Exam 70-415:

Implementing a Desktop Infrastructure

Published:	December 12, 2012
Language(s):	English, Japanese
Audience(s):	IT Professionals
Technology:	Windows Server 2012
Type:	Proctored Exam

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Overview

Preparing for an Exam

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We recommend that you review this preparation guide in its entirety and familiarize yourself with the FAQs and resources on the Microsoft Certification website before you schedule your exam.

Exam Topics Covered

The following list includes the topic areas covered on this exam.

Create and Maintain Desktop Images
Design and Deploy Desktops
Plan and Implement a Remote Desktop Services Infrastructure
Design and Configure Desktop Settings
Manage and Maintain a Desktop Infrastructure

Audience Profile

This certification is intended for IT Professional who need to validate their skills and knowledge necessary for designing, deploying and managing a Windows Server 2012 desktop infrastructure including the application environment, application virtualization, security, business continuity and remote desktop services necessary. Candidate’s should have experience with previous Windows Server Operating systems and have their Windows 2012 Server certification (MCSA) or equivalent skills.

This exam is part one, of a series of two exams, which validate the skills and knowledge necessary to design, implement and maintain a Windows Server 2012 desktop Infrastructure in an enterprise scaled, highly virtualized environment. This exam will validate the planning, configuration, and implementation of the Windows Server 2012 desktop services, such as desktop imaging and deployment, application / desktop virtualization, and RDP access and infrastructure. This exam along with exam 70-416 will collectively validate the skills and knowledge necessary for designing, deploying, and maintaining desktop infrastructure services in a Windows Server 2012 environment.

Credit Toward CertificationExam 70-415: Implementing a Desktop Infrastructure: counts as credit toward the following certification(s):

MCSE: Desktop Infrastructure

Note This preparation guide is subject to change at any time without prior notice and at the sole discretion of Microsoft. Microsoft exams might include adaptive testing technology and simulation items. Microsoft does not identify the format in which exams are presented. Please use this preparation guide to prepare for the exam, regardless of its format.

Skills Measured

Skills Being MeasuredThis exam measures your ability to accomplish the technical tasks listed below.The percentages indicate the relative weight of each major topic area on the exam.The higher the percentage, the more questions you are likely to see on that content area on the exam.

The information after “This objective may include but is not limited to” is intended to further define or scope the objective by describing the types of skills and topics that may be tested for the objective. However, it is not an exhaustive list of skills and topics that could be included on the exam for a given skill area. You may be tested on other skills and topics related to the objective that are not explicitly listed here.

Create and Maintain Desktop Images (20-25%)

Plan images.

This objective may include but is not limited to: Design considerations including thin, thick, and hybrid images, image type (boot, install, capture, discover), image format (VHD or WIM), number of images based on operating system or hardware platform, drivers, and operating features

Capture images.

This objective may include but is not limited to: Prepare the operating system for capture; create capture images using Windows Deployment Services (WDS), create capture images manually; capture an image to an existing or new WIM file; capture an operating system image using Microsoft System Center 2012 - Configuration Manager; prepare an existing VM to be used as a base image for a new VDI desktop pool

Maintain images.

This objective may include but is not limited to: Update VHD images using the Offline Virtual Machine Servicing Tool (OVMST); apply updates, drivers, settings, and files to online and offline images; apply service packs to images; install applications into images

Design and Deploy Desktops (20-25%)

Design a deployment method.

This objective may include but is not limited to: Design considerations including Lite Touch, Zero Touch, local install, and Windows to Go, capacity and scale, required changes to the infrastructure, client boot method for deployment, scheduling, staggered deployment, network load, multi-site topology and distribution points, and physical vs. virtual

Implement the deployment infrastructure.

This objective may include but is not limited to: Install and configure WDS; install and configure Microsoft Deployment Toolkit (MDT); configure network services to support deployments; configure System Center 2012 - Configuration Manager including multi-site topology and distribution points; configure multi-server topology; configure autonomous and replica WDS servers

Implement a Lite Touch deployment.

This objective may include but is not limited to: Configure unicast/multicast; add images to WDS; configure scheduling; optimize network load; create and manage unattended answer files; restrict who can receive images; manage configuration phases

Implement a Zero Touch deployment.

This objective may include but is not limited to: Configure task sequencing; configure MDT and System Center 2012 - Configuration Manager integration; configure System Center 2012 - Configuration Manager for operating system deployment; configure unicast/multicast; configure advertisements; optimize network load; create and manage unattended answer files

Design and implement user state migration.

This objective may include but is not limited to: Design considerations including determining which user data and settings to preserve, hard-link vs. remote storage, mitigation plan for non-migrated applications, and wipe-and-load migration vs. side-by-side migration; estimate migration store size; secure migrated data; create a User State Migration Tool (USMT) package

Plan and Implement a Remote Desktop Services Infrastructure (15-20%)

Plan and configure a Remote Desktop Session Host.

This objective may include but is not limited to: Plan for and configure session collections; plan for and configure session properties; plan for and configure redirection settings; plan for and configure profiles

Plan and implement a Remote Desktop Virtualization Host infrastructure.

This objective may include but is not limited to: Plan for and configure virtual desktop templates; plan for and implement highly available VMs; plan for and implement guest resource optimization; configure placement rules; plan for and configure virtual network optimization; plan for storage optimization

Plan and configure a Remote Desktop Connection Broker.

This objective may include but is not limited to: Plan for and configure a session host server farm; plan for and configure re-direction mode

Plan and configure a Remote Desktop Gateway.

This objective may include but is not limited to: Plan for and configure Remote Desktop Resource Authorization Policy (RD RAP); plan for and configure Remote Desktop Client Authorization Policy (RD CAP); plan for and configure certificates for Gateway servers; plan for and configure SSL bridging; plan for and configure Network Access Protection (NAP) integration

Plan and configure Remote Desktop Web Access.

This objective may include but is not limited to: Plan for and configure highly available remote desktop Web Access; plan for and configure single sign on; plan for and configure SSL; customize the Web Access interface

Design and Configure Desktop Settings (20-25%)

Design and configure user state virtualization.

This objective may include but is not limited to: Design and configure mandatory and roaming profiles; manage profile disks; design and configure folder redirection; configure user device affinity; manage user state in shared and pooled desktops

Configure the Remote Desktop client experience.

This objective may include but is not limited to: Install the RemoteFX role service; configure local resource redirection; configure RemoteFX USB redirection; configure custom RDP settings

Configure desktop security.

This objective may include but is not limited to: Configure Encrypting File System (EFS); plan for device restriction policies; manage removable media restrictions; configure advanced auditing; configure Microsoft System Center 2012 -Endpoint Protection; configure User Account Control (UAC)

Manage and Maintain a Desktop Infrastructure (20-25%)

Implement an updates infrastructure.

This objective may include but is not limited to: Apply Windows Updates; manage VM pool patching; integrate WSUS with System Center 2012 - Virtual Machine Manager and System Center 2012 - Configuration Manager; apply template-based virtual desktop updates; implement multi-tier WSUS

Monitor the virtual desktop infrastructure.

This objective may include but is not limited to: Monitor the performance of Remote Desktop Services (RDS) servers and VM guests; monitor the health of RDS servers and VM guests; perform capacity analysis; identify and remediate performance bottlenecks

Create and configure virtual collections.

This objective may include but is not limited to: Create and configure virtual desktop collections including pooled or personal virtual desktop collections and managed or unmanaged collections; create and configure Remote Desktop Session Host collections

Preparation Materials

Preparation Tools and ResourcesTo help you prepare for this exam, Microsoft Learning recommends that you have hands-on experience with the product and that you use the following training resources. These training resources do not necessarily cover all of the topics listed in the "Skills Measured" tab.

Learning Plans and Classroom Training There is no classroom training currently available.

Microsoft E-Learning There is no Microsoft E-Learning training currently available.

Microsoft Press Books

Exam Ref 70-415: Implementing a Desktop Infrastructure

Practice Tests There are no practice tests currently available.

Microsoft Online Resources

Learning Plan: Get started with a step-by-step study guide that is based on recommended resources for this exam.

TechNet: Designed for IT professionals, this site includes how-to instructions, best practices, downloads, technical resources, newsgroups, and chats.

MSDN: Designed for developers, the Microsoft Developer Network (MSDN) features code samples, technical articles, downloads, newsgroups, and chats.

Microsoft Learning Community: Join newsgroups and visit community forums to connect with your peers for suggestions on training resources and advice on your certification path and studies.

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