Study guide for Exam AZ-800: Administering Windows Server Hybrid Core Infrastructure

Purpose of this document

This study guide should help you understand what to expect on the exam and includes a summary of the topics the exam might cover and links to additional resources. The information and materials in this document should help you focus your studies as you prepare for the exam.

Useful links Description
Review the skills measured as of July 26, 2024 This list represents the skills measured AFTER the date provided. Study this list if you plan to take the exam AFTER that date.
Review the skills measured prior to July 26, 2024 Study this list of skills if you take your exam PRIOR to the date provided.
Change log You can go directly to the change log if you want to see the changes that will be made on the date provided.
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Take a free Practice Assessment Test your skills with practice questions to help you prepare for the exam.

Updates to the exam

Our exams are updated periodically to reflect skills that are required to perform a role. We have included two versions of the Skills Measured objectives depending on when you are taking the exam.

We always update the English language version of the exam first. Some exams are localized into other languages, and those are updated approximately eight weeks after the English version is updated. While Microsoft makes every effort to update localized versions as noted, there may be times when the localized versions of an exam are not updated on this schedule. Other available languages are listed in the Schedule Exam section of the Exam Details webpage. If the exam isn't available in your preferred language, you can request an additional 30 minutes to complete the exam.

Note

The bullets that follow each of the skills measured are intended to illustrate how we are assessing that skill. Related topics may be covered in the exam.

Note

Most questions cover features that are general availability (GA). The exam may contain questions on Preview features if those features are commonly used.

Skills measured as of July 26, 2024

Audience profile

As a candidate for this exam, you’re responsible for configuring and managing Windows Server on-premises, hybrid, and infrastructure as a service (IaaS) platform workloads. As a Windows Server hybrid administrator, you’re tasked with:

  • Integrating Windows Server environments with Azure services.

  • Managing Windows Server in on-premises networks.

In this role, you manage and maintain Windows Server IaaS workloads in Azure as well as migrating and deploying workloads to Azure. You typically collaborate with:

  • Azure administrators

  • Enterprise architects

  • Microsoft 365 administrators

  • Network engineers

As a candidate for this exam, you deploy, package, secure, update, and configure Windows Server workloads using on-premises, hybrid, and cloud technologies. In this role, you implement and manage on-premises and hybrid solutions, such as identity, security, management, compute, networking, storage, monitoring, high availability, and disaster recovery.

You use administrative tools and technologies such as Windows Admin Center, PowerShell, Azure Arc, Azure Policy, Azure Monitor, Azure Automation Update Management, Microsoft Defender for Identity, Microsoft Defender for Cloud, and IaaS virtual machine (VM) administration.

As a candidate for this exam, you should have several years of experience with Windows Server operating systems.

Skills at a glance

  • 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%)

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

  • Deploy and manage domain controllers in Azure

  • Deploy read-only domain controllers (RODCs)

  • Troubleshoot flexible single master operation (FSMO) roles

Configure and manage multi-site, multi-domain, and multi-forest environments

  • Configure and manage forest and domain trusts

  • Configure and manage AD DS sites

  • Configure and manage AD DS replication

Create and manage AD DS security principals

  • Create and manage AD DS users and groups

  • Manage users and groups in multi-domain and multi-forest scenarios

  • Implement Group Managed Service Accounts (gMSAs)

  • Join Windows Servers to AD DS, Microsoft Entra Domain Services, and Microsoft Entra

Implement and manage hybrid identities

  • Integrate Microsoft Entra ID, AD DS and Microsoft Entra Domain Services

  • Implement Microsoft Entra Connect Sync

  • Manage Microsoft Entra Connect Sync synchronization

  • Implement Microsoft Entra Cloud Sync

  • Manage Microsoft Entra Domain Services

  • Manage Microsoft Entra Connect Health

  • Manage authentication in on-premises and hybrid environments

  • Configure and manage AD DS passwords

Manage Windows Server by using domain-based Group Policies

  • Implement Group Policy in AD DS

  • Implement Group Policy Preferences in AD DS

  • Implement Group Policy in Microsoft Entra Domain Services

Manage Windows Servers and workloads in a hybrid environment (10–15%)

Manage Windows Servers in a hybrid environment

  • Deploy a Windows Admin Center Gateway server

  • Configure a target machine for Windows Admin Center

  • Configure PowerShell remoting

  • Configure Credential Security Support Provider protocol (CredSSP) or Kerberos Delegation for 2nd Hop Remoting

  • Configure Just Enough Administration (JEA) for PowerShell remoting

Manage Windows Servers and workloads by using Azure services

  • Manage Windows Servers by using Azure Arc

  • Create and assign Azure Policy that uses guest configuration extension

  • Deploy Azure services using VM extensions on non-Azure machines

  • Manage updates for Windows machines

  • Integrate Windows Servers with Log Analytics

  • Integrate Windows Servers with Microsoft Defender for Cloud

  • Manage Windows Server Azure VMs

  • Implement Azure Automation for hybrid workloads

  • Create runbooks to automate tasks on target VMs

  • Implement Azure Automation State Configuration to prevent configuration drift in IaaS machines

Manage virtual machines and containers (15–20%)

Manage Hyper-V and guest virtual machines

  • Enable VM Enhanced session mode

  • Manage VM using PowerShell remoting, PowerShell Direct and Secure Shell (SSH) Direct for Linux VMs

  • Configure nested virtualization

  • Configure VM Memory

  • Configure integration services

  • Configure Discrete Device Assignment

  • Configure VM resource groups

  • Configure VM CPU groups

  • Configure hypervisor scheduling types

  • Manage VM checkpoints

  • Implementing high availability for virtual machines

  • Manage virtual hard disk (VHD) and virtual hard disk v2 (VHDX) files

  • Configure Hyper-V Network Adapter

  • Configure network interface card (NIC) Teaming

  • Configure Hyper-V Switch

Create and manage containers

  • Create Windows Server container images

  • Manage Windows Server container images

  • Configure container networking

  • Manage container instances

Manage Azure Virtual Machines that run Windows Server

  • Manage data disks

  • Resize Azure VM

  • Configure connections to VMs

  • Manage Azure VM network configuration

Implement and manage an on-premises and hybrid networking infrastructure (15–20%)

Implement on-premises and hybrid name resolution

  • Integrate DNS with AD DS

  • Create and manage DNS zones and records

  • Configure DNS forwarding/conditional forwarding

  • Integrate Windows Server DNS with Azure DNS private zones

  • Implement Domain Name System Security Extensions (DNSSEC)

Manage IP addressing in on-premises and hybrid scenarios

  • Implement and manage IP Address Management (IPAM)

  • Implement and configure the Dynamic Host Configuration protocol (DHCP) server role (on-premises only)

  • Resolve IP address issues in hybrid environments

  • Create and manage DHCP scopes

  • Create and manage IP reservations

  • Implement DHCP high availability

Implement on-premises and hybrid network connectivity

  • Implement and manage the Remote Access role

  • Implement and manage Azure Network Adapter

  • Implement and manage Azure extended network

  • Implement and manage Network Policy and Access Services role

  • Implement Web Application Proxy

  • Implement Azure Relay

  • Implement site-to-site VPN

  • Implement Azure Virtual WAN

  • Implement Microsoft Entra Application Proxy

Manage storage and file services (15–20%)

Configure and manage Azure File Sync

  • Create Azure File Sync Service

  • Create sync groups

  • Create cloud endpoints

  • Register servers

  • Create server endpoints

  • Configure cloud tiering

  • Monitor File Sync

  • Migrate Distributed File System (DFS) to Azure File Sync

Configure and manage Windows Server file shares

  • Configure Windows Server file share access

  • Configuring file screens

  • Configure file server resource manager (FSRM) quotas

  • Configure BranchCache

  • Implement and configure Distributed File System (DFS)

Configure Windows Server storage

  • Configure disks and volumes

  • Configure and manage Storage Spaces

  • Configure and manage Storage Replica

  • Configure Data Deduplication

  • Configure Server Message Block (SMB) direct

  • Configure Storage QoS

  • Configure file systems

Study resources

We recommend that you train and get hands-on experience before you take the exam. We offer self-study options and classroom training as well as links to documentation, community sites, and videos.

Study resources Links to learning and documentation
Get trained Choose from self-paced learning paths and modules or take an instructor-led course
Find documentation Windows Server documentation
Azure documentation
Connecting Windows Server to Azure hybrid services
Azure AD Domain Services documentation
Microsoft Entra ID documentation
Hybrid identity with Azure Active Directory
Administer Group Policy in Azure AD Domain Services managed domain
Deploy a Windows Admin Center gateway in Azure
PowerShell remoting
Azure Arc
Windows security baseline
Manage hybrid Azure workloads using Windows Admin Center
Virtualization documentation
Containers on Windows documentation
Networking documentation
Windows Server Storage documentation
Ask a question Microsoft Q&A | Microsoft Docs
Get community support Azure Community Support
Follow Microsoft Learn Microsoft Learn - Microsoft Tech Community
Find a video Exam Readiness Zone
Azure Fridays
Browse other Microsoft Learn shows

Change log

Key to understanding the table: The topic groups (also known as functional groups) are in bold typeface followed by the objectives within each group. The table is a comparison between the two versions of the exam skills measured and the third column describes the extent of the changes.

Skill area prior to July 26, 2024 Skill area as of July 26, 2024 Change
Audience profile No change
Deploy and manage Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS) in on-premises and cloud environments Deploy and manage Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS) in on-premises and cloud environments No change
Deploy and manage AD DS domain controllers Deploy and manage AD DS domain controllers No change
Configure and manage multi-site, multi-domain, and multi-forest environments Configure and manage multi-site, multi-domain, and multi-forest environments No change
Create and manage AD DS security principals Create and manage AD DS security principals No change
Implement and manage hybrid identities Implement and manage hybrid identities Minor
Manage Windows Server by using domain-based Group Policies Manage Windows Server by using domain-based Group Policies No change
Manage Windows Servers and workloads in a hybrid environment Manage Windows Servers and workloads in a hybrid environment No change
Manage Windows Servers in a hybrid environment Manage Windows Servers in a hybrid environment No change
Manage Windows Servers and workloads by using Azure services Manage Windows Servers and workloads by using Azure services Minor
Manage virtual machines and containers Manage virtual machines and containers No change
Manage Hyper-V and guest virtual machines Manage Hyper-V and guest virtual machines No change
Create and manage containers Create and manage containers No change
Manage Azure Virtual Machines that run Windows Server Manage Azure Virtual Machines that run Windows Server No change
Implement and manage an on-premises and hybrid networking infrastructure Implement and manage an on-premises and hybrid networking infrastructure No change
Implement on-premises and hybrid name resolution Implement on-premises and hybrid name resolution No change
Manage IP addressing in on-premises and hybrid scenarios Manage IP addressing in on-premises and hybrid scenarios No change
Implement on-premises and hybrid network connectivity Implement on-premises and hybrid network connectivity No change
Manage storage and file services Manage storage and file services No change
Configure and manage Azure File Sync Configure and manage Azure File Sync No change
Configure and manage Windows Server file shares Configure and manage Windows Server file shares No change
Configure Windows Server storage Configure Windows Server storage No change

Skills measured prior to July 26, 2024

Audience profile

As a candidate for this exam, you’re responsible for configuring and managing Windows Server on-premises, hybrid, and infrastructure as a service (IaaS) platform workloads. As a Windows Server hybrid administrator, you’re tasked with:

  • Integrating Windows Server environments with Azure services.

  • Managing Windows Server in on-premises networks.

In this role, you manage and maintain Windows Server IaaS workloads in Azure as well as migrating and deploying workloads to Azure. You typically collaborate with:

  • Azure administrators

  • Enterprise architects

  • Microsoft 365 administrators

  • Network engineers

As a candidate for this exam, you deploy, package, secure, update, and configure Windows Server workloads using on-premises, hybrid, and cloud technologies. In this role, you implement and manage on-premises and hybrid solutions, such as identity, security, management, compute, networking, storage, monitoring, high availability, and disaster recovery.

You use administrative tools and technologies such as Windows Admin Center, PowerShell, Azure Arc, Azure Policy, Azure Monitor, Azure Automation Update Management, Microsoft Defender for Identity, Microsoft Defender for Cloud, and IaaS virtual machine (VM) administration.

As a candidate for this exam, you should have several years of experience with Windows Server operating systems.

Skills at a glance

  • 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%)

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

  • Deploy and manage domain controllers in Azure

  • Deploy read-only domain controllers (RODCs)

  • Troubleshoot flexible single master operation (FSMO) roles

Configure and manage multi-site, multi-domain, and multi-forest environments

  • Configure and manage forest and domain trusts

  • Configure and manage AD DS sites

  • Configure and manage AD DS replication

Create and manage AD DS security principals

  • Create and manage AD DS users and groups

  • Manage users and groups in multi-domain and multi-forest scenarios

  • Implement Group Managed Service Accounts (gMSAs)

  • Join Windows Servers to AD DS, Microsoft Entra Domain Services, and Microsoft Entra

Implement and manage hybrid identities

  • Integrate Microsoft Entra ID, AD DS and Microsoft Entra Domain Services

  • Implement Microsoft Entra Connect

  • Manage Microsoft Entra Connect synchronization

  • Implement Microsoft Entra Connect cloud sync

  • Manage Microsoft Entra Domain Services

  • Manage Microsoft Entra Connect Health

  • Manage authentication in on-premises and hybrid environments

  • Configure and manage AD DS passwords

Manage Windows Server by using domain-based Group Policies

  • Implement Group Policy in AD DS

  • Implement Group Policy Preferences in AD DS

  • Implement Group Policy in Microsoft Entra Domain Services

Manage Windows Servers and workloads in a hybrid environment (10–15%)

Manage Windows Servers in a hybrid environment

  • Deploy a Windows Admin Center Gateway server

  • Configure a target machine for Windows Admin Center

  • Configure PowerShell remoting

  • Configure Credential Security Support Provider protocol (CredSSP) or Kerberos Delegation for 2nd Hop Remoting

  • Configure Just Enough Administration (JEA) for PowerShell remoting

Manage Windows Servers and workloads by using Azure services

  • Manage Windows Servers by using Azure Arc

  • Create and assign Azure Policy that uses guest configuration extension

  • Deploy Azure services using Azure VM extensions on non-Azure machines

  • Manage updates for Windows machines

  • Integrate Windows Servers with Log Analytics

  • Integrate Windows Servers with Microsoft Defender for Cloud

  • Manage IaaS VMs in Azure that run Windows Server

  • Implement Azure Automation for hybrid workloads

  • Create runbooks to automate tasks on target VMs

  • Implement Azure Automation State Configuration to prevent configuration drift in IaaS machines

Manage virtual machines and containers (15–20%)

Manage Hyper-V and guest virtual machines

  • Enable VM Enhanced session mode

  • Manage VM using PowerShell remoting, PowerShell Direct and Secure Shell (SSH) Direct for Linux VMs

  • Configure nested virtualization

  • Configure VM Memory

  • Configure integration services

  • Configure Discrete Device Assignment

  • Configure VM resource groups

  • Configure VM CPU groups

  • Configure hypervisor scheduling types

  • Manage VM checkpoints

  • Implementing high availability for virtual machines

  • Manage virtual hard disk (VHD) and virtual hard disk v2 (VHDX) files

  • Configure Hyper-V Network Adapter

  • Configure network interface card (NIC) Teaming

  • Configure Hyper-V Switch

Create and manage containers

  • Create Windows Server container images

  • Manage Windows Server container images

  • Configure container networking

  • Manage container instances

Manage Azure Virtual Machines that run Windows Server

  • Manage data disks

  • Resize Azure VM

  • Configure connections to VMs

  • Manage Azure VM network configuration

Implement and manage an on-premises and hybrid networking infrastructure (15–20%)

Implement on-premises and hybrid name resolution

  • Integrate DNS with AD DS

  • Create and manage DNS zones and records

  • Configure DNS forwarding/conditional forwarding

  • Integrate Windows Server DNS with Azure DNS private zones

  • Implement Domain Name System Security Extensions (DNSSEC)

Manage IP addressing in on-premises and hybrid scenarios

  • Implement and manage IP Address Management (IPAM)

  • Implement and configure the Dynamic Host Configuration protocol (DHCP) server role (on-premises only)

  • Resolve IP address issues in hybrid environments

  • Create and manage DHCP scopes

  • Create and manage IP reservations

  • Implement DHCP high availability

Implement on-premises and hybrid network connectivity

  • Implement and manage the Remote Access role

  • Implement and manage Azure Network Adapter

  • Implement and manage Azure extended network

  • Implement and manage Network Policy and Access Services role

  • Implement Web Application Proxy

  • Implement Azure Relay

  • Implement site-to-site VPN

  • Implement Azure Virtual WAN

  • Implement Microsoft Entra Application Proxy

Manage storage and file services (15–20%)

Configure and manage Azure File Sync

  • Create Azure File Sync Service

  • Create sync groups

  • Create cloud endpoints

  • Register servers

  • Create server endpoints

  • Configure cloud tiering

  • Monitor File Sync

  • Migrate Distributed File System (DFS) to Azure File Sync

Configure and manage Windows Server file shares

  • Configure Windows Server file share access

  • Configuring file screens

  • Configure file server resource manager (FSRM) quotas

  • Configure BranchCache

  • Implement and configure Distributed File System (DFS)

Configure Windows Server storage

  • Configure disks and volumes

  • Configure and manage Storage Spaces

  • Configure and manage Storage Replica

  • Configure Data Deduplication

  • Configure Server Message Block (SMB) direct

  • Configure Storage QoS

  • Configure file systems