Completed Case Study
Windows Enterprise Administration & Active Directory Security Lab
A consolidated Windows enterprise administration lab focused on Active Directory, DNS/DHCP, Group Policy, forest trusts, delegated administration, SMB/NTFS permissions, file recovery, PowerShell troubleshooting, and security validation.
AD DS • DNS/DHCP • Forest Trusts • Delegation • Recovery
Project scope
This case study consolidates multiple hands-on Windows administration exercises into one portfolio-ready lab: Active Directory domain services, DNS/DHCP, Windows clients, Group Policy, identity and access administration, file services, PowerShell, and security-focused validation.
Environment
The core lab used independent TT.WI.LOCAL and BB.WI.LOCAL Active Directory forests on the 10.1.10.0/24 VMware lab network. ADC1 provided AD DS, DNS, and DHCP for TT.WI.LOCAL, while ADC2 hosted BB.WI.LOCAL for cross-forest DNS and trust testing.
Active Directory and Group Policy
Built and administered domain services, users, groups, OUs, Windows workstations, Group Policy links, remote logon controls, folder redirection, and endpoint restrictions. Policy application was validated with gpupdate, gpresult, and RSOP.
DNS, DHCP, and forest trust
Remediated DNS issues affecting cross-forest name resolution, configured conditional forwarders between forests, validated SRV/PTR records, and created a two-way transitive forest trust after reliable DNS resolution was established.
Least-privilege delegation
Included a separate GOODCORP.LOCAL challenge to delegate helpdesk rights only within the UserAccounts OU. The group could create user accounts and reset passwords without deletion, ACL ownership, or domain-wide administrative authority.
File services and recovery
Practiced SMB and NTFS permission administration, folder redirection, and a Previous Versions / Volume Shadow Copy recovery workflow. Recovery was verified with controlled restore steps and hash validation rather than assuming the file was correct because it reappeared.
PowerShell and tooling
Used PowerShell and native Windows tools for AD administration, DNS validation, trust checks, ACL review, service remediation, firewall inspection, file recovery validation, event review, and ticket-quality evidence collection.
Security operations bridge
Extended the administration lab with Sysmon and Windows event telemetry to connect system administration knowledge with security monitoring. The lab reinforces the progression from administering systems correctly to understanding normal behavior and investigating deviations.
Outcome and lessons learned
The completed lab demonstrates practical Windows administration with security-aware decision making: build the environment, apply controls, troubleshoot real failures, validate the result, and document the reasoning. Key lessons include validating DNS before trust configuration, separating authentication from authorization, using precise delegation scopes, and documenting symptoms, evidence, fixes, and validation as reusable operational runbooks.