What are routers?

Routers can connect two or more network segments. These are intelligent network devices that

store information in its routing table such as paths, hops and bottlenecks. With this info, they are

able to determine the best path for data transfer. Routers operate at the OSI Network Layer.

What is point to point link?

It refers to a direct connection between two computers on a network. A point to point connection

does not need any other network devices other than connecting a cable to the NIC cards of both

computers.

What is anonymous FTP?

Anonymous FTP is a way of granting user access to files in public servers. Users that are

allowed access to data in these servers do not need to identify themselves, but instead log in as

an anonymous guest.

 What is subnet mask?

A subnet mask is combined with an IP address in order to identify two parts: the extended

network address and the host address. Like an IP address, a subnet mask is made up of 32

bits.

 What is the maximum length allowed for a UTP cable?

A single segment of UTP cable has an allowable length of 90 to 100 meters. This limitation can

be overcome by using repeaters and switches.

 What is data encapsulation?

Data encapsulation is the process of breaking down information into smaller manageable

chunks before it is transmitted across the network. It is also in this process that the source and

destination addresses are attached into the headers, along with parity checks.

Describe Network Topology

Network Topology refers to the layout of a computer network. It shows how devices and cables

are physically laid out, as well as how they connect to one another.

NETWORKING QUESTION

1) What is a Link?
A link refers to the connectivity between two devices. It includes the type of cables and
protocols used in order for one device to be able to communicate with the other.

2) What are the layers of the OSI reference model?
There are 7 OSI layers: Physical Layer, Data Link Layer, Network Layer, Transport Layer,
Session Layer, Presentation Layer and Application Layer.

3) What is backbone network?
A backbone network is a centralized infrastructure that is designed to distribute different routes
and data to various networks. It also handles management of bandwidth and various channels.

4) What is a LAN?
LAN is short for Local Area Network. It refers to the connection between computers and other
network devices that are located within a small physical location.

5) What is a node?

Q. What are application partitions? When do I use them?

A1) Application Directory Partition is a partition space in Active Directory which an application can use to store that application specific data. This partition is then replicated only to some specific domain controllers.The application directory partition can contain any type of data except security principles (users, computers, groups).**A2) These are specific to Windows Server 2003 domains. An application directory partition is a directory partition that is replicated only to specific domain controllers. A domain controller that participates in the replication of a particular application directory partition hosts a replica of that partition. Only domain controllers running Windows Server 2003 can host a replica of an application directory partition.

Q. Name the AD NCs and replication issues for each NC

Schema NC, *Configuration NC, * Domain NCSchema NC: This NC is replicated to every other domain controller in the forest. It contains information about the Active Directory schema, which in turn defines the different object classes and attributes within Active Directory.
Configuration NC: Also replicated to every other DC in the forest, this NC contains forest-wide configuration information pertaining to the physical layout of Active Directory, as well as information about display specifiers and forest-wide Active Directory quotas.
Domain NC: This NC is replicated to every other DC within a single Active Directory domain. This is the NC that contains the most commonly-accessed Active Directory data: the actual users, groups, computers, and other objects that reside within a particular Active Directory domain.

Q. What is the SYSVOL folder?

The SYSVOL folder is critical because it contains the domain’s public files. This directory is shared out (as SYSVOL), and any files kept in the SYSVOL folder are replicated to all other domain controllers in the domain using the File Replication Service (FRS)—and yes, that’s important to know on the exam.The SYSVOL folder also contains the following items:

• The NETLOGON share, which is the location where domain logon requests are submitted for processing, and where logon scripts can be stored for client processing at logon time.

• Windows Group Policies

• FRS folders and files that must be available and synchronized between domain controllers if the FRS is in use. Distributed File System (DFS), for example, uses the FRS to keep shared data consistent between replicas.

You can go to SYSVOL folder by typing : %systemroot%/sysvol on DC.

Q. Where is the AD database held? What other folders are related to AD?

AD Database is saved in %systemroot%/ntds. You can see other files also in this folder. These are the main files controlling the AD structure

• ntds.dit

• edb.log

• res1.log

• res2.log

• edb.chk

Q. Can you connect Active Directory to other 3rd-party Directory Services? Name a few options.

Yes you can Connect Active Directory to other 3rd -party Directory Services such as dictonaries used by SAP, Domino etc with the help of MIIS ( Microsoft Identity Integration Server ) you can use dirXML or LDAP to connect to other directories (ie. E-directory from Novell).

Q. What is FRS (File replication services)?

The File Replication Service (FRS) replicates specific files using the same multi-master model that Active Directory uses. 

WHAT IS LDAP ?

Short for Lightweight Directory Access Protocol, a set of protocols for accessing information directories. LDAP is based on the standards contained within the X.500 standard, but is significantly simpler. And unlike X.500, LDAP supports TCP/IP, which is necessary for any type of Internet access. Because it’s a simpler version of X.500, LDAP is sometimes called X.500-lite.

Q. How do you verify whether the AD installation is proper?

• An NTFS partition with enough free space
• An Administrator’s username and password
• The correct operating system version
• A NIC
• Properly configured TCP/IP (IP address, subnet mask and – optional – default gateway)
• A network connection (to a hub or to another computer via a crossover cable)
• An operational DNS server (which can be installed on the DC itself)
• A Domain name that you want to use
• Q. How do you verify whether the AD installation is proper?
• Default containers: These are created automatically when the first domain is created. Open Active Directory Users and Computers, and then verify that the following containers are present: Computers, Users, and ForeignSecurityPrincipals.
• Default domain controllers organizational unit: Open Active Directory Users and Computers, and then verify this organizational unit.
• Default-First-Site-Name
• Active Directory database: The Active Directory database is your Ntds.dit file. Verify its existence in the %System root%\Ntds folder.
• Global catalog server: The first domain controller becomes a global catalog server, by default. To verify this item:
• a. Click Start, point to Programs, click Administrative Tools, and then click Active Directory Sites and Services.

• b. Double-click Sites to expand it, expand Servers, and then select your domain controller.

• c. Double-click the domain controller to expand the server contents.

• d. Below the server, an NTDS Settings object is displayed. Right-click the object, and then click Properties.

• e. On the General tab, you can observe a global catalog check box, which should be selected, by default.
• Root domain: The forest root is created when the first domain controller is installed. Verify your computer network identification in My Computer. The Domain Name System (DNS) suffix of your computer should match the domain name that the domain controller belongs to. Also, ensure that your computer registers the proper computer role. To verify this role, use the net accounts command. The computer role should say “primary” or “backup” depending on whether it is the first domain controller in the domain.
• Shared system volume: A Windows 2000 domain controller should have a shared system volume located in the %Systemroot%\Sysvol\Sysvol folder. To verify this item, use the net share command. The Active Directory also creates two standard policies during the installation process: The Default Domain policy and the Default Domain Controllers policy (located in the %Systemroot%\Sysvol\Domain\Policies folder). These policies are displayed as the following globally unique identifiers (GUIDs):
• {31B2F340-016D-11D2-945F-00C04FB984F9} representing the Default Domain policy
• {6AC1786C-016F-11D2-945F-00C04fB984F9} representing the Default Domain Controllers policy
• SRV resource records: You must have a DNS server installed and configured for Active Directory and the associated client software to function correctly. Microsoft recommends that you use Microsoft DNS server, which is supplied with Windows 2000 Server as your DNS server. However, Microsoft DNS server is not required. The DNS server that you use must support the Service Resource Record (SRV RR) Requests for Comments (RFC) 2052, and the dynamic update protocol (RFC 2136). Use the DNS Manager Microsoft Management Console (MMC) snap-in to verify that the appropriate zones and resource records are created for each DNS zone. Active Directory creates its SRV RRs in the following folders:
• _Msdcs/Dc/_Sites/Default-first-site-name/_Tcp

• _Msdcs/Dc/_Tcp
• In these locations, an SRV RR is displayed for the following services:
• o _kerberos

• o _ldap

Q. Minimum requirement to install Win 2008 AD?

• An NTFS partition with enough free space
• An Administrator’s username and password
• The correct operating system version
• A NIC
• Properly configured TCP/IP (IP address, subnet mask and – optional – default gateway)
• A network connection (to a hub or to another computer via a crossover cable)
• An operational DNS server (which can be installed on the DC itself)
• A Domain name that you want to use

Q. What are the protocols used by AD?

Because Active Directory is based on standard directory access protocols, such as Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) version 3, and the Name Service Provider Interface (NSPI), it can interoperate with other directory services employing these protocols.
LDAP is the directory access protocol used to query and retrieve information from Active Directory. Because it is an industry-standard directory service protocol, programs can be developed using LDAP to share Active Directory information with other directory services that also support LDAP.
The NSPI protocol, which is used by Microsoft Exchange 4.0 and 5.x clients, is supported by Active Directory to provide compatibility with the Exchange directory.

Q. What are the components of Active Director?

Object:

An object is any specific item that can be cataloged in Active Directory. Examples of objects include users, computers, printers, folders, and files. These items are classified by a distinct set of characteristics, known as attributes. For example, a user can be characterized by the username, full name, telephone number, email address, and so on. Note that, in general, objects in the same container have the same types of attributes but are characterized by different values of these attributes. The Active Directory schema defines the extent of attributes that can be specified for any object.

Classes

The Active Directory service, in turn, classifies objects into classes. These classes are logical groupings of similar objects

Schemas

The schema is a set of rules that define the classes of objects and their attributes that can be created in Active Directory. It defines what attributes can be held by objects of various types, which of the various classes can exist, and what object class can be a parent of the current object class. For example, the User class can contain user account objects and possess attributes such as password, group membership, home folder, and so on.When you first install Active Directory on a server, a default schema is created, containing definitions of commonly used objects and properties such as users, computers, and groups. This default schema also contains definitions of objects and properties needed for the functioning of Active Directory.

Global catalog

A global catalog server is a domain controller that has an additional duty—it maintains a global catalog. A global catalog is a master, searchable database that contains information about every object in every domain in a forest. The global catalog contains a complete replica of all objects in Active Directory for its host domain, and contains a partial replica of all objects in Active Directory for every other domain in the forest.

• A global catalog server performs two important functions:

• Provides group membership information during logon and authentication

• Helps users locate resources in Active Directory

SITES-

Sites

By contrast to the logical grouping of Active Directory into forests, trees, domains, and OUs, Microsoft includes the concept of sites to group together resources within a forest according to their physical location and/or subnet. A site is a set of one or more IP subnets, which are connected by a high-speed, always available local area network (LAN) link. Figure 1-5 shows an example with two sites, one located in Chicago and the other in New York. A site can contain objects from more than one tree or domain within a single forest, and individual trees and domains can encompass more than one site. The use of sites enables you to control the replication of data within the Active Directory database as well as to apply policies to and computers or delegate administrative control to these objects within a single physical location. In addition, sites enable users to be authenticated by domain controllers in the same physical location rather than a distant location as often as possible. You should configure a single site for all work locations connected within a high-speed, always available LAN link and designate additional sites for locations separated from each other by a slower wide area network (WAN) link. Using sites permits you to configure Active Directory replication to take advantage

of the high-speed connection. It also enables users to connect to a domain controller using a reliable, high-speed connection.

all users 

DOMAIN CONTROLLER

Domain Controllers

Any server on which you have installed Active Directory is a domain controller. These servers authenticate all users logging on to the domain in which they are located, and they also serve as centers from which you can administer Active Directory in Windows Server 2008. A domain controller stores a complete copy of all objects contained within the domain, plus the schema and configuration information relevant to the forest in which the domain is located. Unlike Windows NT, there are no primary or backup domain controllers. Similar to Windows 2000 and Windows Server 2003, all domain controllers hold a master, editable copy of the Active Directory database.

Every domain must have at least one DC. A domain may have more than one DC; having more than one DC provides the following benefits:

• Fault tolerance: If one domain controller goes down, another one is available to authenticate logon requests and locate resources through the directory.
• Load balancing: All domain controllers within a site participate equally in domain activities, thus spreading out the load over several servers. This configuration optimizes the speed at which requests are serviced.

Organizational Unit:An organizational unit (OU) is a container used to organize objects within one domain into logical administrative groups. An OU can contain objects such as user accounts, groups, computers, printers, applications, shared folders, and other OUs from the same domain. OUs are represented by a folder icon with a book inside. The Domain Controllers OU is created by default when Active Directory is installed to hold new Microsoft Windows Server 2003 domain controllers. OUs can be added to other OUs to form a hierarchical structure; this process is known as nesting OUs. Each domain has its own OU structure—the OU structure within a domain is independent of the OU structures of other domains.There are three reasons for defining an OU:

• To delegate administration – In the Windows Server 2003 operating system, you can delegate administration for the contents of an OU (all users, computers, or resource objects in the OU) by granting administrators specific permissions for an OU on the OU’s access control list.

• To administer Group Policy

• To hide object

Physical Components of Active DirectoryThere are two physical components of Active Directory:

• Domain Controllers

• Sites

Q. What are the physical components of active directory? Logical Components of Active Directory

In creating the hierarchical database structure of Active Directory, Microsoft facilitated locating resources such as folders and printers by name rather than by physical location. These logical building blocks include domains, trees, forests, and OUs. The physical location of objects within Active Directory is represented by including all objects in a given location in its own site. Because a domain is the basic unit on which Active Directory is built, the domain is introduced first; followed by trees and forests (in which domains are located); and then OUs, which are containers located within a domain.

ACTIVE DIRECTERY-

Q. What is Active Directory?

Active Directory is the directory service used by Windows 2000. A directory service is a centralized, hierarchical database that contains information about users and resources on a network. In Windows 2000, this database is called the Active Directory data store. The Active Directory data store contains information about various types of network objects, including printers, shared folders, user accounts, groups, and computers. In a Windows 2000 domain, a read/write copy of the Active Directory data store is physically located on each domain controller in the domain.

Three primary purposes of Active Directory are:

• · To provide user logon and authentication services
• · To enable administrators to organize and manage user accounts groups, and network resources
• · To enable authorized users to easily locate network resources, regardless of where they are located on the network

A directory service consists of two parts—a centralized, hierarchical database that contains information about users and resources on a network, and a service that manages the database and enables users of computers on the network to access the database. In Windows 2008, the database is called the Active Directory data store, or sometimes just the directory. The Active Directory data store contains information about various types of network objects, including printers, shared folders, user accounts, groups, and computers. Windows 2000 Server computers that have a copy of the Active Directory data store, and that run Active Directory are called domain controllers. In a Windows 2008 domain, a read/write copy of the Active Directory data store is physically located on each domain controller in the domain.

WHAT IS FOREST ?

Forests

A forest is a grouping or hierarchical arrangement of one or more separate, completely independent domain trees. As such, forests have the following characteristics:

• All domains in a forest share a common schema.
• All domains in a forest share a common global catalog.
• All domains in a forest are linked by implicit two-way transitive trusts.

Trees in a forest have different naming structures, according to their domains. Domains in a forest operate independently, but the forest enables communication across the entire organization.

WHAT IS TREE ?

Trees

A tree is a group of domains that shares a contiguous namespace. In other words, a tree consists of a parent domain plus one or more sets of child domains whose name reflects that of a parent. For example, a parent domain named examcram.com can include child domains with names such as products.examcram.com, sales.examcram.com, and manufacturing.examcram.com. Furthermore, the tree structure can contain grandchild domains such as america.sales.examcram.com or europe.sales.examcram.com, and so on, as shown in Figure 1-2. A domain called que.com would not belong to the same tree. Following the inverted tree concept originated by X.500, the tree is structured with the parent domain at the top and child domains beneath it. All domains in a tree are linked with two-way, transitive trust relationships; in other words, accounts in any one domain can access resources in another domain and vice versa.

WHAT IS DOMAIN ?

Domain:

A domain is a logical grouping of networked computers in which one or more of the computers has one or more shared resources, such as a shared folder or a shared printer, and in which all of the computers share a common central domain directory database that contains user account security information. One distinct advantage of using a domain, particularly on a large network, is that administration of user account security for the entire network can be managed from a centralized location. In a domain, a user has only one user account, which is stored in the domain directory database. This user account enables the user to access shared resources (that the user has permissions to access) located on any computer in the domain

Active Directory domains can hold millions of objects, as opposed to the Windows NT domain structure, which was limited to approximately 40,000 objects. As in previous versions of Active Directory, the Active Directory database file (ntds.dit) defines the domain. Each domain has its own ntds.dit file, which is stored on (and replicated among) all domain controllers by a process called multimaster replication. The domain controllers manage the configuration of domain security and store the directory services database. This arrangement permits central administration of domain account privileges, security, and network resources. Networked devices and users belonging to a domain validate with a domain controller at startup. All computers that refer to a specific set of domain controllers make up the domain. In addition, group accounts such as global groups and domain local groups are defined on a domain-wide basis.

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