Active Directory Interview Questions & Answers

Active Directory (AD) is a vital component of IT infrastructure, managing identities, authentication, and resources within an organization. Below is a comprehensive list of interview questions categorized into behavioral, situational, technical, and cultural fit questions, along with concise answers reflecting industry best practices in 2025.

Behavioral Questions

• 1. Can you describe a time when you had to troubleshoot an Active Directory issue?
  I once encountered a replication failure between domain controllers. I used repadmin and event logs to diagnose the issue and resolved it by fixing DNS settings.
• 2. How do you handle high-pressure situations in AD management?
  I prioritize tasks, use system monitoring tools, and implement proactive measures to prevent major outages.
• 3. Have you ever implemented a security enhancement in Active Directory?
  Yes, I enforced MFA and applied the least privilege principle to minimize security risks.
• 4. Describe a challenging AD migration you handled.
  I led an AD migration from Windows Server 2012 to 2019, ensuring zero downtime by staging replication and verifying group policies.
• 5. How do you ensure documentation and knowledge sharing in AD management?
  I maintain detailed AD architecture documents and conduct periodic knowledge-sharing sessions within the IT team.

Situational Questions

• 6. What would you do if users suddenly couldn’t log in to their accounts?
  I’d check event logs, review domain controller health, and verify password policies and account lockouts.
• 7. How would you respond to a ransomware attack targeting AD?
  I’d isolate affected systems, restore backups, and reinforce security by reviewing permissions and implementing network segmentation.
• 8. If a domain controller goes offline, how do you ensure continuity?
  I’d verify replication, promote another domain controller if necessary, and check DNS and FSMO roles.
• 9. How do you handle unauthorized privilege escalation in AD?
  I’d audit logs, revoke permissions, enforce role-based access controls, and conduct an incident review.
• 10. If a user is locked out repeatedly, how do you resolve it?
  I’d check bad password attempts, analyze account policies, and investigate potential AD replication delays.

Technical Questions

• 11. What is Active Directory, and why is it important?
  Active Directory is a directory service that manages users, computers, and resources, providing authentication and authorization within a network.
• 12. What are FSMO roles, and why are they critical?
  FSMO roles prevent conflicts by managing domain-wide operations like schema updates, PDC functions, and infrastructure coordination.
• 13. How does Group Policy work in Active Directory?
  Group Policy enforces security settings and configurations across users and computers, ensuring compliance and centralized control.
• 14. Explain the difference between a domain, tree, and forest in AD.
  A domain is a security boundary, a tree is a collection of domains, and a forest is a group of trees sharing a schema and global catalog.
• 15. What are Organizational Units (OUs), and how are they used?
  OUs organize users, computers, and groups within a domain, simplifying administration and Group Policy application.

Cultural Fit Questions

• 16. How do you stay updated with the latest AD security trends?
  I follow cybersecurity blogs, attend webinars, and participate in forums like Microsoft Tech Community.
• 17. How do you collaborate with other IT teams when managing AD?
  I maintain open communication, document changes, and coordinate with network and security teams.
• 18. What’s your approach to training new IT staff on AD best practices?
  I create knowledge base articles, conduct hands-on training, and mentor team members on security policies.
• 19. How do you handle resistance to security policies in AD?
  I educate stakeholders on risks, provide alternatives, and align security with business goals.
• 20. Why do you enjoy working in Active Directory administration?
  I enjoy solving complex IT challenges and ensuring secure, efficient identity management in enterprise environments.

More Technical & Advanced Questions

• 21. How do you configure AD replication?
  I use Sites and Services, ensure proper subnet configuration, and verify replication using repadmin tools.
• 22. What is Kerberos authentication in Active Directory?
  Kerberos is a secure authentication protocol using tickets for encrypted communication between clients and servers.
• 23. What’s the difference between LDAPS and LDAP?
  LDAPS is a secure version of LDAP, encrypting communication using SSL/TLS.
• 24. What is the purpose of a Global Catalog?
  The Global Catalog enables fast directory searches and cross-domain authentication by storing universal attributes.
• 25. How do you implement AD backup and disaster recovery?
  I schedule regular system state backups, use AD Recycle Bin for object recovery, and document recovery procedures.