Administering Active Directory Certificate Services Course Overview

Administering Active Directory Certificate Services Course Overview

The "Administering Active Directory Certificate Services" course is designed to provide IT professionals with a comprehensive understanding of Microsoft Active Directory Certificate Services (AD CS), a critical component of public key infrastructure (PKI). The course covers the installation, configuration, management, and troubleshooting of AD CS.

Participants will learn to prepare the environment for AD CS, install and configure certificate authorities, manage certificate templates, and handle certificate enrollment and revocation. They will also delve into advanced topics such as smart card authentication, key archival and recovery, and securing AD CS using proper auditing and monitoring techniques.

By the end of the course, learners will have mastered the skills necessary to effectively manage and maintain an Active Directory Certificate Services infrastructure, ensuring secure and efficient certificate issuance and management within their organizations. This knowledge is vital for maintaining a robust security posture and supporting various secure communication protocols and authentication methods.

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Course Prerequisites

To ensure that you can successfully undertake our Administering Active Directory Certificate Services course and fully benefit from its content, the following prerequisites are recommended:


  • Basic knowledge of Microsoft Windows Server operating system and its core functionality.
  • Familiarity with Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS) concepts and administration.
  • Understanding of basic networking concepts including TCP/IP, DNS, and firewall operations.
  • Experience with Windows Server management tools and roles, particularly with respect to server installation and roles configuration.
  • Knowledge of security concepts such as encryption, PKI, and certificates would be beneficial but not mandatory.
  • Familiarity with basic command-line and PowerShell operations in a Windows Server environment.

These prerequisites are intended to provide a foundation that will help you grasp the course material more effectively, not to serve as a barrier to entry. If you have a willingness to learn and a commitment to expanding your technical skills, our experienced instructors will guide you through the rest of the learning process.


Target Audience for Administering Active Directory Certificate Services

Learn to secure and manage your network's identity solutions with our Administering Active Directory Certificate Services course, tailored for IT security professionals.


  • Systems Administrators
  • Network Administrators
  • IT Security Specialists
  • Infrastructure Architects
  • Directory Services Engineers
  • Technical Support Engineers
  • IT Managers overseeing security operations
  • Compliance Officers managing IT standards
  • Security Consultants implementing identity solutions
  • Active Directory Administrators
  • IT Professionals aiming to specialize in security
  • Cybersecurity Analysts focused on organizational security
  • Identity and Access Management (IAM) Specialists
  • Professionals preparing for Microsoft certification exams related to AD CS


Learning Objectives - What you will Learn in this Administering Active Directory Certificate Services?

Introduction to the Course's Learning Outcomes:

Gain comprehensive knowledge on managing and maintaining Active Directory Certificate Services (AD CS) to secure your organization’s IT infrastructure and manage public key infrastructure.

Learning Objectives and Outcomes:

  • Understand the role and function of Active Directory Certificate Services within an IT infrastructure.
  • Prepare the environment and install AD CS with best practices in mind.
  • Configure and manage Certificate Authority (CA) roles and secure CA operations.
  • Perform CA backup and recovery to ensure continuity in case of failure.
  • Design, create, and configure certificate templates according to organizational requirements.
  • Manage certificate enrollment and deployment through policy and web services.
  • Implement and maintain certificate revocation mechanisms, including CRL distribution points and OCSP.
  • Configure and manage smart card authentication, including the enrollment process.
  • Set up key archival and perform key recovery tasks to prevent data loss.
  • Secure AD CS by configuring security settings and auditing, and monitor system health and performance.
  • Troubleshoot common issues with AD CS and diagnose system problems effectively.

Technical Topic Explanation

Public key infrastructure (PKI)

Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) is a system that manages digital certificates and keys, ensuring secure electronic communication and data exchange over networks. It includes roles, policies, and procedures needed to create, manage, distribute, and revoke digital certificates. PKI is essential for securing transactions and communications in various applications, including email, e-commerce, and data transfers. Microsoft Active Directory Certificate Services (AD CS) is a server role in Windows Server that allows you to build a PKI and provides customizable services for issuing and managing certificates. This role is crucial in administering active directory environments to enhance security.

Troubleshooting of AD CS

Troubleshooting Active Directory Certificate Services (AD CS) involves identifying and fixing issues related to Microsoft Active Directory Certificate Services. Key steps include verifying service connections, checking certificate validity, and ensuring proper configuration settings in administering Active Directory. For those managing certificate services in Active Directory, it’s crucial to have targeted active directory certificate services training to effectively diagnose and resolve problems. This helps maintain the integrity and functionality of the network’s security mechanisms, ensuring seamless authentication and encryption processes.

Certificate authorities

Certificate authorities (CAs) are trusted entities that issue digital certificates. These certificates verify the ownership of a public key by the named subject of the certificate, helping to ensure secure communication over the internet. Microsoft Active Directory Certificate Services (AD CS) is a server role that allows organizations to build their own public key infrastructure, enabling functions such as digital signing and encryption within a network. Administering Active Directory involves managing these certificate services, which is crucial for securing network communications. Active Directory Certificate Services training helps professionals effectively implement and manage certificate services within their organizations.

Certificate templates

Certificate templates in Microsoft Active Directory Certificate Services are predefined frameworks that guide the issuance of digital certificates. These templates dictate the properties and settings of the certificates, such as their validity period, key usage, and renewal policy. They are crucial in administering Active Directory by helping manage and automate the process of certificate enrollment and issuance efficiently. Active Directory Certificate Services training is essential for network administrators to effectively configure and manage security settings, contributing to a secure IT environment.

Certificate enrollment

Certificate enrollment involves registering a device or user to receive a digital certificate from Active Directory Certificate Services (ADCS), a feature in Microsoft Active Directory. This certificate verifies identity and enables secure communication. Enrolling for a certificate typically requires an administrator to validate credentials and configure permissions via Active Directory. Training in Active Directory Certificate Services is crucial to effectively administer and manage the security aspect of a network environment, ensuring that access is controlled and communication remains encrypted. This process is integral to maintaining robust network security within an organization.

Smart card authentication

Smart card authentication involves using a physical card that holds a microchip to securely identify and authenticate users within a system. When used in conjunction with Microsoft Active Directory Certificate Services, the card engages in a verification process that checks the credentials against secure directories. This effectively manages and enforces access controls and identity verification. Incorporating such a method into administering Active Directory can greatly enhance security by ensuring that only authorized personnel can access sensitive information and systems.

Key archival and recovery

Key archival and recovery are processes used in managing digital certificates to ensure the security and accessibility of cryptographic keys. When a key is archived, it's securely stored and protected, which allows for the recovery of that key if it's ever lost or corrupted. This is crucial in organizations utilizing Microsoft Active Directory Certificate Services, where managing a large volume of certificates requires robust systems for backup and retrieval to maintain business continuity and secure communications. Administering Active Directory effectively involves having skilled professionals trained in these aspects to prevent data loss and service interruptions.

Target Audience for Administering Active Directory Certificate Services

Learn to secure and manage your network's identity solutions with our Administering Active Directory Certificate Services course, tailored for IT security professionals.


  • Systems Administrators
  • Network Administrators
  • IT Security Specialists
  • Infrastructure Architects
  • Directory Services Engineers
  • Technical Support Engineers
  • IT Managers overseeing security operations
  • Compliance Officers managing IT standards
  • Security Consultants implementing identity solutions
  • Active Directory Administrators
  • IT Professionals aiming to specialize in security
  • Cybersecurity Analysts focused on organizational security
  • Identity and Access Management (IAM) Specialists
  • Professionals preparing for Microsoft certification exams related to AD CS


Learning Objectives - What you will Learn in this Administering Active Directory Certificate Services?

Introduction to the Course's Learning Outcomes:

Gain comprehensive knowledge on managing and maintaining Active Directory Certificate Services (AD CS) to secure your organization’s IT infrastructure and manage public key infrastructure.

Learning Objectives and Outcomes:

  • Understand the role and function of Active Directory Certificate Services within an IT infrastructure.
  • Prepare the environment and install AD CS with best practices in mind.
  • Configure and manage Certificate Authority (CA) roles and secure CA operations.
  • Perform CA backup and recovery to ensure continuity in case of failure.
  • Design, create, and configure certificate templates according to organizational requirements.
  • Manage certificate enrollment and deployment through policy and web services.
  • Implement and maintain certificate revocation mechanisms, including CRL distribution points and OCSP.
  • Configure and manage smart card authentication, including the enrollment process.
  • Set up key archival and perform key recovery tasks to prevent data loss.
  • Secure AD CS by configuring security settings and auditing, and monitor system health and performance.
  • Troubleshoot common issues with AD CS and diagnose system problems effectively.