A big part of being in the information technology (IT) industry is keeping said information secure. That is achieved, for the most part, by implementing security measures, the first of which is identity and access management. Essentially, this means that a server administrator (or someone with admin control) defines what users can and cannot do under certain circumstances.

Safe and Secure

Desktop, laptop, tablet, smartphone, wired or wireless. No matter what the connection is, who is connecting, and through what environment – there should be a manager, a gate keeper, a key master, who has his virtual eyes and ears on who is doing what, when, and where. A well-guarded system is not merely a recommendation, but a necessity.

Microsoft Virtual Academy (MVA) has 20 courses on identity and access management. These courses have been available through MVA since 2012, and they cover several topics and issues. There are courses on network security fundamentals, courses on Microsoft Azure basics, and more advanced ones, such as MDOP User Experience Virtualization Deep Dive.

Examples of the top courses in this section are Understanding Active Directory, Getting Started with PowerShell 3.0 Jump Start, Defense in Depth: Windows 8.1 Security, and Using PowerShell for Active Directory.

Course Review: Microsoft Azure Fundamentals

One of the most popular courses is Microsoft Azure Fundamentals, instructed by Bob Tabor. This is a Level 200 course, meant for professionals with at least six months of experience under his or her belt. It is the first in a series of four courses on Azure and cloud computing. In this course, Tabor goes through the core concepts of Azure: why it exists, who is it helping, and how can one implement it? After that, the course shifts into topics related to accounts, subscriptions, Active Directories, and administrative tasks.

Azure

The topics covered in this course are:

• Series Introduction
• Why Microsoft Azure?
• The Scope of Microsoft Azure Services
• Tools and APIs You Use to Access Azure
• Navigating the Azure Portal and the Preview Portal
• Creating an Organizational Account and Subscription
• Understanding Subscriptions and Directories
• How Do I: Manage Directories
• How Do I: Manager Users, Subscriptions Roles, and Directory Roles
• How Do I: Manage Subscriptions and Service Administrators
• Understanding Geos, Regions, and Datacenters
• Where to Go from Here
• Recommended Resources and Next Steps

This course officially has no prerequisites, but since it is a Level 200 course, it is assumed that those who are watching it are IT professionals with some experience. This course is worth 52 points, has 13 modules, 10 assessment exams, and it includes screenshots and slides. The course runs about four hours long, and is very beneficial to those who wish to better understand Microsoft Azure and its functions. This course is rated 5 out of 5 stars.

Tabor is a .NET and C# developer, a Channel9 / MVA contributor, and the founder of LearnVisualStudio.NET. He is an author and entrepreneur, with a 12-year history of experience and success.

Course Review: Windows Server 2012 Identity and Access

Another very popular course is Windows Server 2012: Identity and Access, instructed by Milad Aslaner and Erdal Ozkaya. This course is a Level 300 course, which means that it is suitable for IT professionals with at least a year’s worth of experience. Dive into the wide world of Windows Security with this duo of experts, who will explore how Windows addresses the notion of security. The course shows different methods of developing a secure front in the Windows environment. It is for anyone who is interested in being one step ahead of the game, and in stopping hackers and malware engineers from inflicting damage to your system.

Instructor Milad Aslaner

The topics covered in this course are:

• Today’s Threat Landscape
• Principles of Security
• Understanding Your Enemy
• Phases of Hackers
• What Motivates Hackers?
• Pass the Hash
• Windows Security Capabilities and Tools
• Recommended Resources and Next Steps

This course has no prerequisites, but it is a Level 300 course. It is worth 65 points, and runs about seven hours long. There are eight modules in the course, and seven assessment examinations. The course includes slides and screenshots, so the student can follow along with the instructors. This course is rated 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Instructor Erdal Ozkaya

Erdal is an IT Security Guru with business development and management skills, who focuses on Penetration Testing, IT Auditing, and sharing his real life skills as a Lecturer/ Trainer. He is currently working as Chief Information Security Officer at EMT, a specialist IT security products distributor.

Erdal has the following qualifications: Master of Information Systems Security (M.I.S), Bachelor of Information Technology (B.I.T.), MVP, Microsoft Certified Trainer, Microsoft Certified Leaning Consultant, ISO27001 Consultant, Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH), Certified Ethical Instructor, and Licenced Penetration Tester. He is a lecturer at Charles Sturt University and is also completing his Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in IT Security.

Milad Aslaner is a Program Manager in the Surface Commercial Engineering team. In his role, he is committed to improve the digital work and life experience of Surface users. He works together with internal and external partner teams, product management, architects, development, quality assurance and user experience teams to align objectives, create functional specifications, implement a plan, and ultimately deliver a high-quality product. He is a popular speaker at Microsoft conferences such as TechEd, Ignite, TechReady and regional Technology Festivals.

There is a lot of sensitive information on a computer. From passwords and usernames, through emails and data files, to images and presentations. Knowing how to think like a hack or malware engineer helps one stay sharp, alert, and responsive. It is all about identity and access – knowing who is on your system and why, what restrictions or provisions apply to users, and how others might be able to infiltrate that system.

Let MVA’s experts walk you through the best ways and practices used to prevent attacks. Explore the latest technology which can be used against your system, and learn ways to defend yourself in times of need.