Posts

Interview preparation

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  1. Tell me about your experience. Answer: I have 7 years of experience in IT infrastructure and messaging systems, with 4 years specifically focused on Microsoft 365 and Exchange administration. I have worked on Exchange Online, hybrid deployments, mailbox migrations, mail flow management, security configurations, and troubleshooting complex issues. I also have experience managing Azure AD, Teams, SharePoint Online, and implementing security and compliance policies in Microsoft 365. 2. What is the difference between Exchange Online and On-Premises Exchange? Answer: Exchange Online is a cloud-based email service hosted by Microsoft as part of Microsoft 365 , while On-Premises Exchange is hosted on local servers within an organization’s data center. Key differences: Infrastructure management is handled by Microsoft in Exchange Online. Scalability and high availability are built-in for cloud. On-Prem requires server maintenance, patching, backups. Hybrid setup al...
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Active Directory (AD)

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   Active Directory (AD)  is a  directory service  developed by Microsoft to manage and organize a network's resources, such as users, computers, printers, and other devices. It’s a central component in managing permissions, security, and access control across the entire network. AD allows admins to control who can access what within the network and apply policies and settings consistently. Here’s a more detailed breakdown of  Active Directory : Key Features of Active Directory: Directory Service : It acts as a  centralized database  for storing and managing directory information (like users, computers, groups, and resources). It uses  LDAP (Lightweight Directory Access Protocol)  for communication between client machines and the server. User Authentication and Authorization : Active Directory ensures  only authorized users  and  computers  can access the network resources. It enforces  user policies  (like ...
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Azure Active Directory (Azure AD)

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  Azure Active Directory (Azure AD)  is Microsoft’s  cloud-based identity and access management service , which is the cloud counterpart to the traditional  on-premises Active Directory (AD) . While  Active Directory (AD)  is designed for managing users, groups, and devices within an organization's  internal network ,  Azure AD  extends this functionality to manage identities across cloud-based resources, applications, and services. Azure AD helps organizations manage user access to cloud services (like  Office 365 ,  Azure services ,  third-party apps , etc.) and provides features like  Single Sign-On (SSO) ,  Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) , and more — all while maintaining security and compliance in the cloud. Key Differences Between Active Directory (AD) and Azure Active Directory (Azure AD): Deployment Location : AD  is  on-premises , running in an organization's internal network. Azure AD  is...
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M365 Feature

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  🔹  Office Apps & Productivity Office desktop apps : Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote, Access (PC only), and Publisher (PC only) Office on the web : Online versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and more Teams : Chat, meet, call, and collaborate in one place OneDrive for Business : 1 TB per user of cloud storage Exchange Online : 100 GB mailbox per user with business-class email SharePoint Online : Team and intranet sites for content sharing and collaboration Microsoft Loop (in preview) : Real-time collaborative canvases 🔐  Security & Compliance Microsoft Purview Data Loss Prevention (DLP) : For Exchange, OneDrive, and SharePoint Microsoft Purview eDiscovery (Standard) : For searching content across M365 Microsoft Defender for Office 365 (Plan 1) : Protection from phishing, malware, and other threats Microsoft Entra ID P1  (formerly Azure Active Directory P1): Conditional Access Self-service password reset Hybrid identity support Information Rights ...
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License E1, E3 and E5

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  Feature Area E1 E3 E5 Office Apps Web/mobile only Full desktop + web/mobile Full desktop + web/mobile Email & Calendar 50 GB mailbox 100 GB mailbox 100 GB mailbox OneDrive Storage 1 TB/user 1 TB/user 1 TB/user Teams & Collaboration ✔️ ✔️ ✔️ Security Basic Advanced (e.g., DLP, Defender P1) Premium (e.g., Defender P2, MDO, MDI) Compliance Tools Basic retention eDiscovery (Standard), Legal Hold eDiscovery (Premium), Insider Risk Windows License ❌ Windows 11 Enterprise E3 Windows 11 Enterprise E5 Analytics Basic (Delve) Viva Insights (personal) Power BI Pro, advanced Viva Insights Calling/Phone System ❌ ❌ ✔️ Phone System & Audio Conferencing Price Range (est.) ~$10–12/user/month ~$32–36/user/month ~$57–62/user/month 🔍  Deeper Breakdown by Category 💼  Productivity & Office Apps E1 : Only  web-based Office apps  (Word, Excel, etc.). E3/E5 : Full Office suite for  desktop, web, and mobile . 📧  Email, Calendar, & Storage E1: 50 GB mail...
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Data Loss Prevention

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   DLP  stands for  Data Loss Prevention  — and it’s all about  protecting sensitive information  from being accidentally (or intentionally) shared, leaked, or exposed. 🔐 What Does DLP Do? DLP helps you: Identify  sensitive data (like credit card numbers, SSNs, health records, etc.) Monitor  where it goes (email, Teams, SharePoint, OneDrive, etc.) Prevent  it from leaving your organization (based on rules you set) 💡 Real-Life Example Say someone tries to email a spreadsheet that contains customer credit card numbers to an external email address — with DLP: The system detects the pattern (like 16-digit credit card numbers) It blocks the email or gives a warning to the user You (the admin) can get alerted and track it 🔍 What Can It Protect? DLP in Microsoft 365 works across: Exchange Online  (email) SharePoint Online OneDrive for Business Microsoft Teams  (chats & channels) Endpoints  (with Microsoft Defender for Endp...
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SPF, DKIM, and DMARC

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   SPF ,  DKIM , and  DMARC  are key tools in  email authentication . They work together to help prevent  email spoofing ,  phishing , and  spam , making sure emails really come from who they claim to come from. Let’s break them down in simple terms: ✅  SPF  –  Sender Policy Framework What it does : Verifies whether an email is sent from an  authorized server  for a domain. How it works : Your domain publishes a list of IPs/servers allowed to send email (in a DNS TXT record). When an email arrives, the receiving mail server checks: ➜  “Is this server allowed to send mail for this domain?” Example : Your domain is  example.com . You allow Microsoft 365 to send emails on your behalf. You publish an SPF record like: ini Copy Edit v =spf1 include:spf.protection.outlook.com -all Increase domain reputation Recipent server trust your email. SPF is added as a TXT record. ✉️  DKIM  –  DomainKeys Identi...
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