IT field in general. It is also an excellent supplement to courses taken in preparation for Microsoft's MTA or MCSA certifications.

Course Requirements & Materials

It's recommended that students have a general understanding of the Windows operating system and basic IP networking. There are several courses on Udemy that will familiarize you with navigating the Windows operating system and networking Windows computers together, which will greatly aid you in this course.

When setting up and configuring Windows Server in this course, we will use VMware Workstation to create a virtual machine. This is a free trial software and I will cover how to set up a virtual machine for our purposes, so a deep understanding of this software or virtualization in general is not required. You may also install Windows on a physical machine during the course if you prefer to follow along that way.

Course Structure

The course is structured as follows:

Introduction to Windows Server
Installing VMware Workstation and creating a virtual machine
Installing Windows Server 2012
Preparing & Configuring a Windows Domain
Joining a Windows workstation to a Windows Domain
Configuring & Managing Active Directory
Configuring & Managing Group Policy
Configuring & Managing Print Services
Configuring & Managing File Sharing & Permissions
The first two lectures are about 5 minutes, and the remaining ones are approximately 10-15 minutes long. During the course, feel free to pause if you need to catch up or ask questions. I'll be glad to answer all of them!