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Microsoft logoAdvancedExam retiring 30 Nov 2026

MS-102: Microsoft 365 Administrator

Administer a secure, compliant Microsoft 365 tenant end to end and prepare for the MS-102 Microsoft 365 Administrator exam.

  • 40 hours of live, hands-on sessions
  • Tenant set-up, identity sync and access management labs
  • Microsoft Defender XDR threat protection in practice
  • Microsoft Purview compliance: labels, DLP and retention
  • Exam retiring 30 November 2026 — successor guidance included
Aligned to Microsoft exam MS-102
Duration
5 Days | 40 Hrs
Next batch
Batches on request
Delivery
Live Online · Onsite · Corporate
Level
Advanced
Exam
MS-102
Language
English

Why learn MS-102 with Ace Skills

  • A tenant you build yourself

    From domains to compliance policies, you configure a complete Microsoft 365 tenant rather than clicking through a pre-built one.

  • Threats investigated end to end

    Simulated phishing and endpoint alerts are traced through Defender XDR so you learn the full incident workflow.

  • Compliance made practical

    Labels, DLP and retention are configured against realistic requirements, including data protection obligations in India and the Gulf.

  • Guidance through the exam change

    With MS-102 retiring on 30 November 2026, we advise on timing and on the successor path once it is confirmed.

Course overview

A Microsoft 365 administrator keeps an organisation’s email, files, meetings and identities running and protected. That means setting up the tenant correctly, synchronising identities, controlling access, responding to threats and meeting compliance obligations. This five-day course builds those responsibilities into a single lab tenant that you configure from the ground up.

Days one and two cover tenant deployment and identity: domains, licensing, admin roles, service health, Microsoft Entra Connect synchronisation, authentication methods, Conditional Access and Privileged Identity Management. Day three focuses on security with Microsoft Defender XDR — Defender for Office 365, Defender for Endpoint, Defender for Identity and Defender for Cloud Apps — and how incidents are investigated across them.

Day four turns to compliance with Microsoft Purview: sensitivity labels, data loss prevention, retention, eDiscovery and insider risk. Day five brings it together with secure score, reporting, Copilot readiness and exam preparation.

The MS-102 exam is scheduled to retire on 30 November 2026, and a successor exam has been reported but not yet confirmed. The administration skills in this course remain essential either way; we will align future batches to the successor once Microsoft confirms it.

The course is aligned to the MS-102 skills outline. Check Microsoft Learn for the current exam status before booking.

Key features

  • Full lab tenant configured by each learner
  • Hybrid identity with Microsoft Entra Connect
  • Conditional Access and PIM labs
  • Defender XDR incident investigation exercises
  • Purview labels, DLP and retention policies
  • Secure score and reporting review
  • 30 days of post-training doubt support

Who should attend

  • Microsoft 365 and messaging administrators
  • IT administrators responsible for identity and security
  • Security and compliance engineers working in Microsoft 365
  • Consultants who deploy Microsoft 365 for clients

Prerequisites

  • Experience administering Microsoft 365 workloads such as Exchange, Teams or SharePoint
  • Understanding of identity, networking and DNS basics
  • Familiarity with PowerShell

Curriculum

5 Days · 40 Hours · 15 Modules · 13 Labs

  1. Tenant set-up

    • Custom domains and DNS records
    • Organisation settings
    • Licences and subscriptions
    • Service health and message centre
    • Lab: Add a custom domain and configure organisation settings · 45 min

    Users, groups and roles

    • User and group management
    • Microsoft 365 groups vs security groups
    • Admin roles and least privilege
    • Administrative units
    • Lab: Delegate administration with roles and administrative units · 45 min

    Managing with PowerShell

    • Microsoft Graph PowerShell
    • Bulk operations
    • Reporting with scripts
    • Lab: Bulk-create users and assign licences with PowerShell · 40 min

  2. Hybrid identity

    • Microsoft Entra Connect and Cloud Sync
    • Password hash sync and pass-through authentication
    • Synchronisation troubleshooting
    • Lab: Synchronise an on-premises directory · 50 min

    Authentication

    • Authentication methods and MFA
    • Passwordless and phishing-resistant methods
    • Self-service password reset
    • Identity Protection
    • Lab: Roll out MFA and self-service password reset · 40 min

    Access management

    • Conditional Access policies
    • Privileged Identity Management
    • Access reviews
    • Guest access
    • Lab: Configure Conditional Access and PIM · 50 min

  3. Defender for Office 365

    • Anti-phishing, Safe Links and Safe Attachments
    • Attack simulation training
    • Threat Explorer
    • Lab: Configure email protections and run an attack simulation · 50 min

    Defender for Endpoint and Identity

    • Device onboarding
    • Vulnerability management
    • Defender for Identity sensors and alerts
    • Lab: Onboard a device and review vulnerabilities · 40 min

    Incidents and cloud apps

    • Defender for Cloud Apps
    • Incident queue and investigation
    • Automated investigation and response
    • Secure score
    • Lab: Investigate a multi-stage incident in Defender XDR · 50 min

  4. Information protection

    • Sensitive information types
    • Sensitivity labels and auto-labelling
    • Label policies
    • Lab: Publish sensitivity labels with auto-labelling · 45 min

    Data loss prevention

    • DLP policies for Exchange, SharePoint, OneDrive and Teams
    • Endpoint DLP
    • Policy tips and alerts
    • Lab: Create and test a DLP policy · 45 min

    Retention and investigation

    • Retention policies and labels
    • Audit
    • eDiscovery
    • Insider risk management overview
    • Lab: Configure retention and run an eDiscovery search · 40 min

  5. Monitoring and reporting

    • Usage and adoption reports
    • Alert policies
    • Compliance Manager
    • Lab: Build a tenant health and security report · 40 min

    Copilot readiness

    • Oversharing reviews
    • Copilot admin controls
    • Data protection for AI

    Exam and successor guidance

    • Exam structure and case studies
    • Planning around the 30 November 2026 retirement
    • Practice questions with review
Download full syllabus (PDF)

Skills you will gain

  • Microsoft 365 administration
  • Microsoft Entra ID
  • Entra Connect
  • Conditional Access
  • Privileged Identity Management
  • Microsoft Defender XDR
  • Defender for Office 365
  • Defender for Endpoint
  • Microsoft Purview
  • Sensitivity labels
  • DLP
  • Retention
  • eDiscovery
  • Microsoft Graph PowerShell

Tools & technologies

  • Microsoft 365 admin center
  • Microsoft Entra admin center
  • Microsoft Defender portal
  • Microsoft Purview portal
  • Microsoft Graph PowerShell
  • Microsoft Entra Connect

Certification exam

This exam is scheduled to retire on 30 Nov 2026. Talk to an advisor about the replacement track before booking.

Exam details
Exam nameMicrosoft 365 Certified: Administrator Expert
Exam codeMS-102
Duration100 minutes
Passing score700 / 1000 (scaled)
Voucher includedNo — book directly with the vendor
Question formatMultiple choice, Multiple response, Drag and drop, Case study
DeliveryOnline proctored or Test centre
Validity & renewal1 year (free online renewal assessment)
Retirement noticeScheduled to retire on 30 Nov 2026

Skill areas measured

  1. Deploy and manage a Microsoft 365 tenant
  2. Implement and manage Microsoft Entra identity and access
  3. Manage security and threats by using Microsoft Defender XDR
  4. Manage compliance by using Microsoft Purview

Exam details are pending verification. Vendors change exams; confirm on the official vendor page before booking. Official exam page (opens in a new tab)

Schedule & Pricing

Live Online

Individual

Price on request

  • 40 hours of live, trainer-led sessions
  • 13 hands-on labs
  • Ace Skills course completion certificate

Onsite

At your office or our centre

Pricing depends on location, group size and dates.

  • Delivered at your premises or an Ace centre
  • Same curriculum and labs as live online
  • Dates planned around your team

Corporate / Team

Private batch for your organisation

A private batch with content adapted to your environment and goals.

  • Customised curriculum
  • Private batch, online or onsite
  • Progress and assessment reports
  • GST invoice and PO-based billing

No public batches scheduled — Talk to an Advisor for a private batch.

Projects & labs you will build

  • Day 2 · 50 min

    Configure Conditional Access and PIM

  • Day 3 · 50 min

    Investigate a multi-stage incident in Defender XDR

Your certificate

Certificate of Completion — Ace Skills Consulting

Awarded on completing the course. It records the course title and training hours, and you can share it on your LinkedIn profile.

The Microsoft certification itself is awarded by Microsoft when you pass exam MS-102.

Frequently asked questions

MS-102 retires on 30 November 2026. Should I still take this course?

If you can book the exam before that date, yes. Otherwise the skills still apply, and we will guide you to the successor exam once Microsoft confirms it.

Does the expert certification need a prerequisite?

Yes, Microsoft requires an associate-level prerequisite for the Administrator Expert certification. Check Microsoft Learn for the current list.

Will I get my own tenant?

Yes. Each learner works in a lab tenant, and access details are shared before Day 1.

Do you run weekend batches?

Yes. Weekend batches cover the same 40 hours across consecutive Saturdays and Sundays, with timings in IST that also suit learners in the Gulf.

Can you run a private batch for our team?

Yes. We run private online or onsite batches for corporate teams, and we can weight the labs towards your tenant’s security and compliance needs. Request a corporate quote with your team size and preferred dates.

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Microsoft, Azure, Microsoft 365, Power BI and Microsoft Entra are trademarks of the Microsoft group of companies.

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