Top 50 MIIS Interview Questions
Q – 1 Tell me what is the metaverse of Microsoft Identity Integration Server 2003?
Ans- The metaverse is a collection of tables that contains information about connected identities from the connected data sources.
These tables are stored in a SQL Server database and contain all the aggregated information about a specific entity as it exists in all of the connected data sources. Attributes and objects flow into and out of the metaverse. Updates flowing in are used to update the metaverse, updates going out are used to update the connected data sources through their respective connector space.
The metaverse contains its own schema, which defines which object types and attributes the metaverse can contain. All objects in the metaverse must be of one of the types defined in the metaverse schema.
Q – 2 What is Microsoft Identity Integration Server 2003 technical reference?
Ans- The Microsoft Identity Integration Server 2003 technical reference is an in-depth documentation collection about identity information management concepts.
It is not intended as an operations or implementation guide. Instead, it provides information managers, system architects and IT generalists with the necessary background they will need to analyze and develop their own identity management solutions.
Q – 3 What are the three components of scenario design of Classic Metadirectory Walkthrough: Scenario Design of MIIS 2003?
Ans- Microsoft Identity Integration Server 2003 is most commonly employed to integrate data between connected data sources.
The design of this scenario involves the following three components:
☛ Five incongruent data sources that use different data formatting methods.
☛ Microsoft Identity Integration Server 2003.
☛ Different Microsoft Identity Integration Server 2003 management agent (MA) types that are used to flow data between a data source and Microsoft Identity Integration Server 2003.
Q – 4 What does Microsoft Identity Integration Server 2003 technical reference provide?
Ans- Microsoft Identity Integration Server 2003 technical reference provides information about:
☛ State-based and event-based architecture
☛ Directories and identity management solutions
☛ Core components of MIIS 2003
☛ Architecture and internal structure of MIIS 2003
☛ Objects and data flow in MIIS 2003
☛ Updated system port information for MIIS 2003 Service Pack 1 (SP1)
☛ Updated information for management agent minimum rights and permissions
Q – 5 How would you install Microsoft Identity Integration Server 2003?
Ans- Instructions to install Microsoft Identity Integration Server 2003:
☛ Click the file you want to download.
☛ Do one of the following:
1. To start the installation immediately, click Run.
2. To save the download to your computer for installation at a later time, click Save.
3. To cancel the installation, click Cancel.
Q – 6 What knowledge should you have for the lab setup of Classic Metadirectory Walkthrough of MIIS?
Ans- The individual responsible for setting up the lab for this scenario should have a complete knowledge of the following:
☛ Installing and configuring Active Directory.
☛ Installing and configuring Sun ONE Directory Server 5.1 Directory Server.
☛ Installing Microsoft® Windows® Server 2003, Enterprise Edition.
☛ Installing and configuring Microsoft® SQL Server 2000, Enterprise Edition, with Service Pack 3 (SP3).
Q – 7 What are the goals of scenario design of Classic Metadirectory Walkthrough: Scenario Design of MIIS?
Ans- By implementing Microsoft Identity Integration Server 2003, company hopes to accomplish the following two goals:
☛ Aggregate employee identity data from its five data sources while maintaining data source ownership over specific employee identity characteristics.
☛ Use data from the Exchange Server data source to populate distribution lists in the Active Directory data source.
Q – 8 Tell me about the MIIS 2003 (Microsoft Identity Integration Server) provisioning assistant?
Ans- As a result of your design efforts, you have identified the data flow for both attributes and objects. If your design requires creating or deleting objects in connected data sources, you will need to develop a method of provisioning and deprovisioning these objects.
In MIIS 2003 this means implementing that logic in a metaverse rules extension. Rules extensions are implemented as DLLs and stored in the Extensions subfolder of the MIIS root folder.
Q – 9 Tell me about the MIIS 2003 (Microsoft Identity Integration Server) design and planning collection?
Ans- As you begin to tackle an identity management project, the first challenge you are likely to run into is determining where you should start. Typically, identity management solutions are strategic. Translating that strategy into concrete activities requires some experience.
To address this challenge, Microsoft has developed the MIIS 2003 Design and Planning Collection. A series of documents and worksheets that can aid in scoping your project, gathering requirements and configuring a solution based on MIIS 2003. It is especially useful if you are new to this type of project.
The design and planning collection contains an introductory document that explains how to use the series, seven separate documents that address particular design components, templates to be used in conjunction with the documents and completed sample templates so you can see what the finished templates should look like.
Q – 10 Tell me what is identity and access management in Microsoft Identity Integration Server?
Ans- Identity and access management are important issues as your business implements systems that provide corporate information to employees, business partners and customers.
Each solution introduces new applications with their own authorization requirements and potentially their own authentication mechanisms.
As these disparate systems proliferate throughout an organization, managing digital identity determining when users are on-boarded, when they are off-boarded, and what privileges and access they have while active in the environment becomes an increasingly complicated process.
Q – 11 List some essential tools for MIIS (Microsoft Identity Integration Server)?
Ans- There are 5 essential tools for MIIS:
☛ MIIS 2003 Design and Planning Collection
☛ MIIS Provisioning Assistant
☛ MIIS Preview
☛ Oxford MIIS Documentor
☛ MIIS Service Monitor
Q – 12 How does password change notification service work in Microsoft Identity Integration Server?
Ans- The management of passwords is a costly and time-consuming process for many administrators. Fortunately, this process has been greatly enhanced with a new feature in MIIS 2003 SP1-the Password Change Notification Service (PCNS). This new service allows for the secure updating of password resets to be sent to an MIIS 2003 server.
When a password reset is initiated on a domain controller, either by a user who presses Ctrl+Alt+Del or by an administrator, the request is intercepted. The intercepted request is encrypted and then forwarded on to the MIIS 2003 server and from there to all connected data sources (that are configured for password management) through synchronization.
To see how to install the PCNS and configure a management agent.
Q – 13 How do the password management and synchronization capabilities help you control passwords and reduce administrative efforts in Microsoft Identity Integration Server?
Ans- The password management and synchronization capabilities help you control passwords and reduce administrative efforts:
☛ Auditing features let you track changes to or setting of passwords through the use of entries written to the Event Log.
☛ Developers have the ability to perform password management functions through an API.
☛ An administrator or a user can reset passwords through a central point or through a Web services application.
☛ Integrated third-party solutions can be used to extend the capabilities of MIIS 2003.
☛Password policies as defined in Active Directory, for example, can be enforced across other systems.
Q – 14 Tell me about the password management in MIIS (Microsoft Identity Integration Server)?
Ans- Passwords are one of the weakest security points in a network but the use of secure passwords can become a source of contention between administrators and users. Users would rather have nice, easy-to-remember passwords, whereas administrators want to implement more restrictive password requirements.
This is of even more concern on networks with disparate directories where users may have several accounts with varying levels of password requirements to access each of these directories or services. MIIS 2003 SP1 has a number of new password management and synchronization features that can help.
Q – 15 What default objects does metaverse schema contain in Microsoft Identity Integration Server?
Ans- The metaverse schema contains the following default objects, but can be easily extended:
☛ Ccomputer
☛ Domain
☛ Group
☛ Locality
☛ Organization
☛ Organizational unit
☛ Person
☛ Printer
☛ Role
Q – 16 What are the hardware requirements for lab setup of Classic Metadirectory Walkthrough of MIIS?
Ans- The following are the minimum hardware requirements for the two servers used in this scenario:
☛ Pentium II 500.
☛ 256 MB of RAM.
☛ 8 GB hard disk.
☛ Network adapter.
☛ 4 MB video adapter.
☛ SVGA monitor (800×600) or greater resolution.
☛ Microsoft Mouse or compatible pointing device.
Q – 17 What are connector spaces of Microsoft Identity Integration Server 2003?
Ans- The connector space is a staging area for information coming into or going out from a given management agent. The information that is staged in a management agent’s connector space is used to synchronize with the metaverse or is exported out to its connected data source.
Each connected data source has its own reserved logical area within the connector space that is used by its corresponding management agent. The connector space does not actually contain the connected data source as an object itself but rather contains a subset of the connected data source’s attributes, as defined on the management agent.
MIIS uses the connector space object instead of making direct queries to the connected data source when processing business rules. This improves synchronization speed between the metaverse and the connected data sources.
Q – 18 What are the management agents of Microsoft Identity Integration Server?
Ans- Every connected data source has a corresponding management agent. Each management agent acts to control the flow of information between its connected data source and MIIS. If you modify synchronized data in either the connected data source or within MIIS, the management agent will keep MIIS 2003 and the connected data sources consistent.
Since there is a management agent for each supported connected data source type, the types of management agents are the same as the types of connected data sources supported by MIIS 2003.
If you need to connect a data source, MIIS also provides a generic management agent that can be configured to connect to any system that provides programmatic access to its data, called the extensible connectivity management agent.
Q – 19 Tell me about the connected data sources of Microsoft Identity Integration Server 2003?
Ans- A connected data source is a system that provides information to or receives information from MIIS 2003. Many systems can act as a connected data source including directory services, databases and even individual files. The connected data sources currently supported by MIIS 2003 Service Pack 1.
Q – 20 List the major components of MIIS 2003 (Microsoft Identity Integration Server)?
Ans- There are four major components of MIIS 2003:
☛ Connected Data Sources
☛ Management Agents
☛ Connector Spaces
☛ The Metaverse
Q – 21 What are the major capabilities of MIIS 2003 (Microsoft Identity Integration Serve)?
Ans- Some of the major capabilities of MIIS 2003 include:
☛ Directory synchronization
☛ Account provisioning
☛ Certificate publishing
☛ Group management
☛ Management of Global Address Lists (GALs) for diverse e-mail systems
☛ Management and synchronization of passwords
Q – 22 What does MIIS 2003 (Microsoft Identity Integration Server) allow us to do?
Ans- Integration Server (MIIS) 2003 allows you to synchronize identity information from many different directories and services into a single, organization-wide solution. This can help protect your network’s security and simplify management.
Q – 23 What do rules determine when you run a management agent in MIIS (Microsoft Identity Integration Server)?
Ans- When you run a management agent, you can specify that a join rule be applied to each object in the connector space. By specifying a join rule, Microsoft Identity Integration Server 2003 searches the metaverse and attempts to find a corresponding object to which the connector space object can be joined.
When a search returns any results, the resolution rules determine whether:
☛ None of the objects satisfies the join criteria, in which case the next search criteria are evaluated.
☛ Exactly one of the objects satisfies the join criteria, in which case it is joined with the connector object.
☛ More than one of the objects satisfies the join criteria, in which case the join operation fails.
Q – 24 What are the tasks you should perform for administering the Microsoft Identity Integration Server 2003 infrastructure?
Ans- To administer the Microsoft Identity Integration Server 2003 infrastructure, perform the following administration tasks:
☛ Connect connector space objects to the metaverse, which includes:
1. Attribute indexing
2. Connecting disconnector objects
3. Disconnecting connector objects
4. Previewing action on disconnector objects
☛ Manage management agents
☛ Create command scripts for management agents
☛ Use administrative roles
Q – 25 How would you create the MAs implementation steps of Classic Metadirectory Walkthrough in MIIS?
Ans- You will create the MAs in the following order:
☛ HR MA
☛ LDAP Data Interchange Format (LDIF) MA
☛ AD MA
☛ Sun ONE Directory Server 5.1 MA
☛ Telephone MA
Q – 26 What are the software requirements for lab setup of Classic Metadirectory Walkthrough in MIIS?
Ans- The following software should be available:
☛ Windows Server 2003, Enterprise Edition
☛ Microsoft Identity Integration Server 2003
Q – 27 What is an administering MIIS 2003 infrastructure in Classic Metadirectory Walkthrough?
Ans- Administering MIIS 2003 Infrastructure provides common administrative tasks related to maintaining the MIIS 2003 infrastructure in the scenario.
Q – 28 What is lab setup in Classic Metadirectory Walkthrough of MIIS (Microsoft Identity Integration Server)?
Ans- Lab setup lists the hardware and software requirements for the scenario walkthrough procedures. Includes detailed instructions for setting up the different connected data sources, as well as setting up MIIS 2003.
Q – 29 Tell me about the implementation steps in Classic Metadirectory Walkthrough of MIIS (Microsoft Identity Integration Server)?
Ans- Implementation steps provides a procedural walkthrough for building the MIIS 2003 management agents (MAs) used to develop the MIIS 2003 infrastructure in the scenario.
Q – 30 What is the evaluation documentation set of MIIS (Microsoft Identity Integration Server)?
Ans- This documentation set includes walkthroughs that help you with proof of concepts and detailed analyses of features and functionalities of MIIS 2003. You also get information that helps you make business cases when choosing MIIS 2003.
Q – 31 What is a scenario design in Classic Metadirectory Walkthrough of MIIS (Microsoft Identity Integration Server)?
Ans- Scenario design describes the fictional company and the specific directory problem you solve in the scenario. This section provides a high-level conceptual and procedural overview of how MIIS 2003 facilitates data flow between connected data sources and Microsoft Identity Integration Server 2003.
Q – 32 List some basic concepts of Classic Metadirectory Walkthrough of MIIS (Microsoft Identity Integration Server)?
Ans- Before beginning this scenario, become familiar with the basic concepts of MIIS 2003. In This Walkthrough:
☛ Scenario Design
☛ Lab Setup
☛ Implementation Steps
☛ Administering MIIS 2003 Infrastructure
Q – 33 Tell me about classic metadirectory walkthrough of MIIS (Microsoft Identity Integration Server)?
Ans- The goal of the fictional scenario and walkthrough described here is to ensure that all of the directory information maintained in a number of diverse, separate systems is synchronized and that the information is correct.
This scenario and walkthrough describes how to build a Microsoft Identity Integration Server 2003 (MIIS 2003) infrastructure that will make the identity information in these diverse data sources consistent throughout an enterprise.
Q – 34 Tell me about the extensibility of Microsoft Identity Integration Server?
Ans- The microsoft identity integration server is extensible through the use of the .NET framework, which allows developers and network administrators to extend out of the box capabilities and perform complex tasks.
Q – 35 List some versions of Microsoft Identity Integration Server?
Ans- Versions of microsoft identity integration server:
☛ Zoomit Via (pre 1999)
☛ Microsoft Metadirectory Server [MMS] (1999-2003)
☛ Microsoft Identity Integration Server 2003 Enterprise Edition [MIIS] (Retired)
☛ Microsoft Identity Integration Server 2003 Feature Pack [IIFP] (Retired)
☛ Microsoft Identity Lifecycle Manager Server 2007 ILM (Retired)
☛ Microsoft Forefront Identity Manager 2010 FIM (Current)
Q – 36 Give an example of microsoft identity integration server?
Ans- Example:
Through the metaverse an organization’s e-mail system can be linked to its human resources database to the organization’s PBX system to any other data repository containing relevant user information. Each employee’s attributes from the e-mail system and the human resources database are imported into the connector space through respective management agents.
The e-mail system can then link to individual attributes from the employee entry, such as the employee telephone number. If an employee’s telephone number changes, the new telephone number will automatically be propagated to the e-mail system.
Q – 37 What are the product evaluation documentation of MIIS (Microsoft Identity Integration Server)?
Ans- Product evaluation documentation:
☛ Classic Metadirectory Walkthrough
☛ Simple Account Provisioning Walkthrough
☛ Global Address List Synchronization Walkthrough
☛ Group Creation and Provisioning Walkthrough
☛ Password Management Walkthrough
Q – 38 Do you know about the history of Microsoft Identity Integration Server?
Ans- MIIS has its origins in two Canadian companies’ products, Linkage Software’s meta-directory product Link-Age Directory Exchange (LDE) which Microsoft acquired on June 30, 1997 and Zoom-it Corporation’s meta-directory product, Via, which Microsoft acquired on July 7, 1999.
LDE was strongly email system oriented but traces of it and its field mapping technology remain through MIIS 2003.
After acquiring Zoom-it Via Microsoft renamed it to MMS (Microsoft Meta-directory Services) and offered this product for free; however they will strongly encourage customers to hire Microsoft Consulting Services to install and configure product.
Microsoft Identity Integration Server 2003 was completely re-written from ground up. No original Zoom-it Via code was moved into MIIS. However Microsoft preserved methodology and original idea of the Via product.
MIIS 2003 no longer uses Z Script (proprietary scripting language of Zoom-it Via), instead it offered .NET framework support. With this upgrade Microsoft did not offer a migration path from MMS to MIIS due to the significant differences in the products.
Currently Service Pack 2 is available for MIIS 2003. IIFP is a slimmed-down version of MIIS that is limited to synchronization between AD, ADAM, and exchange data-stores.
MIIS 2003 was recently (Fall 2007) incorporated into a new offering called Identity Life-cycle Manager 2007. This product was announced at the RSA Conference in February 2007 and made available to customers in May 2007.
Identity Life-cycle Manager 2007 includes not only the original MIIS 2003 product, but also a component called Certificate Life-cycle Manager (CLM) which is used to manage X.509 digital certificate and smart card issuance.
Q – 39 What does microsoft identity integration server do?
Ans- Microsoft identity integration server manages information by retrieving identity information from the connected data sources and storing the information in the connector space as connector space objects or CS Entry objects. The CS Entry objects are then mapped to entries in the metaverse called metaverse objects or MV Entry objects.
This architecture allows data from dissimilar connected data sources to be mapped to the same MV Entry object. All back-end data is stored in Microsoft SQL Server.
Q – 40 Tell me what is microsoft identity integration server?
Ans- Microsoft identity integration server (MIIS) is an identity management (IdM) product offered by Microsoft. It is a service that aggregates identity-related information from multiple data-sources. The goal of MIIS is to provide organizations with a unified view of a user’s/resources identity across the heterogeneous enterprise and provide methods to automate routine tasks.