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Updated – 06/07/2023 – The exam study guide below includes a new Free practice assessment for the AZ-801 certification.
Updated – 12/03/2023 – The exam guide below shows the changes that will be implemented as of November 2022. The study guide has been updated to reflect the new objectives and exam topic weights added and updated by Microsoft Learning.
Are you preparing for the AZ-801 Configuring Windows Server Hybrid Advanced Services exam? This study guide will share with you how to prepare and pass the AZ-801: Microsoft Certified Windows Server Hybrid Administrator Associate successfully (with links to exam objectives).
Table of Contents
Introduction
Microsoft is keeping evolving its learning programs to help you and your career keep pace with today’s demanding IT environments. The new updated role-based certifications will help you to keep pace with today’s business requirements. Microsoft Learning is constantly evolving its learning program to better offer what you need to skill up, prove your expertise to employers and peers, and get the recognition—and opportunities you’ve earned.
At Windows Server Summit 2021, Microsoft announced a new Windows Server Hybrid Administrator Associate certification. To obtain the Windows Server Hybrid Administrator Associate certification you need to pass two exams: AZ-800 (Administering Windows Server Hybrid Core Infrastructure), and AZ-801 (Configuring Windows Server Hybrid Advanced Services – this study guide).
Exam Preparation
How do you prepare for AZ 801?
While preparing to take this exam myself, I would like to share with you how to prepare and pass the AZ-801: Configuring Windows Server Hybrid Advanced Services exam successfully. To prepare for this exam, I usually use a couple of online resources, mainly Microsoft Docs, Microsoft Learn, and Training Labs, which I am going to share with you in the next section.
The exam will be available starting mid of December 2021 in the Beta phase at the time of this writing. Beta exams are not scored immediately because Microsoft is gathering data on the quality of the questions and the exam. This exam is out of the Beta phase now and it’s Public. I will update this article as soon as I get the exam results from Microsoft.
Updated on 18/03/2022 – In this exam (public and not beta), I got 57 questions in total with 2 case studies, and 2 sections with Yes/No answers, and no lab questions but this might change in the future. The total time for this exam is 100 minutes (~1.66 hours). The exam is very long, you need to manage your time and prepare very well. The questions do pretty much match the list of skills measured below.
I am so happy and grateful now that I received the final report for the AZ-801 Configuring Windows Server Hybrid Advanced Services with a passing score as shown in the report below! I want to mention that I did not prepare well when I sat for this exam, but since I work with Windows Server and Microsoft Azure on daily basis, I managed to answer most of the questions within 1.40 hours.
By passing both the AZ-800 and the AZ-801 exams, you earn Windows Server Hybrid Administrator Associate certification.
Updated on 03/01/2023 – For the renewal assessment, I got 28 questions in total without any case study.
The performance assessment is based on the following topics:
> Manage hybrid workloads with Azure Arc.
> Windows Server update management.
> Run containers on Windows Server.
> Implement remote access.
> Implement a hybrid file server infrastructure.
> Configure BitLocker disk encryption for Windows IaaS Virtual Machines.
> Implement Windows Server failover clustering.
> Troubleshoot on-premises and hybrid networking.
Exam Target Audience
The candidates for the Windows Server Hybrid Administrator Associate certification should have subject matter expertise in configuring and managing Windows Server on-premises, hybrid, and infrastructure as a service (IaaS) platform workloads.
Responsibilities for this role include integrating Windows Server environments with Azure services and managing Windows Server in on-premises networks. This role manages and maintains Windows Server IaaS workloads in Azure, in addition to migrating and deploying
workloads to Azure.
As a Windows Server Engineer, you work and collaborate with Azure administrators, enterprise architects, Microsoft 365 administrators, and network engineers.
The candidates for this exam configure advanced Windows Server services using on-premises, hybrid, and cloud technologies. These professionals should have expertise in implementing and managing on-premises and hybrid solutions, including performing tasks related to security, migration, monitoring, high availability, troubleshooting, and disaster recovery. They use administrative tools and technologies, such as Windows Admin Center, PowerShell, Azure Arc, Azure Automation Update Management, Microsoft Defender for Identity, Azure Security Center, Azure Migrate, and Azure Monitor.
To prepare for this exam, you should have extensive experience working with Windows Server operating systems.
Prerequisites
Successful Windows Server Engineers start this role with experience in Windows Server OS, on-premises or cloud infrastructure, and hybrid cloud technologies. As a prerequisite for this exam, you should be familiar with the following topics:
- Windows Server roles and features.
- Active Directory Domain Sevices (AD DS).
- Domain Name System (DNS).
- Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP).
- File Services.
- Storage (Storage Spaces Direct and Azure Stack HCI)
- Compute (Hyper-V).
- Understanding security, high availability, disaster recovery, and monitoring.
- Troubleshooting Windows Server.
Skills measured on this exam
This exam measures your ability to accomplish the technical topics listed below based on the latest update from Microsoft Learning.
I have also included the direct link to the Microsoft documentation so you can read more about each objective.
Secure Windows Server on-premises and hybrid infrastructures (25–30%)
Secure Windows Server operating system
Configure and manage exploit protection
Configure and manage Windows Defender Application Control
Configure and manage Windows Defender for Endpoint
Configure and manage Windows Defender Credential Guard
Configure SmartScreen
Implement operating system security by using Group Policies
Secure a hybrid Active Directory infrastructure
Configure password policies
Enable password block lists
Manage protected users
Manage account security on a Read-Only Domain Controller (RODC)
Harden domain controllers
Configure authentication policies silos
Restrict access to domain controllers
Configure account security
Manage AD built-in administrative groups
Manage AD delegation
- Kerberos Constrained Delegation Overview
- Enable computer and user accounts to be trusted for delegation
Implement and manage Microsoft Defender for Identity
Identify and remediate Windows Server security issues by using Azure services
Monitor on-premises servers and Azure IaaS virtual machines (VMs) by using Azure Sentinel
Identify and remediate security issues on-premises servers and Azure IaaS VMs by using Azure Security Center
Secure Windows Server networking
Manage Windows Defender Firewall
Implement domain isolation
Implement connection security rules
Secure Windows Server storage
Manage Windows BitLocker Drive Encryption (BitLocker)
Manage and recover encrypted volumes
Enable storage encryption by using Azure Disk Encryption
Manage disk encryption keys for IaaS virtual machines
Implement and manage Windows Server high availability (10–15%)
Implement a Windows Server failover cluster
Implement a failover cluster on-premises, hybrid, or cloud-only
- Share an Azure Managed disk
- Create and deploy virtual machines in an availability set using Azure PowerShell
Create a Windows failover cluster
Stretch cluster across datacenter or Azure regions
- Stretch Cluster Replication Using Shared Storage
- Cluster to Cluster Storage Replica cross region in Azure
Configure storage for failover clustering
- Failover clustering hardware requirements and storage options
- Failover Clustering Hardware Requirements and Storage Options
Modify quorum options
Configure network adapters for failover clustering
Configure cluster workload options
Configure cluster sets
Configure Scale-Out File Servers
Create an Azure witness
Configure a floating IP address for the cluster
Implement load balancing for the failover cluster
Manage failover clustering
Implement cluster-aware updating
Recover a failed cluster node
Upgrade a node to Windows Server 2022
Failover workloads between nodes
Install Windows updates on cluster nodes
Manage failover clusters using Windows Admin Center
Implement and manage Storage Spaces Direct
Create a failover cluster using Storage Spaces Direct
Upgrade a Storage Spaces Direct node
Implement networking for Storage Spaces Direct
Configure Storage Spaces Direct
Implement disaster recovery (10–15%)
Manage backup and recovery for Windows Server
Back up and restore files and folders to the Azure Recovery Services vault
- Back up Windows Server files and folders to Azure
- Restore files to Windows Server using the MARS Agent
Install and manage Azure Backup Server
Back up and recover using Azure Backup Server
Manage backups in Azure Recovery Services vault
Create a backup policy
Configure a backup for Azure Virtual Machines using the built-in backup agent
Recover a VM using temporary snapshots
Recover VMs to new Azure Virtual Machines
Restore a VM
Implement disaster recovery by using Azure Site Recovery
Configure Azure Site Recovery networking
Configure Site Recovery for on-premises VMs
Configure a recovery plan
Configure Site Recovery for Azure Virtual Machines
Implement VM replication to a secondary data center or Azure region
Configure Azure Site Recovery policies
Protect virtual machines by using Hyper-V replicas
Configure Hyper-V hosts for replication
Manage Hyper-V replica servers
Configure VM replication
Perform a failover
Migrate servers and workloads (20–25%)
Migrate on-premises storage to on-premises servers or Azure
Transfer data and share; and cutover to a new server by using Storage Migration Service
Use Storage Migration Service to migrate to Azure Virtual Machines
Migrate to Azure file shares
Migrate on-premises servers to Azure
Deploy and configure the Azure Migrate appliance
Migrate VM workloads to Azure IaaS
Migrate physical workloads to Azure IaaS
Migrate by using Azure Migrate
Migrate workloads from previous versions to Windows Server 2022
Migrate Internet Information Services (IIS)
Migrate Hyper-V hosts
Migrate Remote Desktop Services (RDS) host servers
Migrate Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP)
Migrate print servers
Migrate IIS workloads to Azure
Migrate IIS workloads to Azure Web Apps
Migrate IIS workloads to containers
Migrate an AD DS infrastructure to Windows Server 2022 AD DS
Migrate AD DS objects, including users, groups, and Group Policies, using Active
Directory Migration Tool
Migrate to a new Active Directory forest
Upgrade an existing forest
Monitor and troubleshoot Windows Server environments (20–25%)
Monitor Windows Server by using Windows Server tools and Azure services
Monitor Windows Server by using Performance Monitor
Create and configure Data Collector Sets
Monitor servers and configure alerts by using Windows Admin Center
Monitor by using System Insights
Manage event logs
Deploy Log Analytics agents
Collect performance counters to Azure
Create alerts
Monitor Azure Virtual Machines by using the Azure diagnostics extension
Monitor Azure Virtual Machines performance by using VM insights
Troubleshoot Windows Server on-premises and hybrid networking
Troubleshoot hybrid network connectivity
Troubleshoot on-premises connectivity
Troubleshoot Windows Server virtual machines in Azure
Troubleshoot deployment failures
Troubleshoot booting failures
Troubleshoot VM performance issues
Troubleshoot VM extension issues
Troubleshoot disk encryption issues
Troubleshoot storage
Troubleshoot VM connection issues
Troubleshoot Active Directory
Restore objects from the AD recycle bin
Recover Active Directory database using Directory Services Restore Mode
Recover SYSVOL
Troubleshoot Active Directory replication
Troubleshoot hybrid authentication issues
Troubleshoot on-premises Active Directory
Microsoft Learn – Study Resources
To prepare for this exam, I use the new Microsoft Learn, a great resource that provides self-paced skills training on a variety of Windows Server hybrid topics. I highly recommend checking the following modules:
1) Secure Windows Server on-premises and hybrid infrastructures
- Implement Windows Server IaaS VM network security
- Audit the security of Windows Server IaaS Virtual Machines
- Manage Azure updates
- Create and implement application allowlists with adaptive application control
- Configure BitLocker disk encryption for Windows IaaS Virtual Machines
- Implement change tracking and file integrity monitoring for Windows IaaS VMs
- Secure Windows Server DNS
2) Implement and manage Windows Server high availability
- Introduction to Cluster Shared Volumes
- Implement Windows Server failover clustering
- Implement high availability of Windows Server VMs
- Implement Windows Server File Server high availability
- Implement scale and high availability with Windows Server VM
3) Implement disaster recovery
- Implement Hyper-V Replica
- Implement hybrid backup and recovery with Windows Server IaaS
- Protect your on-premises infrastructure from disasters with Azure Site Recovery
- Protect your Azure infrastructure with Azure Site Recovery
- Protect your virtual machines by using Azure Backup
4) Migrate servers and workloads
- Migrate on-premises Windows Server instances to Azure IaaS virtual machines
- Upgrade and migrate Windows Server IaaS virtual machines
5) Monitor and troubleshoot Windows Server environments
- Monitor Windows Server IaaS Virtual Machines and hybrid instances
- Monitor the health of your Azure virtual machine by using Azure Metrics Explorer and metric alerts
- Monitor the performance of virtual machines by using Azure Monitor VM Insights
Training Labs
Check the following step-by-step hands-on labs that will help you to gain more practical experience with configuring Windows Server hybrid services. At the time of this writing, these labs are still new and they will evolve:
1) LAB 1 – Configuring security in Windows Server.
- Answer Key: Configuring security in Windows Server.
2) LAB 2 – Implementing Security Solutions in Hybrid Scenarios.
- Answer Key: Implementing Security Solutions in Hybrid Scenarios.
3) LAB 3 – Implementing failover clustering.
- Answer Key: Implementing failover clustering.
4) LAB 4 – Implementing Hyper-V Replica and Windows Server Backup.
5) LAB 5 – Implementing Azure-based recovery services.
- Answer Key: Implementing Azure-based recovery services.
6) LAB 6 – Upgrade and migrate to Windows Server.
- Answer Key: Upgrade and migrate to Windows Server.
7) LAB 7 – Migrating Hyper-V VMs to Azure by using Azure Migrate.
8) LAB 8 – Monitoring and troubleshooting Windows Server.
- Answer Key: Monitoring and troubleshooting Windows Server.
9) LAB 9 – Implementing operational monitoring in hybrid scenarios.
AZ-801 Videos
If you are interested to prepare for this exam using video training, then I highly recommend checking the official AZ-801 full exam course by LinkedIn Learning.
AZ-801 Exam Cert Prep: 3 Implement Disaster Recovery
This course gives you a broad level of knowledge on the overall landscape of business continuity solutions and how to implement disaster recovery in Microsoft Azure, as well as prepares you to take and pass the Windows Server Hybrid Administrator Associate (AZ-801) certification exam.
This course is intended for Windows Server Hybrid Administrators who have extensive experience working with Windows Server and want to extend the capabilities of their on-premises environments by combining on-premises and hybrid technologies.
In this course, you’ll learn how to:
- Manage Backup for Windows Server.
- Manage Recovery for Windows Server.
- Implement Disaster Recovery by Using Azure Site Recovery.
- Protect VMs by Using Hyper-V Replicas.
I highly encourage you to get direct access to this course from the LinkedIn Learning platform here.
AZ-801 Exam Cert Prep: 4 Migrate Servers and Workloads
This course will take you through the portion of the Microsoft AZ-801 exam that tests your ability to migrate servers and workloads. I will show you how to migrate on-premises storage to on-premises servers or Azure, migrate on-premises servers to Azure, migrate workloads to Windows Server 2022, migrate IIS workloads to Azure, and upgrade previous versions of Active Directory Domain Services to Windows Server 2022.
Even if you don’t plan on taking the AZ-801 exam, having an effective migration plan in place will help you migrate your workloads seamlessly from previous versions of Windows Servers, whether the application is running on-premises or in Azure.
In this course, you’ll learn how to:
- Migrate On-Premises Storage to On-Premises Servers or Azure.
- Migrate On-Premises Servers to Azure.
- Migrate Workloads to Windows Server 2022.
- Migrate IIS Workloads to Azure.
- Migrate Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS) to Windows Server 2022 AD DS.
I highly encourage you to get direct access to this course from the LinkedIn Learning platform here.
AZ-801 Books
If you are interested to prepare for this exam using books, then I highly recommend checking the following resources:
> Microsoft Press: Exam Ref AZ-801 Configuring Windows Server Hybrid Advanced Services.
The Exam Ref AZ-801 book focuses on the expertise measured by the following objectives:
- Secure Windows Server on-premises and hybrid infrastructures.
- Implement and manage Windows Server high availability.
- Implement disaster recovery.
- Migrate servers and workloads.
- Monitor and troubleshoot Windows Server environments.
Prepare for Microsoft Exam AZ-801 and demonstrate your real-world mastery of configuring and managing Windows Server on-premises, hybrid, and Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) platform workloads.
AZ-801 Exam Dumps and Practice Test
If you wish to validate your skills before taking the real exam, I highly encourage you to get the following practice test:
AZ-801: Configuring Windows Server Hybrid Advanced Services Microsoft Official Practice Test. The MeasureUp AZ-801: Configuring Windows Server Hybrid Advanced Services practice test from the mind hub is designed to help you prepare for and pass the Microsoft AZ-801 exam.
This exam is aimed at administrators who want to validate their skills. You should have knowledge of Windows Admin Center, PowerShell, Azure Arc, Azure Automation Update Management, Microsoft Defender for Identity, Microsoft Defender for Cloud (formerly called Azure Security Center), Azure Migrate, and Azure Monitor. You should be able to implement and manage on-premises and hybrid solutions and perform tasks related to security, migration, monitoring, high availability, troubleshooting, and disaster recovery.
This test contains 120 questions and covers the following exam objectives:
- Secure Windows Server on-premises and hybrid infrastructures — (31 questions).
- Implement and manage Windows Server high availability — (17 questions).
- Implement disaster recovery — (17 questions).
- Migrate servers and workloads — (27 questions).
- Monitor and troubleshoot Windows Server environments — (28 questions).
AZ-801 Free Practice Assessment
Are you preparing for the AZ-801 certification exam? Microsoft just announced Practice Assessments on Microsoft Learn, the newest free exam preparation resource that allows you to assess your knowledge and fill knowledge gaps so that you are better prepared the take the AZ-801 certification exam.
The following assessment provides you with an overview of the style, wording, and difficulty of the questions you’re likely to experience on the exam. Through this assessment, you’re able to assess your readiness, determine where additional preparation is needed, and fill knowledge gaps bringing you one step closer to the likelihood of passing your AZ-801 exam.
> Take now Exam AZ-801: Configuring Windows Server Hybrid Advanced Services Practice Assessment (50 questions).
Prepare for your certification exam by assessing your knowledge through Practice Assessments, which are free and can be attempted multiple times. These assessments are created and regularly updated by the same team that develops the official certification exams.
You can access practice assessments on Microsoft Learn by signing in or creating an account. The score report for each question includes the answer, rationale, and links to additional information.
Schedule AZ-801 Exam
At the time of this writing, the AZ-801 exam will be available in December 2021 in the beta phase first. Beta exams are not scored immediately because Microsoft is gathering data on the quality of the questions and the exam.
Updated – 07/12/2021 – At the time of this writing, Microsoft launched the AZ-801 exam in beta mode, if you would like to take the beta exam and receive the 80% discount*, use the code below when prompted for payment. Please note that the seats are offered for the first 300 people who take the exam on or before January 10, 2022 (first-come, first-served basis).
This exam is out of the Beta phase now and it’s Public. The beta code below is not available anymore.
AZ801HILLSDALEOnce you are ready, click Schedule exam here and take it online from the comfort of your home/office with proctor supervision.
Other Microsoft Azure Exam Study Guides
Are you interested in another Azure certification exam? I highly encourage you to check out the following Azure exam study guides:
- Exam AZ-900: Microsoft Azure Fundamentals Exam Study Guide
- Exam AZ-104: Microsoft Azure Administrator Exam Study Guide
- Exam AZ-140: Microsoft Azure Virtual Desktop Exam Study Guide
- Exam AZ-204: Developing Solutions for Microsoft Azure Exam Study Guide
- Exam AZ-303: Microsoft Azure Architect Technologies Exam Study Guide
- Exam AZ-304: Microsoft Azure Architect Design Certification Exam Study Guide
- Exam AZ-500: Microsoft Azure Security Technologies Exam Study Guide
- Exam AZ-600: Configuring and Operating a Hybrid Cloud with Microsoft Azure Stack Hub Exam Study Guide
- Exam SC-900: Microsoft Security, Compliance, and Identity Fundamentals Exam Study Guide
- Exam SC-200: Microsoft Security Operations Analyst Exam Study Guide
- Exam SC-300: Microsoft Identity and Access Administrator Exam Study Guide
- Exam SC-400: Microsoft Information Protection Administrator Exam Study Guide
- Exam MS-500: Microsoft 365 Security Administrator Exam Study Guide
- Exam AZ-700: Microsoft Azure Network Engineer Associate Study Guide
If you are planning to take the AZ-801 exam… I wish you all the best and Happy Studying!!!
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Thank you for reading my blog.
If you have any questions or feedback, please leave a comment.
-Charbel Nemnom-
