Microsoft just released two new exams for Windows Server Hybrid Administrators. With the exams AZ-800 Administering Windows Server Hybrid Core Infrastructure and AZ-801 Configuring Windows Server Hybrid Advanced Services you can gain the Microsoft Certified: Windows Server Hybrid Administrator Associate certification. In this blog post I want to share my AZ-800 Administering Windows Server Hybrid Core Infrastructure Certification Exam Study Guide with you. To learn and prepare for the exam, I usually use a couple of online resources, mainly Microsoft Docs and Microsoft Learn, which I am going to share with you. You can find more information about how I prepare for a Microsoft Certification exam on my blog post: How to prepare and pass Microsoft Certification Exam.
Also, check out other Microsoft Azure Certification Exam Study Guides:
- Exam AZ-900: Microsoft Azure Fundamentals Exam Study Guide
- Exam AZ-104: Microsoft Azure Administrator Exam Study Guide
- Exam AZ-204: Developing Solutions for Microsoft Azure Exam Study Guide
- Exam AZ-305 Exam Study Guide Azure Solutions Architect Certification
- Exam AZ-500: Microsoft Azure Security Technologies Exam Study Guide
- Exam AZ-600: Configuring and Operating a Hybrid Cloud with Microsoft Azure Stack Hub Exam Study Guide
- Exam AZ-700: Microsoft Azure Network Engineer Exam Study Guide
- Exam SC-900: Microsoft Security, Compliance, and Identity Fundamentals Exam Study Guide
- Exam DP-300: Azure Database Administrator Exam Study Guide
My AZ-800 Administering Windows Server Hybrid Core Infrastructure Certification Exam Study Guide
It is essential to get familiar with the exam objectives and skills measured first. That is why I recommend reading the description of the exam and the skills measured.
Exam AZ-800: Administering Windows Server Hybrid Core Infrastructure
Microsoft Docs
Candidates for this exam administer core Windows Server workloads using on-premises, hybrid, and cloud technologies. These professionals should have expertise in implementing and managing on-premises and hybrid solutions, such as identity, management, compute, networking, and storage. They use administrative tools and technologies, such as Windows Admin Center, PowerShell, Azure Arc, and IaaS virtual machine administration.
A candidate for this exam should have extensive experience working with Windows Server operating systems.
The high-level view of the skills measured in the exam:
- Deploy and manage Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS) in on-premises and cloud environments (30-35%)
- Manage Windows Servers and workloads in a hybrid environment (10-15%)
- Manage virtual machines and containers (15-20%)
- Implement and manage an on-premises and hybrid networking infrastructure (15-20%)
- Manage storage and file services (15-20%)
Microsoft Certified: Windows Server Hybrid Administrator Associate certification
By passing the AZ-800 and AZ-801 exam, you will gain the Microsoft Certified: Windows Server Hybrid Administrator Associate certification.
Microsoft Certified: Windows Server Hybrid Administrator Associate Certification
Microsoft Docs
Responsibilities for this role include integrating Windows Server environments with Azure services and managing Windows Server in on-premises networks. This role manages and maintains Windows Server IaaS workloads in Azure, in addition to migrating and deploying workloads to Azure.
Candidates for this certification administer core and advanced Windows Server workloads and services using on-premises, hybrid, and cloud technologies. These professionals should have expertise in implementing and managing on-premises and hybrid solutions, such as identity, management, compute, networking, and storage. They are also experts at performing tasks related to security, migration, monitoring, high availability, troubleshooting, and disaster recovery. These professionals use administrative tools and technologies, including Windows Admin Center, PowerShell, Azure Arc, and IaaS virtual machine administration. They also work with Azure Automation Update Management, Microsoft Defender for Identity, Azure Security Center, Azure Migrate, and Azure Monitor.
A candidate for this certification should have extensive experience working with Windows Server operating systems.
You can learn more on the certification website.
Free Online Microsoft Learn AZ-800 Exam Study Guide resources
Microsoft Learn provides you with free online training and learning paths for different Microsoft technologies. They not just offer reading material, but also control questions and free online labs. Here are some relevant Microsoft Learn modules and learning paths for the AZ-800 Administering Windows Server Hybrid Core Infrastructure Certification Exam. Microsoft Learn is an important part of my AZ-800 exam study guide.
- Deploy and manage identity infrastructure
- Manage Windows Servers and workloads in a hybrid environment
- Manage virtualization and containers in a hybrid environment
- Implement and operate an on-premises and hybrid networking infrastructure
- Configure storage and file services
Microsoft Docs AZ-800 Study Guide resources
One thing I always used to prepare for my Microsoft exams is Microsoft Docs. Here are the relevant Microsoft Docs which I used to prepare and study for the AZ-800 exam. If you want to get some hands-on experience, I also recommend checking out my Windows Server and Azure Arc Lab Kit.
Deploy and manage Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS) in on-premises and cloud environments (30–35%)
- Deploy and manage AD DS domain controllers
- deploy and manage domain controllers on-premises
Install Active Directory Domain Services (Level 100)
Install a New Windows Server 2012 Active Directory Forest (Level 200)
- deploy and manage domain controllers in Azure
Deploy AD DS in an Azure virtual network - deploy Read-Only Domain Controllers (RODCs)
Install a Windows Server 2012 Active Directory Read-Only Domain Controller (RODC) (Level 200)
- troubleshoot flexible single master operations (FSMO) roles
Active Directory FSMO roles in Windows
How To Find Servers That Hold Flexible Single Master Operations Roles
Error Attempting to Seize RID Master Role with Ntdsutil
- deploy and manage domain controllers on-premises
- Configure and manage multi-site, multi-domain, and multi-forest environments
- configure and manage forest and domain trusts
Managing Trusts
Tutorial: Create an outbound forest trust to an on-premises domain in Azure Active Directory Domain Services - configure and manage AD DS sites
Understanding Active Directory Site Topology
Site Functions
Creating a Site Design - configure and manage AD DS replication
Active Directory Replication Concepts
- configure and manage forest and domain trusts
- Create and manage AD DS security principals
- create and manage AD DS users and groups
Managing Users
Understanding User Accounts
Create a New User Account
Managing Users
Managing Groups - manage users and groups in multi-domain and multi-forest scenarios
Understanding Group Accounts - implement group managed service accounts (gMSAs)
Group Managed Service Accounts Overview - join Windows Servers to AD DS, Azure AD DS, and Azure AD
Join a Computer to a Domain
Join a Windows Server VM to an Azure AD Domain Services managed domain
- create and manage AD DS users and groups
- Implement and manage hybrid identities
- implement Azure AD Connect
Implement Azure AD Connect – Learn
What is Azure AD Connect v2.0? - manage Azure AD Connect Synchronization
Azure AD Connect: Next steps and how to manage Azure AD Connect - implement Azure AD Connect cloud sync
What is Azure AD Connect cloud sync? - integrate Azure AD, AD DS, and Azure AD DS
On-premises AD domains with Azure AD - manage Azure AD DS
Tutorial – Create an Azure Active Directory Domain Services managed domain - manage Azure AD Connect Health
What is Azure AD Connect and Connect Health - manage authentication in on-premises and hybrid environments
Authentication for Azure AD hybrid identity solutions – Active Directory - configure and manage AD DS passwords
Create and use password policies in Azure AD Domain Services
- implement Azure AD Connect
- Manage Windows Server by using domain-based Group Policies
- implement Group Policy in AD DS
Group Policy Overview - implement Group Policy Preferences in AD DS
About Group Policy Preferences - implement Group Policy in Azure AD DS
Create and manage group policy in Azure AD Domain Services
- implement Group Policy in AD DS
Manage Windows Servers and workloads in a hybrid environment (10–15%)
- Manage Windows Servers in a hybrid environment
Windows Server management overview- deploy a Windows Admin Center gateway server
Deploy a Windows Admin Center gateway in Azure - configure a target machine for Windows Admin Center
Use Windows Admin Center in the Azure portal to manage a Windows Server VM - configure PowerShell Remoting
Running Remote Commands – PowerShell
PowerShell Remoting FAQ – PowerShell - configure CredSSP or Kerberos delegation for second hop remoting
Making the second hop in PowerShell Remoting – PowerShell - configure JEA for PowerShell Remoting
Overview of Just Enough Administration (JEA) – PowerShell
- deploy a Windows Admin Center gateway server
- Manage Windows Servers and workloads by using Azure services
Windows Server and Azure Management- manage Windows Servers by using Azure Arc
Connect hybrid machines to Azure using a deployment script
Connect hybrid machines to Azure at scale
Connect hybrid machines to Azure from Windows Admin Center – Azure Arc - assign Azure Policy Guest Configuration
Tutorial – New policy assignment with Azure portal - deploy Azure services using Azure Virtual Machine extensions on non-Azure machines
Tutorial – Monitor a hybrid machine with Azure Monitor VM insights - manage updates for Windows machines
Azure Automation Update Management overview - integrate Windows Servers with Log Analytics
Log Analytics agent overview – Azure Monitor - integrate Windows Servers with Azure Security Center
Hybrid security monitoring with Sentinel
Connect your non-Azure machines to Microsoft Defender for Cloud - manage IaaS virtual machines (VMs) in Azure that run Windows Server
Windows Server and Azure Management
Maintenance and updates – Azure Virtual Machines - implement Azure Automation for hybrid workloads
Azure Automation in a hybrid environment - create runbooks to automate tasks on target VMs
Runbook execution in Azure Automation - implement DSC to prevent configuration drift in IaaS machines
Azure VM extensions and features for Windows – Azure Virtual Machines
Azure Desired State Configuration Extension Handler – Azure Virtual Machines
Desired State Configuration for Azure overview – Azure Virtual Machines
- manage Windows Servers by using Azure Arc
Manage virtual machines and containers (15–20%)
- Manage Hyper-V and guest virtual machines
- enable VM enhanced session mode
Use local resources on Hyper-V virtual machine with VMConnect
Hyper-V enhanced session mode - manage VM using PowerShell Remoting, PowerShell Direct, and HVC.exe
HVC.exe
PowerShell Direct
Manage Windows virtual machines with PowerShell Direct
Manage Hyper-V VMs using PowerShell Direct - configure nested virtualization
Hyper-V Nested Virtualization
Nested Virtualization - configure VM memory
Hyper-V Dynamic Memory Overview - configure Integration Services
Manage Hyper-V Integration Services - configure Discrete Device Assignment
Deploy graphics devices using Discrete Device Assignment
Plan for deploying devices using Discrete Device Assignment
Deploy NVMe Storage Devices using Discrete Device Assignment - configure VM Resource Groups
Hyper-V Host CPU Resource Management - configure VM CPU Groups
Virtual Machine Resource Controls - configure hypervisor scheduling types
Understanding and using Hyper-V hypervisor scheduler types
About Hyper-V hypervisor scheduler type selection - manage VM Checkpoints
Hyper-V Checkpoints PowerShell
Choose between standard or production checkpoints in Hyper-V
Enable or disable checkpoints in Hyper-V - implement high availability for virtual machines
Clustering for Hyper-V - manage VHD and VHDX files
Hyper-V Virtual Hard Disk Format Overview - configure Hyper-V network adapter
Host network requirements for Azure Stack HCI – Azure Stack HCI - configure NIC teaming
Support Policy for NIC Teaming with Hyper-V – Windows Server
NIC Teaming - configure Hyper-V switch
Hyper-V Virtual Switch
Create a virtual switch for Hyper-V virtual machines
- enable VM enhanced session mode
- Create and manage containers
- create Windows Server container images
Windows Container Base Images
Dockerfile and Windows Containers - manage Windows Server container images
Update Windows Server containers - configure Container networking
Windows container networking - manage container instances
Run containers on Windows Admin Center
- create Windows Server container images
- Manage Azure Virtual Machines that run Windows Server
- manage data disks
Attach a managed data disk to a Windows VM – Azure – Azure Virtual Machines - resize Azure Virtual Machines
Resize a virtual machine – Azure Virtual Machines - configure continuous delivery for Azure Virtual Machines
CI/CD for Azure VMs – Azure Solution Ideas - configure connections to VMs
Connect to a Windows Server VM – Azure Virtual Machines
Set up WinRM access for an Azure VM – Azure Virtual Machines - manage Azure Virtual Machines network configuration
Virtual networks and virtual machines in Azure
- manage data disks
Implement and manage an on-premises and hybrid networking infrastructure (15–20%)
- Implement on-premises and hybrid name resolution
- integrate DNS with AD DS
Active Directory-Integrated DNS Zones - create and manage zones and records
Managing a Forward Lookup Zone
Adding a Resource Record to a Forward Lookup Zone - configure DNS forwarding/conditional forwarding
Configure a DNS Server to Use Forwarders
Assign a Conditional Forwarder for a Domain Name - integrate Windows Server DNS with Azure DNS private zones
Scenarios for Private Zones – Azure DNS - implement DNSSEC
Overview of DNSSEC
- integrate DNS with AD DS
- Manage IP addressing in on-premises and hybrid scenarios
- implement and manage IPAM
IP Address Management (IPAM) - implement and configure the DHCP server role (on-premises only)
Administering DHCP Server - resolve IP address issues in hybrid environments
- create and manage scopes
Managing DHCP Server Scopes - create and manage IP reservations
Managing Reservations and Reserved Clients - implement DHCP high availability
Understand and Deploy DHCP Failover
- implement and manage IPAM
- Implement on-premises and hybrid network connectivity
- implement and manage the Remote Access role
Remote Access Overview - implement and manage Azure Network Adapter
Azure Network Adapter
Use Azure Network Adapter to connect a server to an Azure Virtual Network
Connect standalone servers by using Azure Network Adapter - implement and manage Azure Extended Network
Extend your on-premises subnets into Azure using extended network for Azure - implement and manage Network Policy Server role
Network Policy and Access Services Overview - implement Web Application Proxy
Web Application Proxy
Working with Web Application Proxy - implement Azure Relay
What is Azure Relay? – Azure Relay - implement site-to-site virtual private network (VPN)
Azure VPN Gateway topologies and design - implement Azure Virtual WAN
Azure Virtual WAN Overview - implement Azure AD Application Proxy
Publish on-premises apps with Azure Active Directory Application Proxy
- implement and manage the Remote Access role
Manage storage and file services (15–20%)
- Configure and manage Azure File Sync
- create Azure File Sync service
Azure File Sync
Deploy Azure File Sync - create sync groups
Modify your Azure File Sync topology - create cloud endpoints
Create an Azure file share – Azure Files - register servers
Manage registered servers with Azure File Sync - create server endpoints
Create an Azure File Sync server endpoint - configure cloud tiering
How to manage Azure File Sync tiered files - monitor File Sync
Monitor Azure File Sync - migrate DFS to Azure File Sync
How to use DFS-N with Azure Files
- create Azure File Sync service
- Configure and manage Windows Server file shares
- configure Windows Server file share access
Share permissions: File and Storage Services - configure file screens
File Screening Management - configure File Server Resource Manager (FSRM) quotas
Quota Management - configure BranchCache
BranchCache - implement and configure Distributed File System (DFS)
DFS Namespaces overview
DFS Replication overviews
- configure Windows Server file share access
- Configure Windows Server storage
- configure disks and volumes
Manage disks
Manage basic volumes - configure and manage Storage Spaces
Storage Spaces overview - configure and manage Storage Replica
Storage Replica Overview - configure Data Deduplication
Data Deduplication Overview - configure SMB direct
Improve performance of a file server with SMB Direct - configure Storage Quality of Service (QoS)
Storage QoS
Storage Quality of Service - configure file system
NTFS overview
Resilient File System (ReFS) overview
- configure disks and volumes
Tips and Resources
I hope this AZ-800 Administering Windows Server Hybrid Core Infrastructure for the Microsoft Certified: Windows Server Hybrid Administrator Associate Certification Exam Study Guide helps you pass the exam and get the Windows Server Hybrid Administrator certification. I also recommend that you open a free Azure account if you don’t have one yet. You can create your free Azure account here. Also, check out my blog posts about Microsoft Azure Certification:
- Why you should become Microsoft Azure certified
- How to pick the right Azure exam certification path
- How to prepare and pass a Microsoft Azure exam
- Learn Microsoft Azure in 2022
- AZ-104 Microsoft Azure Administrator Exam Study Guide
I hope you enjoyed my AZ-800 Study Guide, and it helps you with exam prep. Did I miss any link, or do you have any recommended AZ-800 Windows Server Hybrid Administrator Certification Exam Study resources? Let me know in the comments.
Tags: Administrator, AZ-800, AZ-800 Study Guide, Azure, Exam, Hybrid, Hyper-V, Infrastructure, Microsoft, Microsoft Azure, PowerShell, Study Guide, Virtualization, Windows, Windows Server Last modified: March 17, 2022
