Project Overview
In this project, I designed and implemented an Active Directory domain to simulate an elementary school district IT environment. The goal was to develop practical experience with managing users, devices, and organizational structure through Active Directory and Group Policy, while learning to apply best practices used in real-world IT environments.
Environment
| Component | Technology |
|---|---|
| Hypervisor | Proxmox VE |
| Domain Controller | Windows Server 2022 |
| Client Devices | Windows 11 VMs |
| Domain Name | district.local |
Phases
Phase 1: Active Directory Design
Created realistic OU structure:
- Administration
- IT
- Staff (Teachers, Support)
- Students (Grade levels K-5)
- Groups
- Service Accounts
Created representative user accounts in each OU.
Created and used Security Groups to control Group Policy targeting.
Phase 2: Group Policies Implemented
Students GPO — Restricted device usage:
- Disabled Control Panel and PC Settings
- Blocked Command Prompt and PowerShell
Teachers GPO — Provisioned shared resource:
- Mapped T:\ Teachers Shared Drive via Group Policy Preferences
- Used Item-Level Targeting for All_Teachers group
Admin Staff GPO — Override restrictions:
- Allowed Control Panel access for Admin_Staff group
- Demonstrated GPO layering and precedence control
Testing & Validation
- Joined Windows 11 clients to domain
- Verified GPO application per user type
- Tested network drive mapping
- Confirmed appropriate access restrictions per role
- Validated user permissions and access controls in line with intended policy outcomes.
Challenges & Solutions
OU Structure Design
Challenge: Initially designed OUs too flat
Solution: Refined structure to better reflect school district hierarchy
GPO Precedence Issues
Challenge: Conflicting policies affecting Admin Staff
Solution: Adjusted GPO links and enforced precedence correctly
Outcome
This project provided me with hands-on experience in configuring and managing a Windows domain environment. It reinforced my understanding of directory services, policy enforcement, and access control, helping me to build essential capabilities in supporting users and maintaining secure IT systems.