Oracle Cloud Infrastructure 2023 Architect Associate Study Resources

I have created this blog to share resources used to prepare for my Oracle Cloud Infrastructure Architect Associate Exam. The exam will be done using Online proctoring which will be my first time. Unfortunately, I am unable to take advantage of the test center option because it is not available using the Race to Certification program. As a result, I end up scheduling the exam at my work office because I have no proper enclosed sound proof room in my house to do a proctored exam.

Exam Number: 1Z0-1072-23

https://education.oracle.com/oracle-cloud-infrastructure-2023-architect-associate/pexam_1Z0-1072-23

https://mylearn.oracle.com/ou/learning-path/become-an-oci-architect-associate/122195

Passing this exam is required to earn these certifications. Select each certification title below to view full requirements.
Oracle Cloud Infrastructure 2023 Certified Architect Associate

Exam Format: Multiple Choice

  • Duration: 90 Minutes
  • Exam Price: $245 
  • Number of Questions: 55
  • Passing Score: 65%
  • Validation: This exam has been validated against Oracle Cloud Infrastructure 2023
  • Policy: Cloud Recertification

Review exam topics

The following table lists the exam objectives and their weightings.

Objectives% of Exam
Compute20%
Networking28%
Storage22%
Observability and Management8%
Identity and Access Management10%
Security12%

Compute [20%]

  • Select appropriate computing choices
  • Configure compute instances
  • Configure Autoscaling
  • Describe OCI compute image options
  • Describe and configure OS Management
  • Understand Infrastructure Maintenance

Networking [28%]

Storage [22%]

Observability and Management [8%]

  • Understand Observability and Management platform
  • Configure Monitoring and set alarms
  • Configure Logging

Identity and Access Management [10%]

  • Understand AuthN and AuthZ
  • Implement compartments
  • Implement conditional and advanced policies
  • Configure Dynamic Groups and Tag based access control

Security [12%]

Cert Exam Prep: Exam 70-742: Identity with Windows Server 2016 – Study notes

  1. Install and configure Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS) (20–25%)

Install Active Directory

Know the PowerShell commands:

– Add the binaries

Add-WindowsFeature -name ad-domain-services—lncludeManagementTools -Restart

– Add a new forest

Install-ADDSForest —DomainName ‘corp.contoso.com’

– Add a new domain in an existing forest

Install-ADDSDomain -NewDomainName amer ParentDomainName ‘corp.contoso.com’

– Add a new domain controller in an existing domain

Install-ADDSDomainController —DomainName ‘amer. corp.contoso.com’

– Perform a staged read-only domain controller (RODC) installation

Install-ADDSReadOnlyDomainControl|erAccount –DomainControllerAccountName RODC1 -DomainName amercorp contoso com -SiteName Boston

* Then on RODC1: add the ad-domain-services feature, and domain controller role

 

Transferring and seizing FSMO roles

Exam Topic – What you should know!

Transfer FSMO Roles

  • Perform this on a domain controller which will be down for maintenance for a period of time, to ensure there is no loss of the fsmo service
  • Move-ADDirectoryServerOperationMasterRo|e -Identity “Target-DC” -OperationMasterRole SchemaMaster,RlDMaster,InfrastructureMaster, DomainNamingMaster,PDCEmulator

Seize FSMO Roles

  • Perform this if a domain controller is down and cannot be recovered, to ensure there is no loss of the FSMO service
  • Move-ADDirectoryServerOperationMasterRole -ldentity “Target-DC’ -OperationMasterRole SchemaMaster,RIDMaster,InfrastructureMaster,DomainNamingMaster,PDCEmulator -Force

FSMO roles can be represented by numbers

  • Move-ADDirectoryServerOperationMasterRole -Identity “Target-DC” -OperationMasterRole 0,1,2,3,4 -Force

– 0: PDC Emulator

– 1: RID Master

– 2: Infrastructure Master

– 3: Schema Master

– 4: Domain Naming Master

 

Additional common active directory install functions

Install from media

  • Useful when the database is on a domain controller across a slow WAN link
  • Install-ADDSDomainController —DomainName ‘amer.corp.contoso.com” -lnstallationMediaPath C:\ADMedia

Configure a domain controller to not be global catalog server

  • InstalI-ADDSDomainController —DomainName ‘amer.corp.contoso.com” —NoGlobalCatalog

Move the Infrastructure Master FSMO role

  • Needed if the domain controller will be a global catalog server
  • Install-ADDSDomainController —DomainName ‘amer.corp.contoso.com” -MovelnfrastructureMasterRolelfNecessary

Uninstall active directory and demote to a server

  • Uninstall-ADDSDomainController

Time-limited Group Memberships

Users can be added to a security group with time-to-live (TTL)

  • When the TTL expires, the user’s membership in that group disappears

Kerberos token lifetime will be determined by TTL of the user’s memberships

  • TGT (Ticket Generated Ticket) based on shortest group membership
  • ST (Shortest time) based on TGT and resource local domain group membership

Requires new FFL (Force Functional Level)

  • Scavenger thread takes care of cleaning up group memberships

 

Way to join a computer to the domain

System Control Panel

  • System added to default container unless pre—staged

Windows PowerShell

  • Add-Computer -ComputerName ‘Server1′ -DomainName ‘amer.corp.contoso.com’ -Credential Get-Credential -Restart

  • System added to default container unless pre-staged

Desired State Configuration (DSC)

  • Joins a computer to the domain, and re-joins if it ‘falls out‘ of the domain
  • Uses Start-DscConfiguration cmdlet, and can be set to check compliance every x minutes

Offline domain join

  • Run djoin.exe on a domain controller to pre-stage the object and create provisioning file
  • Run djoin.exe on target computer and point to the provisioning file

Tips

  1. Know the PowerShell commands for installing and managing Active Directory
  2. Active Directory, FSMO Roles, DNS. Group Types and scopes haven’t really changed, but if you haven’t managed them lately, brush up
  3. Desired State Configuration (DSC) can be used to join a server to the domain and rejoin it if necessary

 

  1. Manage and Maintain AD DS (15-20%)

Configure service authentication

Service Accounts

  • Used to enhance security but the pain point is the password management and SPN mgmt.
  • Two types: Managed Service Accounts and Group Managed Service Accounts

Create/configure Managed Service Accounts

  • Used for a single computer or server
  • New-ADServiceAccount with the —RestrictToSingleComputer parameter
  • Not supported for scheduled tasks, Exchange, SQL

Create/configure Group Managed Service Accounts

  • Used for multiple servers
  • Minimum of one DC that runs at least Windows Server 2012
  • Before you begin, must create KDS Root Key: Add-KDSRootKey -Effectivelmmediately
  • New-ADServiceAccount and Set-ADServiceAccount

Configure Kerberos delegation

  • IIS may require the Trust this computer for delegation to any service (Kerberos only) option

Manage Service Principal Names (SPNs)

  • Use SetSPN <service type>/<instance name>:<port number>/<service name>

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Preparing for VCP 6.5 DCV Delta Exam (2V0-622D)

I had prepared and passed my VMware VCP 6.5 DCV Exam (2V0-622D) within 2 months of my VCP certification expiration date in June 2018.

It was a rough and challenging journey but I had overcome all obstacles by using the following techniques. I prepared for my exam doing self study using:

I also created a study plan schedule using the exam guidelines covering each objectives section for one day. For an up to date exam guidelines, please refer to the VMware website.

Exam Topics –  (Sections hyperlinked to my study notes reference material)
Section 1 – Configure and Administer vSphere 6.x Security
Objective 1.1 – Configure and Administer Role-based Access Control
Objective 1.2 – Secure ESXi and vCenter Server
Objective 1.3 –Configure and Enable SSO and Identity Sources
Objective 1.4 – Secure vSphere Virtual Machines
Section 2 – Configure and Administer vSphere 6.x Networking
Objective 2.1 – Configure policies/features and verify vSphere networking
Objective 2.2 – Configure Network I/O control (NIOC)
Section 3 –Configure and Administer vSphere 6.x Storage
Objective 3.1 – Manage vSphere Integration with Physical Storage
Objective 3.2 – Configure Software-Defined Storage
Objective 3.3 – Configure vSphere Storage Multipathing and Failover
Objective 3.4 – Perform VMFS and NFS configurations and upgrades
Objective 3.5 – Set up and Configure Storage I/O Control (SIOC)
Section 4 – Upgrade a vSphere Deployment to 6.x
Objective 4.1 – Perform ESXi Host and Virtual Machine Upgrades
Objective 4.2 – Perform vCenter Server Upgrades (Windows)
Objective 4.3 – Perform vCenter Server migration to VCSA
Section 5 – Administer and Manage vSphere 6.x Resources
Objective 5.1 –Configure Multilevel Resource Pools
Objective 5.2 – Configure vSphere DRS and Storage DRS Clusters
Section 6 – Back up and Recover a vSphere Deployment
Objective 6.1 – Configure and Administer vCenter Appliance Backup/Restore
Objective 6.2 – Configure and Administer vCenter Data Protection
Objective 6.3 – Configure vSphere Replication
Section 7 – Troubleshoot a vSphere Deployment
Objective 7.1 – Troubleshoot vCenter Server and ESXi Hosts
Objective 7.2 – Troubleshoot vSphere Storage and Networking
Objective 7.3 – Troubleshoot vSphere Upgrades and Migrations
Objective 7.4 – Troubleshoot Virtual Machines
Objective 7.5 – Troubleshoot HA and DRS Configurations and Fault Tolerance
Section 8 – Deploy and Customize ESXi Hosts
Objective 8.1 – Configure Auto Deploy for ESXi Hosts
Objective 8.2 – Create and Deploy Host Profiles
Section 9 – Configure and Administer vSphere and vCenter Availability Solutions
Objective 9.1 – Configure vSphere HA Cluster Features
Objective 9.2 – Configure vCenter Server Appliance (VCSA) HA
Section 10 – Administer and Manage vSphere Virtual Machines
Objective 10.1 – Create and Manage vSphere Virtual Machines and Templates
Objective 10.2 – Create and Manage a Content Library
Objective 10.3 – Objective 10.3 is no longer covered in the exam content.
Objective 10.4 – Consolidate Physical Workloads using VMware vCenter Converter

Later, I will add my study notes to assists anyone with the information  gathered while studying. Stay tune.