CIST 2412 - Microsoft Server Directory Services

Prerequisite: CIST 2411
This course provides students with the knowledge and hands‑on skills required to install, configure, manage, support, and administer modern Microsoft Windows Server environments. Emphasis is placed on current Windows Server platforms (2019/2022) and their integration with hybrid cloud services such as Azure Active Directory and Azure-based identity, security, and management tools. Students learn server deployment methods, including clean installations, in‑place upgrades, unattended installations, and image‑based deployment. Additional topics include Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS), Group Policy management, DNS/DHCP services, file and storage services, virtualization with Hyper‑V, and server role configuration. The course also covers server performance monitoring, security hardening, patch and update management, and core administrative tools including PowerShell, Windows Admin Center, and RSAT. Students gain experience implementing application and data provisioning, configuring storage technologies, and troubleshooting common server issues. Business continuity and high availability concepts are emphasized through hands‑on labs in failover clustering, backup and recovery strategies, redundancy planning, and disaster‑resistant configurations. This course prepares students for system administrator, infrastructure support, and server operations roles in modern hybrid enterprise environments.

Note: Students enrolled in this course will be assessed a $123.03 cost recovery fee in addition to tuition and fees. Fees can change at the end of the semester. Contact hours: Class - 2, Lab - 4. Credit hours: 4 (E)