User Login
Simulated an Active Directory account lockout scenario by configuring Group Policy, inducing failed login attempts, and unlocking the account via administrative tools on a Windows Server domain.
Tools:- Windows Server (Active Directory)
- Windows 10
- Group Policy Management Console (gpmc.msc)
- Active Directory Users and Computers (dsa.msc)
- Event Viewer (eventvwr.msc)
- Network and Sharing Center
- Command Prompt (whoami, ping, echo)
Skills Demonstrated:- Configuring Account Lockout Policy via Group Policy
- Managing Active Directory Users and unlocking accounts
- Performing domain join operations on client systems
- Verifying domain membership with whoami and %userdnsdomain%
- Simulating user login failures and lockout scenarios
- Analyzing security logs (Event ID 4740) to diagnose account lockouts
- Setting up network connectivity and DNS resolution between client and domain controller
- Enforcing password change on next login for user accounts
User Login
Simulated a password expiration scenario by configuring Group Policy settings in Active Directory and verifying the enforcement through a client login prompt.
Tools:- Windows Server (Active Directory Domain Services)
- Windows 10
- Group Policy Management Console (gpmc.msc)
- Active Directory Users and Computers (dsa.msc)
Skills Demonstrated:- Configuring Password Policy in Group Policy
- Managing user accounts in Active Directory
- Simulating and validating password expiration enforcement
- Testing domain login behavior on a Windows client
- Understanding account lifecycle security practices
Performance Issues
Diagnosed and mitigated slow startup issues on a Windows client using Task Manager, and optimized server-side boot performance via Group Policy configuration.
Tools:- Windows 10
- Windows Server (Active Directory Domain Services)
- Task Manager – Startup Tab
- Group Policy Management Console (gpmc.msc)
- Active Directory Users and Computers (dsa.msc)
- Group Policy Management Editor
Skills Demonstrated:- Identifying startup impact of applications using Task Manager
- Disabling unnecessary startup programs to improve boot time
- Creating and linking Group Policy Objects (GPOs) to Organizational Units
- Disabling non-essential Windows components (e.g., Windows Search) via GPO
- Structuring and applying performance tuning policies across domain users
- Using Active Directory OU design for targeted policy deployment
Performance Issues
Simulated a custom user logon experience by deploying a startup batch script through Group Policy linked to a specific Organizational Unit.
Tools:- Windows Server (Active Directory Domain Services)
- Windows 10
- Group Policy Management Console (gpmc.msc)
- Group Policy Management Editor
- Active Directory Users and Computers (dsa.msc)
- Batch Scripting (.bat)
Skills Demonstrated:- Writing and deploying a logon batch script
- Creating and linking GPOs to Organizational Units
- Managing users in Active Directory
- Using Group Policy to simulate client-side behavior
- Testing script execution on a domain-joined Windows client
- Understanding how GPO logon scripts affect user sessions
Performance Issues
Resolved paused updates on a Windows client and enforced automated update policies on domain-joined systems using Group Policy from a Windows Server domain controller.
Tools:- Windows Server (Active Directory Domain Services)
- Windows 10
- Group Policy Management Console (gpmc.msc)
- Group Policy Management Editor
- Windows Update Settings (Client)
- Control Panel – View Installed Updates
Skills Demonstrated:- Troubleshooting paused or failed Windows updates on client systems
- Verifying update history and installation dates via Control Panel
- Creating and configuring a Windows Update GPO
- Automating update schedules using Group Policy settings
- Linking GPOs to specific Organizational Units (OUs)
- Confirming policy application through client-side enforcement indicators
Performance Issues
Simulated a network adapter failure and performed a manual driver reinstall by downloading, extracting, and applying a .cab driver package through a mapped shared folder.
Tools:- Windows Server (Active Directory Domain Services)
- Windows 10
- Device Manager
- Microsoft Update Catalog
- Command Prompt
- Shared Network Folder
Skills Demonstrated:- Identifying and troubleshooting network adapter issues using Device Manager
- Verifying loss of connectivity via ping to external IPs
- Searching for and downloading correct drivers from the Microsoft Update Catalog
- Creating and managing shared folders with proper permissions
- Extracting .cab driver packages using the Command Prompt
- Manually reinstalling a driver using the Update Driver > Browse method
- Verifying successful driver installation through network functionality tests
Remote Access
Configured and deployed a Group Policy to enable Remote Desktop access on a domain-joined Windows client through centralized policy enforcement.
Tools:- Windows Server (Active Directory Domain Services)
- Windows 10
- Group Policy Management Console (gpmc.msc)
- Group Policy Management Editor
- Active Directory Users and Computers (dsa.msc)
- Command Prompt (gpupdate, gpresult)
- Remote Desktop Settings (Windows Settings Panel)
Skills Demonstrated:- Creating and configuring a Remote Desktop GPO
- Enabling RDP access via Administrative Templates in Group Policy
- Organizing client machines into Active Directory Organizational Units
- Linking GPOs to specific OUs for targeted policy deployment
- Using gpupdate /force and gpresult /r to verify policy application
- Confirming enforcement via Windows system settings feedback
Policy Enforcement
Created and applied a Group Policy Object to enforce password complexity, display a login banner, and restrict user access to the Control Panel on domain-joined systems.
Tools:- Windows Server (Active Directory Domain Services)
- Windows 10
- Group Policy Management Console (gpmc.msc)
- Group Policy Management Editor
- Active Directory Users and Computers (dsa.msc)
- Windows Settings
Skills Demonstrated:- Creating a comprehensive security GPO with both computer and user configurations
- Enforcing password complexity and length requirements via Group Policy
- Setting a logon message and title for legal or informational notices
- Restricting user access to the Control Panel through User Configuration
- Organizing users and computers into separate OUs for structured policy targeting
- Linking and applying multi-scope GPOs across multiple Organizational Units
- Verifying GPO success through startup behavior and user restrictions
Printer Troubleshooting
Simulated the setup of a network printer by manually installing and sharing a virtual printer from a domain controller and connecting to it from a Windows client.
Tools:- Windows Server (Active Directory Domain Services)
- Windows 10
- Control Panel – Devices and Printers
- Active Directory Users and Computers (dsa.msc)
- Run Dialog
Skills Demonstrated:- Manually installing a printer using custom IP configuration
- Selecting and applying generic printer drivers
- Configuring printer sharing settings on a server
- Connecting to a shared printer from a domain-joined client
- Using UNC paths to access shared resources
Printer Troubleshooting
Simulated a shared printer going offline by stopping the Print Spooler service on the server, then restored printer functionality and verified client-side connectivity.
Tools:- Windows Server (Active Directory Domain Services)
- Windows 10
- Control Panel – Devices and Printers
- Command Prompt (net stop spooler, net start spooler)
- Run Dialog
- Active Directory Users and Computers (dsa.msc)
Skills Demonstrated:- Installing and sharing a virtual printer between server and client
- Connecting to a network-shared printer via UNC path
- Simulating real-world printing issues by stopping the Print Spooler service
- Diagnosing printer offline status from the client system
- Restoring printing functionality by restarting Windows Print Spooler
- Understanding printer-client-server communication within a domain
Printer Troubleshooting
Restricted client access to a shared network printer by modifying security permissions, resulting in a denied print attempt to simulate real-world permission issues.
Tools:- Windows Server (Active Directory Domain Services)
- Windows 10
- Control Panel – Devices and Printers
- Printer Properties – Security Tab
- Run Dialog
- Active Directory Users and Computers (dsa.msc)
Skills Demonstrated:- Installing and sharing a virtual network printer
- Connecting to shared printers via UNC path
- Modifying printer security permissions to control user access
- Simulating real-world permission-related print failures
- Understanding how Windows printer permissions impact domain users
- Verifying permission changes through 'Access is Denied' errors on the client
Helpdesk Tickets
Simulated a professional IT ticketing workflow by diagnosing and resolving 10 common user-reported issues, documenting each case with root cause analysis and resolution steps.
Tools:- Windows Server (Active Directory Domain Services)
- Windows 10
- Command Line Tools (netsh, ipconfig, sfc, DISM, net use, gpresult)
- Group Policy Management Console (gpmc.msc)
- Device Manager
- Event Viewer
- Microsoft Update Catalog
- BitLocker / Active Directory Key Recovery
- Outlook Safe Mode / COM Add-ins
- Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP)
Skills Demonstrated:- Network connectivity troubleshooting (Wi-Fi, VPN, mapped drives)
- User account and password lifecycle management (expiration, RDP login flow)
- Microsoft Outlook crash diagnostics (Safe Mode, add-in isolation)
- Printer and Print Spooler troubleshooting (offline status, service restarts)
- Group Policy auditing and correction (login scripts, RDP access issues)
- Windows update recovery (sfc, DISM, manual .msu installs)
- BitLocker recovery and platform integrity re-sealing
- User-friendly ticket documentation and root cause summaries
- Remote and on-premise support workflows
- Simulated Tier 1 and Tier 2 help desk resolution paths
