Azure and Windows Server Hybrid Admin Training: AZ-800 Complete Course

The AZ-800 course is specifically crafted for IT professionals who want to build comprehensive expertise in administering Windows Server within hybrid environments. As organizations increasingly adopt hybrid architectures that combine on-premises servers with cloud services such as Microsoft 365 and Azure, the demand for professionals capable of managing these integrated systems has grown significantly. This course addresses that need by offering a structured, in-depth curriculum that equips participants with the skills and knowledge required to confidently manage hybrid infrastructures. By completing this course, learners gain both theoretical understanding and practical experience in deploying, configuring, and maintaining Windows Server in conjunction with cloud-based services.

This course prepares participants to succeed in the AZ-800 certification exam, which validates an individual’s ability to administer core Windows Server workloads in hybrid scenarios. The exam covers essential areas such as identity management, Windows Server deployment, monitoring and troubleshooting, disaster recovery, and security. By following the course, learners are introduced to all critical concepts and receive hands-on guidance to practice each skill. The curriculum is designed to progressively build expertise, starting with foundational topics and advancing to more complex scenarios, ensuring that participants are fully prepared for both the certification exam and real-world administration tasks.

Participants will learn how to integrate on-premises Windows Server environments with Microsoft 365 and Azure, creating a seamless hybrid infrastructure. The course covers essential tasks such as implementing domain controllers, configuring group policies, managing authentication and identity solutions, and securing servers across both on-premises and cloud platforms. Learners also gain practical experience with tools like Azure AD Connect, enabling synchronization between local Active Directory environments and Azure Active Directory, which is critical for maintaining consistent identity and access management across hybrid systems.

Monitoring and maintaining hybrid environments is another key focus of the course. Participants learn to implement proactive monitoring solutions using both Windows Server tools and Azure services. This includes configuring performance monitoring, setting up alerts, and leveraging Azure Monitor and Log Analytics to track system health and identify potential issues. The course also covers disaster recovery and backup strategies, teaching learners to deploy Azure Site Recovery, configure failover clusters, and implement robust backup policies that ensure business continuity in the event of system failures or disasters.

Security is a crucial aspect of hybrid administration, and this course addresses it comprehensively. Participants learn to secure Windows Server operating systems using features like Windows Defender, exploit protection, and Credential Guard. They also explore hybrid security practices, including managing account policies, securing domain controllers, and protecting sensitive data both on-premises and in the cloud. By mastering these techniques, IT professionals can reduce risks, prevent unauthorized access, and maintain compliance with organizational and regulatory standards.

Hands-on labs and practical exercises are an integral part of the AZ-800 course. Learners perform tasks such as deploying virtual machines, configuring networking and storage, implementing failover clusters, managing Azure services, and troubleshooting hybrid scenarios. These exercises simulate real-world situations, allowing participants to apply their knowledge in a controlled environment while gaining confidence in their ability to manage complex hybrid infrastructures.

Course Overview

The AZ-800 course offers an immersive learning experience that seamlessly integrates theoretical knowledge with hands-on labs and simulations accessible at any time, allowing participants to practice and reinforce their skills at their own pace. The course is designed to emulate real-world scenarios, ensuring that learners not only understand concepts but also gain the confidence to apply them in professional environments. Instructor-led activities provide step-by-step guidance through complex tasks, demonstrating best practices for administering Windows Server in hybrid settings while managing cloud-based services through Microsoft 365 and Azure. This combination of theory and practical exercises ensures a well-rounded understanding of hybrid server administration, preparing participants thoroughly for the AZ-800 certification exam.

A major focus of the course is identity and access management, which is foundational to hybrid Windows Server administration. Participants will learn to deploy and manage domain controllers, configure DNS and DHCP services, and administer Active Directory on-premises and in Azure AD DS. The course emphasizes the importance of hybrid identity solutions, teaching learners how to implement Azure AD Connect for synchronizing identities between on-premises and cloud environments. Students will also explore techniques for managing authentication policies, secure access, and privileged accounts, equipping them to enforce strong security practices across hybrid infrastructures.

Hybrid connectivity is another critical area covered in the course. Participants will learn to configure remote access, VPNs, and secure network connections between on-premises servers and Azure environments. These modules include practical exercises that allow learners to deploy and troubleshoot VPN gateways, implement site-to-site and point-to-site connections, and manage hybrid networking configurations. By working through these scenarios, participants gain the skills necessary to maintain secure and reliable connectivity for hybrid server deployments, ensuring seamless communication between on-premises resources and cloud services.

Server deployment and virtualization are key components of the curriculum. Learners will gain experience with deploying Windows Server instances, creating and managing virtual machines, configuring Hyper-V hosts, and understanding the nuances of nested virtualization in hybrid environments. The course covers VM resource management, network adapter configuration, memory and CPU allocation, and checkpoint management. Hands-on exercises allow participants to simulate deployment scenarios, configure workloads, and optimize server performance, providing a realistic understanding of day-to-day server administration tasks.

The course also emphasizes storage management in hybrid environments. Participants will learn to configure disks, volumes, Storage Spaces, and Storage Replica, as well as implement data deduplication and SMB Direct. Practical exercises cover configuring storage for failover clustering, creating Scale-Out File Servers, and leveraging Azure Disk Encryption to protect virtual machine data. These labs enable learners to understand storage strategies, ensure high availability, and maintain data integrity across on-premises and cloud systems.

Networking and hybrid cloud integration are thoroughly addressed. Learners will configure network settings, manage IP addressing, implement remote access solutions, and troubleshoot connectivity issues. The curriculum covers integration between on-premises DNS services and Azure DNS, hybrid firewall configurations, and connectivity monitoring through Azure and Windows Server tools. This ensures participants understand how to design, implement, and maintain reliable, secure network architectures that support both local and cloud resources.

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this course, participants will be able to:

• Understand and manage Windows Server environments in hybrid configurations.
  
  

• Deploy and manage Active Directory Domain Services on-premises and in Azure.
  
  

• Implement and manage hybrid identities using Azure AD Connect.
  
  

• Configure and manage DNS, DHCP, and IP addressing in hybrid networks.
  
  

• Deploy and manage virtual machines using Hyper-V and Azure Virtual Machines.
  
  

• Configure and manage storage, file servers, and distributed file systems.
  
  

• Implement Group Policy and manage user, group, and organizational unit configurations.
  
  

• Monitor and manage Windows Servers using Windows Admin Center and Azure tools.
  
  

• Implement remote access solutions, including VPNs, Azure Virtual WAN, and Azure AD Application Proxy.
  
  

• Ensure high availability, security, and compliance in hybrid server environments.
  
  

Course Requirements

Participants should have:

• Basic knowledge of Windows Server administration.
  
  

• Familiarity with networking and virtualization concepts.
  
  

• Access to a Windows Server environment or virtual lab for hands-on exercises.
  
  

• Willingness to invest time practicing the steps shown in the course.
  
  

Introduction to Windows Server Hybrid Environments

Managing hybrid infrastructures effectively requires a comprehensive understanding of both on-premises systems and cloud-based services. The integration of local servers with cloud platforms such as Microsoft Azure and Microsoft 365 presents unique opportunities and challenges for IT professionals. This course begins by providing a thorough introduction to the Microsoft ecosystem, emphasizing the foundational concepts that are critical for administering hybrid environments. Participants will explore how different components of the ecosystem interact and how administrators can design, implement, and maintain efficient, secure, and scalable infrastructures.

A central focus of the course is Active Directory (AD) and its role in hybrid environments. Participants will gain detailed knowledge of Active Directory domains, trees, and forests, understanding how identity and access management are structured in both on-premises and cloud contexts. The course introduces domain controllers, including Read-Only Domain Controllers (RODCs), and their purpose in maintaining secure, redundant, and reliable directory services. Learners will explore best practices for deploying and managing domain controllers, including replication strategies, Flexible Single Master Operations (FSMO) roles, and Global Catalog configuration. By understanding these concepts, participants can ensure that user authentication, authorization, and directory management are consistent across hybrid environments.

Virtualization forms another key pillar of hybrid infrastructure management. Participants will learn how Hyper-V and other virtualization technologies enable the deployment of multiple virtual machines on a single physical host, providing flexibility, scalability, and cost efficiency. The course covers creating virtual switches, configuring network adapters, managing CPU and memory allocation, and implementing nested virtualization. These topics are supplemented by hands-on exercises that allow learners to simulate real-world deployment scenarios, including virtualizing domain controllers, application servers, and development environments. Through these exercises, participants develop practical skills for managing both the underlying physical infrastructure and the virtualized environment.

Remote access services (RAS) and hybrid connectivity are essential for maintaining seamless operations across on-premises and cloud resources. The course explores the configuration and management of VPNs, DirectAccess, and remote desktop solutions, enabling secure communication between geographically distributed systems. Participants will also learn about Azure networking solutions, such as Virtual WAN, VPN gateways, and network security groups, to extend on-premises networks to the cloud securely. Hands-on labs provide opportunities to deploy and troubleshoot these connectivity solutions, ensuring that participants gain confidence in maintaining reliable and secure hybrid communications.

Active Directory and Identity Management

A central component of hybrid administration is identity management. Participants will gain expertise in deploying, configuring, and managing Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS). The course covers:

• Creating and managing users, groups, and organizational units.
  
  

• Configuring domain controllers, including additional and read-only domain controllers.
  
  

• Visualizing domains, trees, and forests for effective directory management.
  
  

• Managing Flexible Single Master Operations (FSMO) roles and troubleshooting related issues.
  
  

• Implementing Group Managed Service Accounts (gMSAs) for secure service authentication.
  
  

• Integrating Azure AD DS for hybrid identity scenarios.
  
  

• Synchronizing identities using Azure AD Connect, including evaluating requirements, configuring synchronization, and monitoring health.
  
  

Hands-on labs allow learners to deploy domain controllers, join servers to domains, and configure Azure AD DS, ensuring they can manage hybrid identity environments confidently.

Remote Access and Hybrid Connectivity

The course emphasizes implementing secure remote access and connectivity solutions. Participants will learn how to configure:

• Remote Access Services (RAS) for VPN and DirectAccess.
  
  

• Azure Network Adapter and Azure Extended Network for hybrid integration.
  
  

• Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) are used to securely connect on-premises and cloud resources.
  
  

• Azure Virtual WAN for centralized connectivity management.
  
  

• Azure AD Application Proxy for secure access to on-premises applications.
  
  

Through simulations and hands-on labs, learners will practice configuring VPNs, managing network policy servers, and establishing hybrid network connections that maintain security and performance.

Server Deployment and Management

Participants will gain practical experience deploying and managing Windows Server environments. The course covers:

• Installing Windows Server 2022 on physical and virtual machines.
  
  

• Configuring Hyper-V for virtualization and nested virtualization.
  
  

• Creating virtual switches and managing network adapters.
  
  

• Managing virtual machines using PowerShell, Windows Admin Center, and Azure tools.
  
  

• Implementing high availability, checkpoints, and resource optimization for virtual machines.
  
  

• Configuring storage, including Storage Spaces, Storage Replica, data deduplication, and quality of service (QoS).
  
  

Hands-on exercises allow learners to configure servers, manage virtual machines, and apply advanced virtualization techniques for efficient hybrid environments.

Group Policy and Security Management

Effective management of users and resources in hybrid environments relies on Group Policy. Participants will learn:

• Implementing Group Policy and Group Policy Preferences in AD DS and Azure AD DS.
  
  

• Configuring policies for security, updates, and access management.
  
  

• Visualizing organizational units and group structures.
  
  

• Managing passwords, permissions, and role-based access in hybrid scenarios.
  
  

Practical labs reinforce these concepts, allowing learners to implement policies across multiple sites and domains.

Storage, File Services, and Distributed Systems

Hybrid environments require robust storage and file management strategies. Participants will explore:

• Configuring file servers, file shares, and access permissions.
  
  

• Implementing Azure File Sync and cloud tiering.
  
  

• Managing Distributed File System (DFS) namespaces and replication.
  
  

• Configuring BranchCache for optimized network performance.
  
  

• Implementing File Server Resource Manager (FSRM) for quotas and file screening.
  
  

Hands-on labs allow learners to practice configuring storage solutions, synchronizing files between on-premises and cloud, and monitoring file services effectively.

DNS, DHCP, and Network Services

Participants will gain practical skills in managing core network services, including:

• Configuring DNS zones, records, forwarding, and conditional forwarding.
  
  

• Integrating Windows Server DNS with Azure DNS private zones.
  
  

• Implementing DNSSEC for secure name resolution.
  
  

• Managing IP addressing, DHCP scopes, reservations, and high availability.
  
  

• Implementing IP Address Management (IPAM) for hybrid networks.
  
  

Through labs and simulations, learners will develop the ability to manage and troubleshoot network services across on-premises and Azure environments.

Monitoring, Maintenance, and Compliance

Hybrid environments require continuous monitoring and maintenance. The course covers:

• Using Windows Admin Center and Azure Arc to manage servers and workloads.
  
  

• Deploying Azure Virtual Machine extensions and managing updates with Azure Update Management.
  
  

• Integrating servers with Defender for Cloud to monitor security posture.
  
  

• Implementing auditing, logging, and compliance checks for hybrid environments.
  
  

Participants gain hands-on experience with tools and techniques that ensure operational continuity, security, and compliance in hybrid infrastructure scenarios.

Who This Course Is For

This course is specifically designed for IT professionals who aspire to become experts in hybrid Windows Server administration, combining on-premises infrastructure with cloud-based Microsoft services such as Microsoft 365 and Azure. Hybrid environments are increasingly prevalent in organizations of all sizes, as businesses look to leverage cloud capabilities while maintaining critical services on-premises. Mastering hybrid administration ensures that IT professionals can provide seamless integration, maintain high availability, and enforce security across both environments.

The course is particularly suited for IT professionals preparing for the AZ-800 certification exam. This certification validates an individual’s ability to deploy, configure, and manage core Windows Server workloads in hybrid scenarios. By following the structured curriculum, learners develop the knowledge and practical experience required to meet the exam objectives. The course covers all critical aspects of hybrid administration, from deploying domain controllers and implementing identity management to managing updates and monitoring servers using Azure tools. Participants gain the confidence to approach the exam with a thorough understanding of both the theoretical and practical requirements.

Administrators seeking to enhance their expertise in Windows Server, Microsoft 365, and Azure integration will find this course highly beneficial. Modern IT environments increasingly rely on a combination of on-premises and cloud services, making hybrid management skills essential for administrators. Through hands-on labs and guided exercises, participants learn to implement hybrid identity solutions, configure Azure AD Connect, manage domain controllers in hybrid setups, and integrate on-premises servers with Azure services. These skills enable administrators to maintain operational continuity, implement robust security measures, and ensure compliance with organizational policies and industry regulations.

Operations teams responsible for managing hybrid infrastructures are also a key audience for this course. These teams often handle daily maintenance, updates, monitoring, and troubleshooting across both on-premises servers and cloud-based resources. The course provides comprehensive coverage of monitoring tools, backup and recovery processes, and disaster recovery planning in hybrid environments. Participants learn how to deploy Azure Backup, configure Azure Site Recovery, and implement high availability and failover solutions. By mastering these skills, operations teams can proactively manage hybrid infrastructures, quickly resolve issues, and maintain service reliability for end-users.

The course is equally suitable for IT professionals seeking to expand their knowledge and career opportunities in hybrid cloud environments. With businesses increasingly adopting hybrid architectures, professionals who can manage both on-premises and cloud-based systems are highly sought after. Completing this course equips learners with practical skills to design, implement, and maintain hybrid Windows Server environments, positioning them for advanced roles in IT administration, systems engineering, and cloud infrastructure management. Participants also gain the ability to contribute strategically to organizational IT planning, optimizing the integration of existing infrastructure with cloud services for improved performance, scalability, and security.

By the end of the course, participants will have acquired the skills to confidently deploy, manage, and maintain hybrid Windows Server infrastructures. They will be able to implement domain controllers, configure group policies, manage authentication and identity solutions, and secure servers across on-premises and cloud environments. In addition, learners will understand how to monitor system performance, implement updates and patches, manage backups, and plan for disaster recovery. These capabilities ensure operational efficiency, enhance system security, and support organizational compliance objectives.

The course emphasizes hands-on experience, with practical labs and exercises that simulate real-world hybrid scenarios. Learners practice configuring hybrid identities, connecting on-premises AD to Azure AD, deploying and managing virtual machines, and implementing failover clustering. These exercises reinforce theoretical concepts and provide the skills needed to handle complex hybrid environments confidently. By completing the course, participants gain not only exam readiness but also practical expertise that can be immediately applied in professional IT settings, making them valuable assets to any organization adopting hybrid cloud technologies.