I have seen lot of Windows Eng. search for questions and answers on windows 2003 platform to prepare for there interview. Hence i am preparing few questionnaire to help them prepare better.

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1. What is Active Directory schema?

The Active Directory schema contains formal definitions of every object class that can be created in an Active Directory forest it also contains formal definitions of every attribute that can exist in an Active Directory object. Active Directory stores and retrieves information from a wide variety of applications and services. So that it can store and replicate data from a potentially infinite variety of sources, Active Directory standardizes how data is stored in the directory. By standardizing how data is stored, the directory service can retrieve, update, and replicate data while ensuring that the integrity of the data is maintained.

2. What is the domain functional level in Windows Server 2003?

If there are many organizational units and to implement policy on all OUs we use    Domain level policy.

3. What is the forest functional level in Windows Server 2003?

Windows 2003 Native Mode is the forest functional level in Windows Server 2003

4. What is global catalog server?

Global Catalog Server maintains full information about its own domain and partial information about other domains. It is a forest wide role. Port no:3268, 3269
it is also taking part of AD replication.

5. How we can raise domain functional & forest functional level in Windows Server    2003?

When ever changes done in DC (domain Controllers) will effect at A.D
we can call it as multimaster.

6. Which is the default protocol used in directory services?

Light wait directory Access Protocol (ldap) is the default protocol used in directory services.

7. What is IPv6?

Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) is a network layer IP standard used by electronic   devices to exchange data across a packet-switched internet work. It follows IPv4 as the second version of the Internet Protocol to be formally adopted for general use.

8. What is the default domain functional level in Windows Server 2003?

The Default domain functional level in Windows Server 2003 is Windows 2003 Mixed cause when you configure a new Windows Server 2003 domain, the default domain functional level is Windows 2000 mixed. Under this domain functional level, Windows NT, 2000, and 2003 domain controllers are supported. However, certain features such as group nesting, universal groups, and so on are not available.

9. What are the physical & logical components of ADS?

Physical components of ADS are computers,sites,dc.
Logical components of ADS are user, ou

10. in which domain functional level, we can rename domain name?

All domain controllers must be running Windows Server 2003, and the Active Directory functional level must be at the Windows Server 2003.
Yes u can rename the domain in windows server 2003

11. What is multimaster replication?

Multi-master replication is a method of replication data or changes to data across multiple computers within a group. Multi-master replication can be contrasted with a master-slave method (also known as single-master replication).

12. What is a site?

One or more well-connected highly reliable and fast TCP/IP subnets. A site allows administrator to configure active directory access and replication topology to take advantage of the physical network.

13. Which is the command used to remove active directory from a domain controller?

DCPROMO to add/remove active directory but first ADC should be removed before DC if we want to remove DC first then check this server is last domain controller in domain.

14. How we can create console, which contain schema?

We have to open the register to see the schema master fsmo role
regser 32 schmmgmt.

15. What is trust?

To allow users in one domain to access resources in another, AD uses trust. Trust is automatically produced when domains are created. The forest sets the default boundaries of trust, not the domain, and implicit trust is automatic. As well as two-way transitive trust, AD trusts can be shortcut (joins two domains in different trees, transitive, one- or two-way), forest (transitive, one- or two-way), realm (transitive or nontransitive, one- or two-way), or external (nontransitive, one- or two-way) in order to connect to other forests or non-AD domains. AD uses the Kerberos V5 protocol, although NTLM is also supported and web clients use SSL/TLS.

12. What is the file that’s responsible for keep all Active Directory database?

NTDS.dit  is the file that’s responsible for keep all Active Directory database

13. What is Resultant set of policy?

Resultant set of policy is provide to make policy modification and trouble shooting easier. Resultant set of policy is the query object it has two mode 1.logging modes: Polls existing policies and the reports the result of the query. 2. Planning mode: The questions ask about the planned policy and the report the result of the query.

14. What is the concept for authoritative and nonauthoritative restoration?

Non-authoritative restore: which accept the entries from other domain controller after the restoed data?
Authoritative: Not accept the entries from other domain controller.

15.What is the ntds.dit file default size?

The ntds.dit file default size is 40 mb.

16. What is HUB and SWITCH?

Switch is expensive than hub. If more then one user try to send packet at a time collision will occurred but in switch we can send. Switch is full duplex. Maximum bandwidth is 100 MHz and that bandwidth is shared by all of the PC’s connected to the hub. Data can be sent in both directions simultaneously, the maximum available bandwidth is 200 Mbps, 100 Mbps each way, and there are no other PC’s with which the bandwidth must be shared.

17. What is DNS?

DNS is Domain Name Service. It’s mainly used to resolve from host name(FQDN-Fully Qualified Domain Name) to IP address and IP address to host name.DNS mainly used in Internet. DNS divide in form of hierarchical.

18. What is DHCP?

DHCP is Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol. It is use to provide IP address dynamically to client machine. If that client not able to find DHCP server then client machine will go for APIPA (We have range for APIPA which is 169.254.0.1-169.254.255.254).

19. What is Windows Server 2003 Interim Functional Level?

Windows Server 2003 Interim is used when upgrading from Windows NT to Windows Server 2003. Upgrading to this domain functional level provides support for Windows NT and Windows Server 2003 domain controllers. However, like Windows 2000 Mixed, it does not provide new features.

20. What is mean by loop back id?

It is local host address using this we can check the TCP/IP protocol stack ,special to check the network card (127.0.0.1).

21.What is Sysvol?

Sysvol folder on a Windows 2003 domain controller is used to replicate file-based data among domain controllers. Because junctions are used within the Sysvol folder structure, Windows NT file system (NTFS) version 5.0 is required on domain controllers throughout a Windows 2000 distributed file system (DFS) forest.

22. What is AD Naming Context?

There is 3 AD Naming Context
1) Domain Partition
2) Configuration Partition
3) Schema Partition

23. Why are sites used for?

Site is used to create geographical partitions.

24. What are the Support Tools? Why do I need them?

Support tools are the Pack of tools which are used to diagnose the AD components. They are used to troubleshoot analyze for resource specific diagnostics.

25. What is tombstone?
Tombstone is the time period object for any deleted object to be removed from Active directory

26. What are the FSMO roles? Explain in brief?

PDC Emulator – Most famous for backwards compatibility with NT 4.0 BDC’s.  However, there are two other FSMO roles which operate even in Windows 2003 Native Domains, synchronizing the W32Time service and creating group policies.  I admit that it is confusing that these two jobs have little to do with PDCs and BDCs.

RID Master – Each object must have a globally unique number (GUID).  The RID master makes sure each domain controller issues unique numbers when you create objects such as users or computers.  For example DC one is given RIDs 1-4999 and DC two is given RIDs 5000 – 9999.

Infrastructure Master – Responsible for checking objects in other other domains.  Universal group membership is the most important example.  To me, it seems as though the operating system is paranoid that, a) You are a member of a Universal Group in another domain and b) that group has been assigned Deny permissions.  So if the Infrastructure master could not check your Universal Groups there could be a security breach.

Domain Naming Master – Ensures that each child domain has a unique name.  How often do child domains get added to the forest?  Not very often I suggest, so the fact that this is a FSMO does not impact on normal domain activity.  My point is it’s worth the price to confine joining and leaving the domain operations to one machine, and save the tiny risk of getting duplicate names or orphaned domains.

Schema Master – Operations that involve expanding user properties e.g. Exchange 2003 / forestprep which adds mailbox properties to users.  Rather like the Domain naming master, changing the schema is a rare event.  However if you have a team of Schema Administrators all experimenting with object properties, you would not want there to be a mistake which crippled your forest.  So it’s a case of Microsoft know best, the Schema Master should be a Single Master Operation and thus a FSMO role.

27. What is Forest?
A forest is a group of one or more domain trees that do not form a contiguous namespace but may share a common schema and global catalog. There is always at least one forest on a network, and it is created when the first Active Directory–enabled computer (domain controller) on a network is installed.

28. What does the physical structure of active directory contain?
Physical structures include domain controllers and sites.

29. What is Distributed File System (DFS)?
Distributed File System (DFS) is a server component that provides a unified naming convention for folders and files stored on different servers on a network. DFS lets you create a single logical hierarchy for folders and files that is consistent on a network, regardless of where on the network those items are actually stored. Files represented in the DFS might be stored in multiple locations on the network, so it makes sense that Active Directory should be able to direct users to the closest physical location of the data they need. To this end, DFS uses site information to direct a client to the server that is hosting the requested data within the site. If DFS does not find a copy of the data within the same site as the client, DFS uses the site information in Active Directory to determine which file server that has DFS shared data is closest to the client.

30. What is File Replication Service (FRS) ?

Every domain controller has a built-in collection of folders named SYSVOL (for System Volume). The SYSVOL folders provide a default Active Directory location for files that must be replicated throughout a domain. You can use SYSVOL to replicate Group Policy Objects, startup and shutdown scripts, and logon and logoff scripts. A Windows Server 2003 service named File Replication Service (FRS) is responsible for replicating files in the SYSVOL folders between domain controllers. FRS uses site boundaries to govern the replication of items in the SYSVOL folders.

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If you like these question set do send the feedback.I will also add few more question in my next blog