Azure AZ-800 study plan

Build a lab forest: install the AD DS role, promote a first domain controller in a new forest, and verify replication and DNS registration from a client.

Create an OU hierarchy with delegated administration for a help-desk group, then prove the delegation works by testing an allowed and a denied action.

Join a member server to the domain and demonstrate that a Group Policy object linking to a new OU applies to it.

Record and explain FSMO role placement by transferring one role between domain controllers and confirming the change.

Configure AD sites, subnets, and site links, then force intersite replication and read the replication status output.

Implement a forest trust or external trust and validate name resolution and authentication across it.

Deploy a read-only domain controller or configure password replication policy, then test an authentication scenario that exercises it.

Design and apply a GPO baseline (security settings, drive mappings, or restricted groups) and run a Group Policy results report to verify it.

Connect an on-premises directory to a cloud identity service by running a synchronization tool and confirming a synced user can authenticate.

Harden and monitor domain controllers by configuring the audit policy and reviewing a directory service access event.

Onboard an on-premises server to a cloud management service using the agent-based connection and confirm its status shows as connected.

Configure cloud-based update management for a server and complete a scheduled assessment and patch run.

Use a central management console to perform a remote administrative task (for example, registry or role management) on two servers.

Install and configure the Hyper-V role, then create a virtual switch and two virtual machines with different generation types.

Create a checkpoint, modify guest state, apply the checkpoint, and document what is and is not restored.

Configure constrained delegation or a guarded-fabric component and show the resulting configuration on the host.

Deploy a container host, pull a base image, and run a container that exposes a port reachable from the host.

Perform a live migration of a running virtual machine between hosts using shared storage, and separately using storage migration.

Configure virtual machine networking so that a guest is reachable across two different virtual switches.

Apply a resource policy (CPU reservation, memory weighting, or bandwidth limit) to a virtual machine and measure the effect.

Compare hosting options by deploying a workload to two different compute targets and documenting the trade-offs you observe.

Configure DNS with a forward and reverse zone plus conditional forwarding, and resolve names in both directions.

Set up DHCP with a scope, reservation, and failover partner, then simulate a partner outage and confirm continued leasing.

Build a site-to-site or point-to-site connection between the lab and a cloud network and verify traffic flows end to end.

Configure a cloud network adapter or gateway so an on-premises server appears on the cloud virtual network, then test connectivity from both sides.

Create an SMB share with access-based enumeration and explicit share and NTFS permissions, then verify effective access for three test accounts.

Configure a DFS namespace with at least two targets and demonstrate replication and failover between them.

Enable data deduplication or quotas and file screening on a volume, then confirm the policy triggers as expected.

Set up a cloud file sync service to replicate a server share and validate a file round-trip from the cloud side.

Complete two timed full-length practice exams and log every missed item by domain.

Re-study the two weakest domains and redo the labs that map to the missed objectives.

Build a one-page recall sheet of commands and configuration paths you repeatedly missed.

Retake the missed items until each domain score is at or above your target threshold.