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🟦 STAGE 1 — Fundamentals (Beginner)

Goal: Understand the basics of M365 & core admin concepts.

1️⃣ Learn the Basics of Microsoft 365

• What is M365?
• Difference between:
  • Azure AD / Entra ID
  • Microsoft 365
  • Exchange Online
  • Security & Compliance
  • SharePoint / OneDrive
• What is a Tenant, Domain, Subscription?

Study topics:

• M365 license types (E1/E3/E5, Business Standard/Premium)
• User identity types
  • Cloud only
  • Sync users (Hybrid)
  • Guest users (B2B)

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2️⃣ Learn the Microsoft 365 Admin Center (Portal Basics)

Explore all sections:

• Users → Active Users
• Groups
• Devices
• Roles
• Billing
• Health & Alerts

Practice:
✔ Create a user
✔ Assign a license
✔ Reset password
✔ Add alternate email
✔ Create a Microsoft 365 Group
✔ Create a DL (distribution list)
✔ Create a Security Group

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🟩 STAGE 2 — Identity & Access Management (Most Important)

Goal: Become strong in Entra ID (Azure AD)

3️⃣ Entra ID (Azure AD) Skills

Key topics:

• What is Entra ID?
• UPN vs alias
• Primary email vs proxy address
• Identity types
• Authentication types
• Conditional Access
• MFA enforcement (Per-user & Security Defaults)
• SSPR (Self Service Password Reset)
• Custom security attributes

Practice:
✔ Add custom domains
✔ Configure MFA
✔ Create conditional access policies
✔ Create guest users
✔ Assign admin roles (least privilege)

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🟧 STAGE 3 — Exchange Online (Messaging Administration)

Goal: Master email administration

4️⃣ Exchange Online Admin

Topics to learn:

• Mailboxes
  • User mailbox
  • Shared mailbox
  • Resource mailbox (Room/Equipment)
• Email flow
• Connectors
• Accepted domains
• Email routing
• Message trace
• DKIM / SPF / DMARC
• Retention policies
• Litigation hold

Practice:
✔ Create shared mailbox
✔ Assign permissions (Full Access / Send As)
✔ Run message trace
✔ Setup transport rules
✔ Enable DKIM
✔ Check mail routing with MXToolBox

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🟩 STAGE 4 — SharePoint & OneDrive

Goal: File sharing, permissions, collaboration

Topics:

• SharePoint Sites
• Admin roles
• External sharing
• Site permissions
• Document libraries
• OneDrive admin settings
• Storage management

Practice:
✔ Create a SharePoint communication site
✔ Create a team site
✔ Configure access
✔ Restore deleted files
✔ Setup retention

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🟥 STAGE 5 — Security & Compliance

Goal: Learn protection, auditing, policies

Topics:

• DLP Policies
• Sensitivity labels
• Retention labels
• Compliance Manager
• Audit Logs
• Insider Risk
• eDiscovery (Basic/Standard/Premium)

Practice:
✔ Create a DLP rule
✔ Apply sensitivity labels
✔ Run an audit search
✔ Create eDiscovery case

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🟦 STAGE 6 — Intune (Device & App Management)

Goal: Device configuration and compliance

Learn:

• MDM vs MAM
• Compliance policies
• Configuration profiles
• App deployment
• Autopilot
• Device enrollment methods
• Windows update rings

Practice:
✔ Enroll devices
✔ Create compliance policy
✔ Create password policy
✔ Push apps
✔ Create Autopilot profile

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🟪 STAGE 7 — PowerShell for M365

Goal: Become a strong admin using automation

Learn these modules:

• MSOnline
• AzureAD
• ExchangeOnline
• Microsoft.Graph
• SharePoint PnP

Practice commands:
✔ Export all users
✔ Export mailbox size
✔ Export login activity
✔ Bulk creation of users
✔ Bulk license assignment
✔ Export groups & membership

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🟫 STAGE 8 — Monitoring & Troubleshooting

Goal: Real world admin skills

Learn:

• Service health
• Message trace
• Sign-in logs
• Audit logs
• Admin alerts
• Network connectivity (M365 connectivity tool)

Practice:
✔ Check service issues
✔ Diagnose failed logins
✔ Analyze risky logins
✔ Troubleshoot email nondelivery

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🟨 STAGE 9 — Hybrid Environment

Goal: AD ↔ M365 sync & hybrid Exchange

Topics:

• AD Connect
• Sync Rules
• Password Hash Sync
• Pass-through Authentication
• Seamless SSO
• Hybrid Exchange
• AD → M365 attributes mapping
• How alias/proxyaddress sync works

Practice:
✔ Force AD sync
✔ Fix sync errors
✔ Manage hybrid mailboxes
✔ Troubleshoot attribute conflicts

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🟦 STAGE 10 — PRO LEVEL SKILLS

Now master advanced skills & get job-ready:

🔥 Real-world use-case expertise:

• Tenant-to-tenant migration
• Identity governance
• Conditional access architecture
• DLP in detail
• Enterprise hybrid setup
• Power Automate flows
• Zero trust security concepts

🔥 Start using these tools:

• Microsoft Graph API
• PowerShell automation
• Defender for Cloud Apps
• Sentinel (SIEM)

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Beginner:

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• “Exchange Online admin training”

Intermediate:

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• “Azure AD Connect troubleshooting”
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Advanced:

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