Top 100 Windows Server Interview Questions and Answers PDF Download
Top 100 Windows Server Interview Questions and Answers PDF Download
What is Active Directory? Active Directory is a Microsoft service used to manage network resources, including user accounts, computers, and groups, in a centralized and hierarchical database.
How do you promote a server to be a Domain Controller? You can promote a server to be a Domain Controller using the Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS) Installation Wizard or PowerShell cmdlets.
Explain the difference between a physical server and a virtual server. A physical server is a dedicated hardware machine, while a virtual server runs on virtualization software and shares resources with other virtual machines on the same physical server.
What are Group Policy Objects (GPOs) in Windows Server? Group Policy Objects are sets of rules and settings that control the behavior of user accounts and computer accounts in an Active Directory environment.
What is DNS, and why is it important in Windows Server? DNS (Domain Name System) is a service used to resolve domain names to IP addresses. It is vital for domain resolution and communication between network devices.
How do you configure DHCP in Windows Server? You can configure DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) using the DHCP role in Windows Server. It assigns IP addresses automatically to devices on the network.
Explain the concept of Active Directory Replication. Active Directory Replication is the process of synchronizing changes made to the Active Directory database across all Domain Controllers in a domain to maintain consistency.
What is the purpose of the Windows Server Update Services (WSUS) role? WSUS allows administrators to manage and distribute Windows updates and patches to computers in an organization.
How do you create and manage user accounts in Windows Server? User accounts can be created and managed through the Active Directory Users and Computers console or PowerShell commands.
What is the purpose of the File Server role in Windows Server? The File Server role allows the server to act as a central storage location for files and folders that can be accessed by network clients.
Explain the purpose of the Print Server role in Windows Server. The Print Server role allows centralized management and sharing of printers on the network, making it easier for users to connect and use printers.
How do you perform a backup and restore in Windows Server? Windows Server provides various backup options, including Windows Server Backup, which allows creating backups and restoring data and system states.
What is the difference between a Workgroup and a Domain in Windows Server? A Workgroup is a collection of computers in a peer-to-peer network, while a Domain is a centralized network with a Domain Controller managing authentication and security.
Explain the concept of Forests and Trees in Active Directory. A Forest is a collection of one or more domains that share a common schema and configuration partition, while a Tree consists of one or more domains in a contiguous namespace.
What are the different types of trusts in Windows Server? Windows Server supports different trust relationships, including two-way trusts, one-way trusts, external trusts, and shortcut trusts, to allow authentication across domains.
What is the purpose of the Remote Desktop Services role in Windows Server? The Remote Desktop Services role allows multiple users to access Windows-based applications and desktops remotely over the network.
How do you configure Network Load Balancing (NLB) in Windows Server? NLB allows distributing incoming network traffic across multiple servers to ensure high availability and load balancing. It can be configured using the NLB Manager.
Explain the concept of Hyper-V in Windows Server. Hyper-V is a virtualization platform that allows running multiple virtual machines on a single physical server. It provides isolation and resource management for VMs.
What are Organizational Units (OUs) in Active Directory? OUs are containers within Active Directory used to organize and manage objects, such as users, groups, and computers, with delegated administrative control.
How do you set up and manage Group Policy in Windows Server? Group Policy settings can be created and managed using the Group Policy Management Console (GPMC) to apply configurations to users and computers in a domain.
Explain the concept of Trust Relationships in Active Directory. Trust Relationships establish secure communication paths between domains, allowing users and resources to be authenticated and accessed across domains.
What is the purpose of the Active Directory Schema in Windows Server? The Active Directory Schema defines the structure of objects and attributes within Active Directory, and it can be extended to include custom attributes.
How do you configure Disk Quotas in Windows Server? Disk Quotas can be configured on NTFS volumes to limit the amount of disk space a user or group can consume, helping to manage disk usage.
What is Server Core in Windows Server, and when would you use it? Server Core is a minimal installation option without a GUI, optimized for reduced resource consumption and enhanced security. It is suitable for specific server roles.
Explain the purpose of the Distributed File System (DFS) role in Windows Server. DFS allows creating a logical view of shared folders and files from multiple servers, providing redundancy and load balancing for network file access.
How do you configure Active Directory Integrated DNS in Windows Server? Active Directory Integrated DNS stores DNS data within Active Directory, providing secure replication and integration with AD objects.
What is the role of a Global Catalog in Active Directory? The Global Catalog contains a partial replica of all objects in the forest, facilitating universal group membership and speeding up searches for objects in multidomain environments.
Explain the concept of Group Scope in Active Directory. Group Scope determines the scope of group membership, including Domain Local, Global, and Universal groups, each serving different purposes in an Active Directory environment.
How do you configure Remote Desktop Services Licensing in Windows Server? Remote Desktop Services Licensing manages licensing for Remote Desktop Services clients, ensuring compliance with licensing requirements.
What are Group Policy Preferences in Windows Server? Group Policy Preferences allow administrators to configure settings that users can change, providing a more flexible approach to policy management.
Explain the purpose of the Certificate Services role in Windows Server. Certificate Services allows managing digital certificates and public key infrastructure (PKI) for secure communication and authentication.
What are Dynamic Access Control (DAC) and claims-based authorization in Windows Server? DAC and claims-based authorization allow fine-grained control over access to resources based on user attributes and claims.
How do you configure Folder Redirection in Windows Server? Folder Redirection redirects specific folders (e.g., Documents, Desktop) to a network location, ensuring data is centrally stored and backed up.
Explain the concept of Kerberos authentication in Windows Server. Kerberos is a secure authentication protocol used in Windows Server to verify the identity of users and services over a network.
What is the purpose of the Windows Deployment Services (WDS) role in Windows Server? WDS allows deploying Windows operating systems to client computers over the network, streamlining the installation process.
How do you perform an authoritative restore in Active Directory? An authoritative restore is used to recover deleted objects in Active Directory by marking them as authoritative, ensuring they replicate to other Domain Controllers.
What are the different types of RAID configurations supported in Windows Server? Windows Server supports various RAID (Redundant Array of Independent Disks) configurations, such as RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 5, RAID 10, providing different levels of fault tolerance and performance.
Explain the purpose of Network Policy Server (NPS) in Windows Server. NPS is used for RADIUS authentication and authorization, allowing network access policies for remote users and devices.
How do you configure Windows Firewall in Windows Server? Windows Firewall can be configured to allow or block specific network traffic to enhance security.
What is Windows Server Containers, and how do you use them? Windows Server Containers are lightweight, isolated environments that allow running applications and services with their dependencies on the same host.
Explain the concept of Network Attached Storage (NAS) and Storage Area Network (SAN) in Windows Server. NAS and SAN are storage technologies used in Windows Server to provide centralized and scalable storage solutions for different types of data.
How do you configure Network Policy and Access Services (NPAS) in Windows Server? NPAS includes various network services, such as RADIUS, VPN, and DHCP, which can be configured through the NPAS management console.
What is the purpose of the Active Directory Administrative Center in Windows Server? The Active Directory Administrative Center provides an enhanced graphical interface for managing Active Directory objects and services.
Explain the concept of Forest Functional Levels in Active Directory. Forest Functional Levels determine the features and capabilities available in the Active Directory forest and impact domain controllers and trust relationships.
How do you configure Remote Desktop Services Gateway in Windows Server? Remote Desktop Services Gateway allows secure remote access to RDS resources through a single entry point.
What are Resource Records in DNS, and what are some common types? Resource Records in DNS hold specific information about DNS zones, including A, CNAME, MX, and SRV records.
Explain the purpose of Network Address Translation (NAT) in Windows Server. NAT allows translating private IP addresses to public IP addresses for internet communication.
How do you enable and manage BitLocker Drive Encryption in Windows Server? BitLocker provides full-disk encryption to protect data stored on drives.
What is the purpose of Active Directory Federated Services (ADFS) in Windows Server? ADFS provides a single sign-on (SSO) solution, allowing users to access multiple applications using their corporate credentials.
Explain the concept of Read-Only Domain Controllers (RODCs) in Active Directory. RODCs are Domain Controllers that host read-only replicas of the Active Directory database, enhancing security for branch office scenarios.
How do you enable and configure Windows Server Backup in Windows Server? Windows Server Backup provides built-in backup and recovery capabilities for data protection.
What is the purpose of the Hyper-V Replica feature in Windows Server? Hyper-V Replica allows replicating virtual machines to a secondary Hyper-V host for disaster recovery.
Explain the concept of GlobalNames Zone in DNS. The GlobalNames Zone in DNS provides single-label name resolution in environments with older DNS infrastructures.
How do you configure Active Directory Lightweight Directory Services (AD LDS) in Windows Server? AD LDS is a lightweight directory service that allows storing directory data for applications without the need for a full Active Directory domain.
What are the different types of backup methods available in Windows Server Backup? Windows Server Backup supports full backups, incremental backups, and differential backups.
Explain the concept of Windows Server Failover Clustering. Failover Clustering allows multiple servers to work together to maintain high availability for services and applications.
How do you configure Group Policy Loopback Processing in Windows Server? Loopback Processing allows applying user policies based on the location of the computer object.
What is the purpose of the DHCP Failover feature in Windows Server? DHCP Failover provides redundancy for DHCP servers, ensuring continuity of IP address leases.
Explain the concept of Distributed File System Replication (DFSR) in Windows Server. DFSR replicates folders between servers for data synchronization and redundancy.
How do you enable and configure Network Access Protection (NAP) in Windows Server? NAP enforces compliance policies for connected devices to enhance network security.
What is the purpose of Windows Server AppFabric? Windows Server AppFabric provides hosting and management capabilities for Windows Communication Foundation (WCF) and Windows Workflow Foundation (WF) services.
Explain the concept of Windows Server Resource Manager (WSRM). WSRM allows managing and controlling resource allocation for different applications and services.
How do you configure Active Directory Recycle Bin in Windows Server? The Active Directory Recycle Bin allows recovering deleted objects without the need for authoritative restores.
What are the different types of storage spaces available in Windows Server? Windows Server supports Storage Spaces Direct (S2D) and Storage Spaces for managing and pooling storage resources.
Explain the purpose of IP Address Management (IPAM) in Windows Server. IPAM allows managing and monitoring IP addresses and DHCP/DNS services on a network.
How do you enable and manage Windows Server Failover Cluster Quorum? Quorum configuration is critical for maintaining cluster availability in failover clustering.
What is the purpose of the iSCSI Initiator in Windows Server? The iSCSI Initiator allows connecting to iSCSI storage devices for block-level storage access.
Explain the concept of Active Directory Recycle Bin in Windows Server. The Active Directory Recycle Bin allows recovering deleted objects without the need for authoritative restores.
How do you enable and manage Windows Server Failover Cluster Quorum? Quorum configuration is critical for maintaining cluster availability in failover clustering.
What is the purpose of the iSCSI Initiator in Windows Server? The iSCSI Initiator allows connecting to iSCSI storage devices for block-level storage access.
Explain the concept of Active Directory Certificate Services (AD CS) in Windows Server. AD CS allows issuing and managing digital certificates for secure communication and authentication.
How do you enable and configure Windows Server Update Services (WSUS)? WSUS allows managing and deploying Windows updates to client computers in a network.
What is the purpose of the Network Load Balancing (NLB) feature in Windows Server? NLB provides load balancing and fault tolerance for TCP/IP-based services.
Explain the concept of Server Message Block (SMB) in Windows Server. SMB is a network file sharing protocol used for accessing files, printers, and other resources.
How do you configure BranchCache in Windows Server? BranchCache allows caching content from central servers on branch office computers for faster access.
What is the purpose of Active Directory Rights Management Services (AD RMS) in Windows Server? AD RMS allows protecting and controlling access to sensitive information.
Explain the concept of Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) in Windows Server. VDI allows hosting and managing virtual desktops for remote access and management.
How do you configure Windows Firewall with Advanced Security in Windows Server? Windows Firewall with Advanced Security provides more granular control over inbound and outbound network traffic.
What is the purpose of the Windows Server Essentials role? Windows Server Essentials provides small businesses with simplified management and cloud integration features.
Explain the concept of System Center Configuration Manager (SCCM) in Windows Server. SCCM allows managing and deploying software, applications, and updates across an organization.
How do you enable and configure Windows Server Failover Clustering for SQL Server? SQL Server Failover Clustering provides high availability for SQL Server databases.
What is the purpose of the Windows Server Routing and Remote Access Service (RRAS)? RRAS provides routing and remote access capabilities, including VPN and NAT services.
Explain the concept of Windows Server Hyper-Converged Infrastructure (HCI). HCI combines compute, storage, and networking in a single appliance for scalable and flexible infrastructure.
How do you configure Windows Server Essentials Experience Role in Windows Server? The Essentials Experience Role provides integration with Office 365 and Azure services for small businesses.
What is the purpose of the Windows Admin Center in Windows Server? Windows Admin Center provides a modern, web-based GUI for managing Windows Server and Hyper-V environments.
Explain the concept of Windows Server App Compatibility Feature on Demand (FoD). App Compatibility FoD allows installing optional Windows features to improve app compatibility.
How do you configure Windows Time Service (W32Time) in Windows Server? Windows Time Service synchronizes time across network devices to maintain accurate time.
What is the purpose of the Data Deduplication feature in Windows Server? Data Deduplication reduces storage costs by eliminating duplicate data on volumes.
Explain the concept of Just Enough Administration (JEA) in Windows Server. JEA allows delegating specific administrative tasks to non-administrative users with restricted privileges.
How do you configure Storage Replica in Windows Server? Storage Replica provides block-level replication for disaster recovery and data migration.
What is the purpose of the Windows Server System Insights feature? System Insights uses predictive analytics to optimize server performance and resource utilization.
Explain the concept of Windows Admin Center Extensions in Windows Server. Admin Center Extensions allow adding custom features and management capabilities to the Windows Admin Center.
How do you configure Active Directory Rights Management Services (AD RMS) in Windows Server? AD RMS allows protecting and controlling access to sensitive information.
What is the purpose of the Windows Server Essentials role? Windows Server Essentials provides small businesses with simplified management and cloud integration features.
Explain the concept of System Center Configuration Manager (SCCM) in Windows Server. SCCM allows managing and deploying software, applications, and updates across an organization.
How do you enable and configure Windows Server Failover Clustering for SQL Server? SQL Server Failover Clustering provides high availability for SQL Server databases.
What is the purpose of the Windows Server Routing and Remote Access Service (RRAS)? RRAS provides routing and remote access capabilities, including VPN and NAT services.
Explain the concept of Windows Server Hyper-Converged Infrastructure (HCI). HCI combines compute, storage, and networking in a single appliance for scalable and flexible infrastructure.
How do you configure Windows Server Essentials Experience Role in Windows Server? The Essentials Experience Role provides integration with Office 365 and Azure services for small businesses.
What is the purpose of the Windows Admin Center in Windows Server? Windows Admin Center provides a modern, web-based GUI for managing Windows Server and Hyper-V environments.
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