Watch A+ Exam 220-902

SOHO networks are smaller networks, but are still important to protect and secure as an office environment. Viewers will hear about concepts like quality of service and how it can be used to control protocols and bandwidth available to those protocols, upgrading firmware, and Universal Plug and Play technology.

Some security concepts used in SOHO environments aren't limited to only those environments, but can even be used in the context of large enterprise level businesses as well. Viewers will hear about some of the equipment one might see in a SOHO environment and about a few security centric concepts like a DMZ, private IP addresses used for internal communication, and Network Address Translation(NAT)

SOHO technologies are a topic that's important and that one needs to understand for the A+ exam. Viewers will hear about some of the things one will have to deal with in a Small Office Home Office (SOHO) environment to share resources including some wireless and sharing protocols like Bonjour and SMB, sharing devices on a SOHO network, and multi functioning devices.

Alongside with having a knowledge base on different operating systems, an A+ technician will also need to have knowledge on some hardware components as well in order to pass the A+ exam. Viewers will hear about some hardware including motherboard form factors, riser cards, and power supplies.

Cache memory is important because it keeps the CPU performance where it needs to be so one can get better performance out of their system. Viewers will hear about the different functions of cache and why it is important for the whole system unit.

The CompTIA A+ Troubleshooting Theory gives a systematic and logical approach to help one break down and figure out a problem. Viewers will hear about each of the steps involved in the troubleshooting theory to help one better understand the troubleshooting process and apply the knowledge when in the field.

Having the right language and attitude as an A+ technician is important because one has to not only has to represent themselves as being a professional, but also the company they work for. Viewers will hear about aspects of being a courteous professional to customers by being on time, avoiding distractions, and having respect for the privacy of their information.

The idea of communication and professionalism really come down to language and attitude to allow a situation with an end user to be handled as smoothly and efficiently as possible. Viewers will hear discussions on how to communicate properly and professionally, including the proper use of language, avoiding technical jargon and acronyms.

Privacy, licensing, and policy issues are some of the things one will have to address an A+ technician, so one should have a fairly good concept of what each area may entail. Viewers will hear about incident response when dealing with prohibited content and activity and also hear discussions on various types of licensing dealt with in a corporate environment.

Environmental control is another part that pairs with safety procedures because it means keeping an eye out for things that can be harmful, but is also about understanding how to control that environment as much as possible. Viewers will hear about various controls to use to limit environmental impact like MSDS documentation for handling and disposal of hazardous materials.

When working in the field as a technician, one will not only be working alongside other people, but also will usually have to work with handling equipment as well, which one should take the correct safety procedures when handling. Viewers will hear discussions on using appropriate safety procedures, including electrical grounding for equipment, protecting against static electricity, etc.

With the wide range of capabilities for mobile devices continually growing, it is becoming more and more important to keep the data and devices secured. Viewers will hear about several tools used to troubleshoot and secure mobile devices as well as hear discussions on anti-malware, factory reset, reinstalling applications, Wi-Fi scanners and cell scanners.

Besides troubleshooting software, one will also need to know how to troubleshoot hardware as well. Viewers will hear about troubleshooting PC security issues as well as hear about PC reset and refresh when one is experiencing system lockups, dealing with application crashes/ hangs, the msconfig utility, how to manage what applications are launched at startup, and also how to remove faulty updates.

When troubleshooting it's important to know how a system actually is supposed to work when functioning properly, then when things aren't working one can start to troubleshoot to get things back to that condition. Viewers will hear discussions on troubleshooting a PC, covering various issues including pop-ups, browser redirection, and slow performance.

To be a good technician it is better not to be device centric, but to more so be familiar with as many different devices as one can. Viewers will continue to hear about troubleshooting mobile devices and also about other common issues including slow performance, battery life and overheating.

In today's network environment, more and more mobile devices are being brought in by users, so now technicians aren't just expected to support PCs and servers, but mobile devices as well. Viewers will hear about troubleshooting mobile devices and also about some common issues like screen brightness, wireless connectivity, screen sharing and unresponsive applications.

There is a lot of troubleshooting that goes into computers and therefore a lot of troubleshooting tools, utilities and methods to find out how to fix an issue. Viewers will hear about performance, application and display issues that are commonly reported by end users, as well as see demonstrations on the use of task manager, program installation and display settings.

Over the years as more and more features have been introduced into Windows, there are now multiple utilities built into the operating system that can automatically start to repair certain files, but when that doesn't work, manually troubleshooting the system might be the path to take. Viewers will hear about what can be done if the Windows computer will not even boot up and also see utilities.

A Windows OS will most likely be the OS one will have to deal with in the field when it comes to troubleshooting and also will be more talked about on the A+ exam compared to other systems like Mac and Linux. Viewers will hear about troubleshooting the Windows OS and basic concepts related to hardware issues that one can use diagnostic utilities like the Microsoft memory diagnostic tool.

It can be kind of different when troubleshooting with Linux because of all the diversity in the different Linux operating systems, the lack of a consistent set of tools and even a lack of a consistent location for configuration files. Viewers will hear about the various troubleshooting tools with Linux and that the utilities for troubleshooting are a combination of command line applications and GU

In the business world a majority of the install base is Windows, but an A+ technician will still need to know how to troubleshoot Mac and Linux devices as well. Viewers will hear about troubleshooting Mac OS X software, hardware, and even network issues, as well as see demonstrations on the use of the activity monitor, the tools available when using the recovery utility.

When a system isn't functioning the way it should normally work, one might need to troubleshoot the operating system. Viewers will hear about some of the various troubleshooting tools within the Mac OS like troubleshooting through the Disk Utility, Console Utility, and also hear how to boot into the Recovery Utility.

Most Small Office Home Office (SOHO) environments tend to focus their security settings in wireless access points, making it an important piece to secure. Viewers will hear about methods to secure both wired and wireless networks in a SOHO environment by utilizing techniques like MAC filtering, using static IP addresses, firewall settings, port forwarding, and port disabling.

Out of the different environments an A+ technician will find themselves, a Small Office Home Office (SOHO) environment might be one of those places. Viewers will hear about securing a wireless network in a SOHO environment including changing the default SSID and administrator password and setting the encryption level, as well as hear about antenna and access point placement, radio power levels.

Properly disposing of personal or company data is a necessary precaution to take to make sure that data isn't recovered into the wrong hands. Viewers will hear about data destruction and disposal methods including physical destruction methods like shredders and degaussing and also hear best practices concerning recycling and re-purposing systems.

Smartphones are a continuing growing field and is something that needs to be secured just like PCs and laptops. Viewers will continue to hear discussions on different methods for securing mobile devices, including encryption and firewalls on mobile devices, as well as enabling multi-factor authentication and will also hear about securing mobile devices to match corporate policies to help protect.

No device should be left at the default out of the box security level due to risks from low level security, even mobile devices. Viewers will hear about securing mobile devices through means like screen locks, remote wipes, locator applications, and updates, as well as hear discussions on using antivirus and biometric authentication for mobile devices.

Implementing security measures to keep a system safe in turn also helps to keep the network that it's connected to safe. Viewers will hear about some of the best practices to secure a workstation like setting different passwords like screensaver and BIOS passwords and hear how to enforce settings using the local group policy.

Security setting concepts are fundamental to just about everything else one would set up for, including working in a corporate environment. Viewers will hear more about security settings, how administrator and standard user accounts differ, as well as hear about encryption options such as EFS and Bit Locker.

Utilizing settings to secure a Windows OS is another step one can take to make sure the right people are accessing the right files on a system or network. Viewers will continue to hear further about security settings, including share permissions, how they combine with NTFS permissions, and also hear about how moving and copying files affects permissions.

One of the core challenges that one faces as an IT admin is making sure people have the right level of access. Viewers will hear about local users, groups, NTFS permissions, how NTFS permissions are assigned, as well as how they are inherited.

Besides protecting data at the source where it actually exists, one will also need to protect it as it is being transmitted across a network. Viewers will hear about further data loss prevention methods including ACLs, protecting data in transit with VPNs, teaching user education and by using the principle of least privilege.

When trying to implement security tactics to protect a system against threats and vulnerabilities, it's important that one implements multiple layers of defense. Viewers will continue to hear about common prevention methods used in security with physical securities like ID badges, RFID, rosters and privacy filters and also hear about digital security measures like antivirus, firewalls.

Having a good grasp on different prevention techniques is important for protecting against different threats and vulnerabilities. Viewers will hear discussions on prevention methods used to protect against common threats, in particular, physical security methods like mantraps, locks, securing physical documents and biometrics.

When it comes to security in the A+ exam, one has to be familiar with and understand the concepts of different attacks that can happen on a system. Viewers will hear about common threats like man-in-the-middle attacks and password attacks, including brute force and dictionary attacks.

If one thinks they aren't going to be subject to a system attack, they are mistaking themselves because attacks can happen on a system regardless of whether they are a corporation or an individual. Viewers will hear about several other types of attacks that pose a threat to systems like phishing, spear phishing, spoofing, social engineering, zero day attacks, and botnets as well as hear how to ide

An A+ technician should know how to identify types of threats and vulnerabilities and understand how they work so they can protect a user's system. Viewers will hear discussions on common threats and vulnerabilities to a system including different types of malware like spyware, viruses, worms, trojans, rootkits and ransomware and hear how they how they infect systems.

Synchronizing data across multiple devices can provide a lot of convenience for a user to access their data and also provides a consistent computing environment regardless of the Windows machine a user uses to login. Viewers will hear about synchronizing user information across multiple devices (laptops, smartphones, and desktops) by using the Microsoft Account, the types of data and settings.

Adding different mobile devices like smart phones and tablets to the list of devices an A+ technician needs to be able to support, can add a bit more challenge, but is still is needed to allow full function to the end user. Viewers will hear further discussions about other methods to connect to networks including VPNs, and also hear how to connect to email servers, public (private or personal).

It is becoming more and more prevalent that one will have to support things like mobile devices and also some of the different methods of mobile connectivity. Viewers will hear about different methods for connecting mobile devices to networks, the internet and other devices through means like mobile hotspots, Bluetooth and tethering.

Features in a mobile OS can provide a lot of functionality to the user and can also provide further functionality by downloading additional applications. Viewers will hear discussions on additional features found in mobile operating systems including how to turn on the virtual assistant and emergency notifications.

Mobile operating systems can include a pretty expansive list of different features, which A+ technicians will need to have at least some familiarity with. Viewers will see and hear discussions about the most common mobile OS features between Apple's iOS, Android and Windows Phone.

Web proxies act as a middleman between requests made on an internal network and the actual services being provided. Viewers will hear about proxy servers, mail servers, authentication servers and network security appliances such as UTM, IPS and IDS and what they do. Viewers will also continue to hear about other server types that an IT Professional may encounter.

One of the major server roles that are utilized today are web servers, which help one to connect to webpages across the internet. Viewers will hear the use and properties of Web Servers, File Servers, DHCP and DNS servers be described, as well as hear about the purpose of these servers and why they're important for organizations and the internet.

Supporting things like applications and network infrastructure can take a lot to maintain, which the appeal of cloud services works as an easier solution for a company to maintain those kinds of services themselves. Viewers will hear about identifying different types of cloud technologies including IaaS, PaaS, and SaaS and will also hear about the differences between private and public cloud.

To even be able to utilize virtualization, one needs to first check their system to see if virtualization is supported. Viewers will see demonstrations of implementing client-side virtualization using Oracle's VirtualBox, how to configure VirtualBox to create a Virtual Machine, and will also hear about how to connect the virtual machine into a networked environment.

Virtualization is a good way one can build things like testing environments and also run multiple operating systems on a single piece of machinery. Viewers will hear some of the factors to get client-side virtualization working on our client OS and also hear the hardware requirements and some of the terminology be described.

Commands within the command-line interface of different operating systems can range a bit in difference, but also run very similar commands. Viewers will see demonstrations of using some of the different Linux commands in the Terminal, which is a skill every help desk technician should be familiar with.

Some people may be well versed on a particular operating system, but as an A+ technician, one will need to be proficient in at least a few different operating systems so that they will know what to do in different situations out in the field. Viewers will continue to hear details of some of Apple's Mac OS features and then start delving into some basic Linux commands like ls, grep, ps, and pwd.

It's better for one to implement proactive maintenance measures than to be reactive and implement them when a problem arises. Viewers will hear about some of the most common maintenance tools and procedures that every A+ technician should be familiar with.

Remote technologies are useful for controlling facets of other systems through a network in the context of an environment like helpdesk or remote administration. Viewers will continue to hear networking concepts and technologies in the Microsoft Windows desktop environment including remote connection solutions like Remote Desktop Connection and Remote Assistance, as well as hear about how to work

A network allows a system to more efficiently and conveniently share and connect to resources. Viewers will hear about installing and configuring Windows networking on a client or desktop device and hear the differences between home groups and work groups, how to access resources across the network, joining domains and sharing out printers.

Power Options is something inside the Windows Control Panel that is very important for maintaining longevity of mobile devices and laptops. Viewers will hear further discussions on the available utilities inside of the Windows Control Panel including the Network and Sharing Center as well as driver management through the Device Manager, the built-in troubleshooters inside Windows Control panel

The default out of the box experience for a Windows browser or operating system might not be the set up one will need to use in their own environment, so one might want to be concerned with Folder Options to provide one with a more customized experience. Viewers will hear explanations about Folder Options, User Accounts and the System Control panel.

The Windows Control Panel has gone through some changes throughout the years, but still houses many of the same tools. Viewers will hear about the available utilities inside of the Windows Control Panel and also about the configuration of Internet Explorer's options as well as configuring display settings.

Having a full view of the uses of the tools in the Microsoft OS can also allow one to more effectively maintain a system in a better timely manner. Viewers will hear continuations of discussions involving utilities that help one to maintain the Windows operating system environment, which include traditional Windows Runline commands

Having an abundant supply of tools within an operating system can be very useful for the amount of features and practicality they can provide. Viewers will continue to hear discussions on utilities that help maintain the Windows operating system environment like hard drive configuration through Disk Management that may help conduct tasks such as splitting partitions, shrinking, extending partition

Understanding the different functions of the tools and utilities within the Microsoft operating system can help one better understand how to more efficiently conduct tasks in a Windows system. Viewers will hear explanations of further utilities that help maintain the Windows operating system environment like the Task Manager as well as hear about managing hard drives inside a Windows PC

Having knowledge of the tools and utilities in the Microsoft operating system will benefit one from a practical standpoint and also for one's goals of passing the A+ 902 level exam. Viewers will hear further discussions on utilities that help maintain the Windows operating system environment and also about tools like Print Management, Windows Memory Diagnostic and the Windows Firewall

The Microsoft command line tools found in the Windows operating system might be something that presents a bit of a challenge to those who are relatively new to the Windows environment like the challenge of understanding the contexts in which they run and the changes they can make to the system. Viewers will hear about commands that help with disk and folder management such as diskpart, cd, rd

Finishing steps in the installation process is the final stepping stone to a proper installation of Windows. Viewers will hear about formatting disks, working with device drivers and third party drivers, setting regional and language settings, and some post installation procedures like joining Workgroups and/or Domains.

As a technician, one will need to be able to understand the different methods for installing a Windows based operating system. Viewers will hear further explanations about the process of installing the Windows Operating System by hearing how to prepare a drive to receive the OS, how to partition a drive, and hear about the types and differences in the filesystems that can be utilized with the Wind

Installing Windows on a PC may seem like an easy task for most people, but there are actually many more methods of going about the installation process than people assume. Viewers will hear about different boot methods used to install the Windows operating system like booting to a USB drive, CD/DVD media, Netboot/PXE boot, and even Windows-To-Go and also hear about types of installations

Understanding all the features of a system is also good for understanding how a system works and the functionality behind it. Viewers will hear further discussions on Windows features including changing the default view of Control Panel, Modern UI, Start Screen, Charms, Powershell and the Action Center as well as hear about file structures inside of Windows and the importance of upgrading Windows

Being familiar with the features inside of the Windows operating system can be helpful when wanting to complete different tasks or solve different problems. Viewers will hear further discussions on Windows features including Compatibility Mode, XP Mode, Windows Easy Transfer, Windows Firewall and Event Viewer.

There are a lot of different features within the Microsoft operating system and it is important to understand the features to be able to differentiate between the different operating systems. Viewers will hear about 32 Bit and 64 Bit operating systems and some features of Windows including Aero, Gadgets, the User Account Control, Bitlocker and System Restore.

Those looking to complete the CompTIA A+ 900 Series certification will find in this course an overview of the process in achieving the certification and some of the details about the last of the two exams required to pass in order to receive the certification. The certification is designed for entry level IT professionals and obtaining it demonstrates that one possesses the knowledge and skills of