A+ Certification: CompTIA A Plus Certification

Tuesday, March 05, 2019

ExamGuides.com

ExamGuides.com A Leading Exam Cram study guide Website For It Certifications has been updated to provide better user experience by incorporating breadcrumbs, horizontal navigation, and search engine optimization. The website offers exam cram notes for CCNA, CCNP, CompTIA A+, Network+, Juniper JNCIA, and others. The cram notes is free and useful for certification exams. For final review of the syllabus. Check it out!

Available Exam Cram Notes:

CompTIA Certifications

Cisco Certifications

Juniper Certifications

MicroSoft Certifications

Windows 2000 Exam cram

CheckPoint Certifications

Others

Friday, March 01, 2019

CompTIA A+ Core 2 Certification Practice Tests

CompTIA A+ Core 2(220-1002)Certification Practice Tests

SimulationExams.com CompTIA A+ is requires two separate Exams 1.Core 1(220-1001) and 2.Core 2(220-1002). CompTIA Released new exam series effective on 15th -Jan-2019.The previous versions 220-901 and 220-902 were introduced in December 2015 and it is will be retired in july 2019. That means if you already passed the first exam (220-901) or are studying for it currently, you will want to also take and pass 220-902 before July 31st, because CompTIA doesn’t allow you to mix exams from two different series.

The new exams include expanded content to reflect the developing role of IT Specialists,including Security,Networking,device Connectivity and new approaches to operational procedures.

The 220-1002 exam takes security skills to the next level, according to CompTIA. For example, it’s no longer enough to simply recognize malware — you need to be able to detect and remove it.

Some of the changes in the security domain include:

Physical and logical security practices were separated into their own individual sections and some new concepts were introduced, such as the “principle of least privilege” and mobile-device management (MDM) policies.
Social engineering has been expanded and includes a lot of other vectors beyond phishing, like spear phishing, shoulder-surfing and even dumpster-diving.
Workstation security practices were expanded to include basic active directory functions like account deletion.

In Order to take and PassCompTIA A+ Core2(220-1002) exam the Candidate must follow CompTIA A+ Core2 exam objectives and Domains. The following list Incorporates the area wise percentage of the exam.

Operating systems(27%)
Security: (24%)
Software troubleshooting: (26%)
Operational procedures: (23%)

You May Download the CompTIA A+ Core2 Certification Practice Test By Clicking here

http://www.simulationexams.com/exam-details/aplus-core2.htm

About CompTIA A+ Core2(220-1002) Certification: A+ Certification is offered by CompTIA. CompTIA A+ certification is one of the most widely-recognized Certification in IT Sector.

The 220-1002 exam takes security skills to the next level, according to CompTIA. For example, it’s no longer enough to simply recognize malware — you need to be able to detect and remove it.The CompTIA A+ Exam 220-1002 covers the installation and configuration of operating systems, expanded security, operational procedures and software troubleshooting.

About SimulationExams.com: SimulationExams provides Certification practice tests for CCNA, CCDA, CCNP, A+, Network+, Server+, MCSE, Check Point CCSA, CIW and several others that help test your preparedness for taking the actual certification exam. Practice tests help in consolidating your concepts, preparation and also as exam cram. Each test is based on respective vendors' published exam objectives and designed to help attain certification. Several question types are supported to provide actual exam experience to the Users.

CompTIA A+ Core 1 Certification Practice Tests

CompTIA A+ Core 1(220-1001)Certification Practice Tests

SimulationExams.com CompTIA A+ is requires two separate Exams 1.Core 1(220-1001) and 2.Core 2(220-1002).CompTIA Released new exam series effective on 15th -Jan-2019.The previous versions 220-901 and 220-902 were introduced in December 2015 and it is will be retired in july 2019. That means if you already passed the first exam (220-901) or are studying for it currently, you will want to also take and pass 220-902 before July 31st, because CompTIA doesn’t allow you to mix exams from two different series.

The new exams include expanded content to reflect the developing role of IT Specialists,including Security,Networking,device Connectivity and new approaches to operational procedures. While CompTIA doesn’t require a minimum level of experience for candidates, it recommends 9 to 12 months of experience in the field or in the lab. You need a minimum score of 675 (on a 100-900 scale) to pass.

Candidates taking Exam 220-1001 should be able to demonstrate these core skills, among others:

Installing, configuring and maintaining PCs, mobile devices and software
Diagnosing, resolving and documenting common software and hardware problems
Providing customer support to end users and applying troubleshooting
Understand basic concepts such as desktop imaging, virtualization and networking

The CompTIA A+ Core 1(200-1001) exam is gives special importance to technology more. Previously Cloud and virtualization were lumped in with other systems and technologies.

List of Few Cloud related New Topics In the New Exam objectives:

Internal Vs External Shared Resources
Off Site Email Applications
Cloud Files Storage Services
Virtual application Streaming and Cloud based Apps
Virtual Desktops

The 90-minutes Core 1 exam has a maximum of 90 questions, including multiple-choice and performance-based. The questions cover the following technical areas with Percentage wise of the exam:

Mobile devices (14% of the exam)
Networking (20%)
Hardware (27%)
Virtualization and cloud computing (12%)
Network hardware and troubleshooting (27%)

You May Download the CompTIA A+ Core1 Certification Practice Test By Clicking here

http://www.simulationexams.com/exam-details/aplus-core1.htm

About CompTIA A+ Core1(220-1001) Certification: A+ Certification is offered by CompTIA. CompTIA A+ certification is one of the most widely-recognized Certification in IT Sector. A+ exam is targeted for computer service technicians with 9 to 12 months hands-on experience in the lab or field. CompTIA A+ 220-1001 covers mobile devices, networking technology, hardware, virtualization and cloud computing and network troubleshooting. CompTIA’s A+ is vendor-neutral and is designed to certify the competency of entry-level PC computer service professionals in installing, maintaining, customizing and operating personal computers.

Tuesday, September 11, 2018

Comptia A+ Labsim Update

Simulationexams.com has updated Comptia A+ Labsim with additional labs. The new labs cover the topics extensively and useful for candidates appearing for the exam. You may download the labsim by going to the following URL:

http://www.simulationexams.com/LabSim/aplus-lab-simulator.htm

Newly added labs are as given below:

5.25 Disabling Startup Programs in Windows 7

5.26 Troubleshooting startup issues using Bootrec.exe tool in windows RE (Recovery Environment)

7.5 Connecting smart phone to a wireless network

7.6 Connecting smart phone to PoP3 email server

You may view the entire set of labs by going to the page,

http://www.simulationexams.com/LabSim/apluslabs/index.htm

In addition to the labsim for Comptia A+ we have Network+ Labsim that is useful for candidates preparing for network+ exam. The labsims complement respective exam sims in preparing for the certification exam.

Related resources:

Check out Comptia A+ exam cram available free from examguides.com

About Labsims: Lab simulators are virtual software tools that help users to practice a system configuration or a network configuration in a virtual environment. The virtual environment provides system and/or network components as encountered in actual practice. Practicing on virtual components is save as you don't mess up with the actual servers and routers.

Thursday, July 12, 2018

Simulation Exams Releases New Secplus SY0-501 Practice Tests

The practice tests for Comptia® Security+® (Exam Code SY0-501) conforms to the latest exam objectives and cover the same extensively. The security plus exam objectives include the following:

1.0 Threats, Attacks and Vulnerabilities in computers
2.0 Technologies and Tools for identifying threats and attacks
3.0 Architecture and Design
4.0 User and resource identity and access Management
5.0 Risk assessment and management
6.0 Cryptography and PKI standards

The test engine features the following:

1. An integrated test engine which enables a user to download, install/reinstall, and remove any available tests,

2. Verify and download latest updates and patches, allowing to check for the same from within the exam environment,

3. Download/Install/Uninstall any test module from within the ITE (short for Integrated Test Environment)

4. Ability to provide question feedback on any given question while the test is in progress.

5. Immediate online activation using web-based interface with manual backup option

With the ability to verify for any revision updates, candidates can download and update any test to the latest version with minimum effort.

The CompTIA secplus practice tests offered by SimulationExams includes 400+ questions with detailed explanations. The question database conforms to the exam objectives and provides the candidate with simulated exam environment similar to that of actual exam.

Other practice tests offered by SimulationExams.com include the following:

a. A+ Certification
b. CCNA Certification
c. CCNP Certificaiton,
d. Network+Certification, and others.

The new SY0-501 includes questions for thoroughly preparing a candidate for the exam.

The test engine is .net compliant, and thoroughly tested in Windows 7/8/8.1 and Windows 10 platforms. High speed file downloads are made available using cloud platform.

Security+ Cert practice exam is also available for Android and iOS mobile apps, please check out security plus app for download and install.

Disclaimer: The website SimulationExams.com is operated by Anand Software and TrainingPvt. Ltd. All trademarks are the trademarks of their respective owners and duly recognized. Cisco(®), CCNA (®), and CCNP(®) are registered trademarks of Cisco(®) and Comptia (®), Network+(®) are trademarks of Comptia organigation, and duly acknowledged.

Thursday, April 19, 2018

SimulationExams.com Updates Comptia A+ Labsim

Simulationexams.com recently updated Comptia(R) A+ Labsim to include more labs and provide better user interface. The new labs included are in the area of mobile phone configuration for email client, Wifi network configuarion on a mobile phone, etc. You may download the latest version of the lab simulator by going to the following link:
http://www.simulationexams.com/LabSim/aplus-lab-simulator.htm

Comptia revised it's exams to include PBQs (Performance Based Questions) so that a candidate may be tested for proper hands-on experience. The PBQs are usually simulation type questions that presents a scenario and the candidate is asked to proceed with the simulation by viewing configuration, typing configuration commands, or troubleshooting incorrect configuration. Though these questions are not very difficult to do, it is important that one has previous experience in doing such questions. Otherwise, lot of time will get wasted in answering such questions.

Comptia A+ Exam Sim with Labsim is also available that provides both the practice tests as well as the labsim together. The practice exams consist of 400+ questions with answers and flash card explanation for each question.

About Comptia A+ Cert: The certification, widely known in the area of computer hardware and operating systems, is offered by Comptia organization on completion of two constituent exams, namely, A+ Essentials, and A+ Practical Application. Other certs offered by Comptia include Network+, Security+, Server+, and others.

Disclaimer: The author or Simulationexams.com is not associated with Comptia organization and Comptia(R) is a registered trademark of Comptia organization.

Tuesday, February 27, 2018

SimulationExams.com Blog

SimulationExams.com, recently started the blog site for getting up to date information to the users. The blog may be found here: http://www.simulationexams.com/Blog

The blog, a regular wordpress one, consists of the following:

1. Horizontal menu with links to

2. Associate Sites

3. Categories

A+ Certification
CCNA Certification
Certifications – Other
LabSims
Security+ Certification
Uncategorized

Please check the simulationexams blog for more information.

SimulationExams.com Releases Comptia A+ Examsim With Labsim

SimulationExams.com recently released Comptia A+ Practice Tests /with Labsim software for Comptia A+ certification preparation. The software consists of both A+ Essentials practice exam along with A+ Labsim, thus providing better learning experience for candidates preparing for Comptia A+ certification.

A+ Certification has been the work horse of computer hardware and operating systems software technologies for quite some time, and most popular certification. Many countries recognize the certification towards course credits and the same is updated from time to time. Check out the product pages here:

Friday, October 21, 2016

SimulationExams Comptia A+ Labsim Update

SimulationExams.com has recently updated Comptia A+ labsim resulting in improved user interface. The update includes the following:

1. Ability to mark labs. Any labs of interest may be marked for future revision.

2. Color notations: Labs have been marked with suitable colors based on "Not Yet Attempted", "In Progress", and "Completed". This would enable a user to readily know the prep status, and start with the lab in question. It is possible to reset the same to default.

3. Lab progress bar: A progress bar indicates how much of the lab has been completed, and how much is still remaining.

4. The figures are now expandable with a mouse click. This enables a candidate to view the details.

You may download the A+ Labsim here:
http://www.simulationexams.com/LabSim/aplus-lab-simulator.htm

The labs available with the lab simulator may be viewed here:
http://www.simulationexams.com/LabSim/apluslabs/identifying-memory-modules.htm

Other software products available:
Comptia A+ Essentials Practice Tests
Comptia A+ Practical Practice Tests
Comptia Network+ LabSim

SimulationExams Comptia A+ Labsim Update

Sunday, April 10, 2016

What is new in A+ Labsim?

Several new labs have been added to A+ labsim. These include the following
1. Connecting to a remote desktop using windows7

2. NTFS and Share permissions

To share folders with other users on your network
To change read only attributes on files and folders
To set, view, change, or remove file and folder permissions

3. User account creation , configuration and authentication

Creating a new user account
To change user account password
To change user account control settings
To change the user account type
Removing user accounts

4. Configuring windows7 power options

5. Configuring windows7 updates

6. Configuring Local Security Policy

Windows7 Update Configurations
Windows7 Update Settings
Setting Account lockout policy
Setting Password policy

Check out the webpage for complete list of available labs:

http://routersimulator.certexams.com/Aplus-labsim/download-aplus-lab-simulator.html

You may also check out the latest exam simulator for A+ Essentials and A+ Practical.

7. Configuring hardware settings using Device Manager

Sunday, March 27, 2016

SimulationExams.com Updates Comptia® A+ Labsim

Simulation Exams has released an updated version of CompTIA® A+ Lab Simulator to include more lab exercises, specially, those that simulate Windows GUI features. The new exercises include those on

Remote desktop simulation
New user account creation/password change
Performance monitoring
System security setting, etc.

Check out the lab sim by downloading the free trial version here:
http://www.simulationexams.com/LabSim/aplus-lab-simulator.htm

The lab simulator is useful not only for those preparing for A+ cert, but also to those desirous of learning computer hardware and software configuration.

You may also be interested in Network+ labsim that provides dozens of labs on networking.

Disclaimer: Simulationexams.com is not associated with Comptia® organization, and CompTIA A+®, Comptia Network+® are trademarks of Comptia® and duly acknowledged.

Friday, March 11, 2016

SimulationExams.com Releases A+ 2015 New Exams - 220-901 and 220-902

SimulationExams.com released new A+ exams, 220-901 A+ Essentials, and 220-902 A+ Practical Application exams conforming the latest exam objectives.
A+ hardware exam comprises of

Computer hardware components such as motherboard, CPU, Power Supplies,
Peripheral devices such as monitors, printers and scanners
Network design and troubleshooting
Mobile devices

A+ Practical consists of Operating Systems software and include the following:

Windows 7. Windows 8.1 installation, configuration, and troublehsooing
Linux OS simple commands and configuration issues
MAX OSX configuration
Android installation, updates and configuration
Security,
Professionalism

The practice tests will have 600+ questions in all and most relevant in nature. The question bank is prepared such that all objectives are covered and the candidate will be able to identify the weak areas and prepare thoroughly for the actual exam.

Wednesday, October 07, 2015

Comptia A+ Certification Practice Tests - Android Version

SimulationExams.com, a leading practice tests provider, released CompTIA A+ Essentials practice tests for Android version. The software is available on Google Play store in two version.

All questions carry answers with flash card explanation. Exam review is useful before taking the actual certification exam. The Windows based desktop versions are available already here:

1. A+ Essentials Free Windows version, limited to 60 questions
2. A+ Essentials Full Windows version, with 400+ questions.

About A+ Certification: The certification, offered by CompTIA organization is one of the most reputed cert in the area of personal computer hardware and operating systems. CompTIA has been offering the certification for almost over 2 decades, and one of the most widely respected certs in the given domain. The certification is vendor neutral, though it covers mostly the Microsoft Windows technologies.

Other CompTIA practice tests available with SimulationExams.com:

Checkout the complete range of free android apps available.

Sunday, June 28, 2015

A+ Essentials practice tests, free Android version released.

SimulationExams.com released the free Android version of its A+ essentials practice tests here:
play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.anandsoft.aplusess
The practice tests have 60 questions with answers and flash card explanation for each question. This, being the first Android ap published on Googleplay, wil be followed by more such programs. However, the full version with 300+ questions and answers is available from simulationexams.com here:

www.simulationexams.com/exam-details/aplus-essentials-220-801.htm

The application available in both Windows platform and Android platform. For mobile application, a screensize of 4 inches or more is recommended. The application works on android version 3.3 and above.

For any feedback, please leave comment or contact us at webmaster at anandsoft.com

Thanks.

Monday, April 14, 2014

JEE MAIN (AIEEE) Mock Tests by PrepExams.in

PrepExams.in, an innovative website that provides mock tests for various competitive exams, released practice tests for JEE Main exam. The practice tests, mainly constituting of previous years papers, include 2000+ questions. One notable feature of the practice exams is that they are available in downloadable form, so that the candidate need not have Internet connectivity while taking the practice tests.
Important features provided by the practice exams include the following:

Realistic exam questions
Learn mode and Exam mode. During Learn mode, a user will be able to select topic for which he/she wants to take a test, and view solutions. Exam mode just mimics the actual exam environment.
Detailed score reports: Topic wise scores are available, so that a student can retake test in weak areas.
Ask a Question: It is possible to send a question or a feedback to us from within the exam environment by using Send Feedback option.
Online Activation: You may download and activate the software soon after purchase. Everything is automated. Of course, manual activation is still possible.
Proven Exam Engine: We specialize in prep exams, and have several years of experience in providing prep exams.
Free Trial Version: Trial version consists of about 30 questions. All features are available.

The exam engine provides ability to check for updates online, and download/install latest updates. The control panel allows a user to customize exam parameters such as time, question review, navigation buttons (so that one can disable, for example, the Previous Question button. In addition, all reports are saved and a user may review old exam reports. The times taken for each question (whether answered or un-answered) will also be recorded.
Learn more about JEE MAIN Mock Tests
Download JEE MAIN Mock Tests
Visit the Website PrepExams.in
Admission to Undergraduate Engineering Programs at NITs, IIITs, Other centrally funded Technical Institutions, Institutions funded by several participating State Governments, and several other Institutions is based on Joint Entrance Examination, JEE (Main). The JEE (Main) will also be an eligibility test for the JEE (Advanced), which the candidate has to take if he/she is aspiring for admission to the undergraduate programmes offered by the IITs.
About PrepExams.in
PrepExams.in provides Mock Tests for various entrance tests conducted by the Indian educational bodies. These include JEE MAIN, JEE Advanced, BITSAT, and others. Unlike many other websites that offer online mock tests, prepexams tests are downloadable, providing immunity against the net down time, and slow net access. Another important feature of our mock tests is the ability to start the test where you had left before quitting the test. This is a useful feature in places where there are frequent power cuts. More prep tests will be added from time to time. The website is owned and operated by Anand Software and Training Pvt. Ltd., Bangalore.
Keywords:
JEE Main, JEE mock tests, JEE Main questions, IIT exam, India JEE, JEE Advanced, IIT entrance test
Links:
http://www.prepexams.in/JEE-Main/jee-main-product-details.html
http://www.prepexams.in/JEE-Main/jee-main-product-downlod.html
http://www.prepexams.in/

Tuesday, March 11, 2014

CCNA Certification: SWREGN.COM CCNA Download and Registration Site

CCNA Certification: SWREGN.COM CCNA Download and Registration Site: The website SWRegn.com has been updated thoroughly. The website offers the following: a. Software Products Hosting and Download Servi...

Friday, March 07, 2014

CCNA Certification: CCENT Cisco Entry Network Technician 100-101 Exam ...

CCNA Certification: CCENT Cisco Entry Network Technician 100-101 Exam ...: CertExams.com released Cheat Sheets (Cram Notes) for Cisco CCENT 100-101 . The cheat sheets consist of about 30 pages covering the follo...

Monday, March 03, 2014

Switch Simulator for Cisco and Juniper Switches

CertExams.com, recently updated it's NetworkSwitch Simulator software to support Juniper JUNOS Operating System switches in addition to Cisco IOS switches. This software has been developed to help candidates preparing for any Cisco/Juniper switching exams. It is also useful for professionals desirous of learning switch networking using Cisco/Juniper switches.

Features include the following:
1. Switch network simulator - Use default switch network diagram to configure and troubleshoot switch networks.
2. Support for 100+ switch commands for both Cisco IOS and Juniper JUNOS. Topics covered include Spanning Tree Protocol (STP), Per VLAN STP (also called PVSTP), VLAN Trunking Protocol (VTP), and Power Over Ethernet (PoE).
3. Short form commands available
4. Several lab exercises for both Cisco switches and Juniper switches have been provided for thorough hands-on practice.
5. Help files: Allow you to find and practice relevant topics.

The demo version of the software is limited to fewer commands and labs. Full version enables candidates to access complete list of labs and commands, and practice the same.
The software is compatible with Windows 2000/XP/Vista and Windows 7 32/64-bit operating systems.
More information on this product is available at switch simulator home page:
http://routersimulator.certexams.com/switch-simulator.html
Switch simulator download page may be accessed by visiting the link provided below:
http://routersimulator.certexams.com/switch-simulator-download.html
For those who are interested in practicing both router and switch labs, Cisco NetSim with designer is recommended. Several networking router and switch labs are available for thorough practice. The Network Simulator is primarily intended for candidates preparing for Cisco CCENT, CCNA, or Juniper exams.
About CertExams.com: The website, maintained by Anand Software and Training Pvt. Ltd., offers router/switch network simulators, exam simulators, and other certification preparation tools. The products offered by CertExams.com include network simulator software for Cisco CCNA/CCENT/ICND2, Juniper Junos software for JNCIA, CCNA ExamSim, and several others. Free practice exam questions, and exam notes are available.

Sunday, January 19, 2014

A+ Essentials Exam Cram for 220-801

Check out A+ Essentials 220-801 exam cram here:
http://www.simulationexams.com/comptia.htm
Free pdf: http://www.simulationexams.com/exam-cram/Aplus-Essentials-Exam-Cram.pdf
Covers CPU components, printers and scanners, and troubleshooting.

A+ Practical Applications exam cram notes may be found here:
http://www.simulationexams.com/exam-cram/Aplus-Practical-Exam-Cram.pdf
The exam notes is free and covers all the exam objectives viz.
Domain Percentage of Examination
Operating Systems 33%
Security 22%
Mobile Devices 9%
Troubleshooting 36%
Total 100%
Test Details
Required exams:
a. CompTIA A+ 220-801
b. CompTIA A+ 220-802
Number of questions Maximum of 90
Type of questions Multiple choice and performance-based
Length of test 90 minutes
Recommended experience Six to 12 months hands-on experience in the lab or field
Passing score CompTIA A+ 220-801: 675 (on a scale of 900)
CompTIA A+ 220-802: 700 (on a scale of 900)
Languages English, German, Japanese, Spanish

Tuesday, January 07, 2014

CertExams.com Releases Exam Cram for A+ Essentials

CertExams.com released cram notes for A+ Essentials Exam 220-801. The cheat sheets covers the following topics:

1. PC Hardware- Includes computer motherboards, HDD, Firmware, Memory, and others.
2. Networking- Different network architectures, configuring and troubleshooting network LAN/WAN problems.
3. Laptops- Different screen resolutions, configuration issues, and troubleshooting hardware problems.
4. Printers- Inkjet and Laser printers troubleshooting
5. Operational Procedures- Customer relation, problem identification, and waste disposal

The notes is prepared to help the candidates to serve as a last minute preparation tool. Feedback may be emailed to cs at certexams.com The cram notes is suitable for candidates preparing for A+ Certification exams including A+ Essentials and A+ Practical.

Checkout CompTIA A+ Esentials 220-801 Exam Cram /Cheat Sheets
Available products - Exam Simulators: Aplus Essentials Practice Tests 220-801, Aplus Practical Practice Tests 220 802, Cisco CCENT Exam Sim, ICND2, CCNP Route CCNP Switch, and others.

About A+ Certification: A+ is offered by Comptia Systems on successful completion of A+ Essentials and A+ Practical Application exams. The exams covers computer hardware, typically Intel compatible hardware, basic networking techniques, Windows operating systesm such as Windows 7, and day-to-day troubleshooting techniques.

Disclaimer: CertExams.com is not associated or affiliated with CompTIA or any other company. CertExams.com is a group website of Anand Software and Training.

Sunday, September 08, 2013

PracticeTests.info Website for Cert Practice Tests

PracticeTests.info, a certifications practice tests website, has been updated to include several new cert pages in the following sections:

Practice tests/exam simulators for various leading IT certs has been offered here with details on number of questions available in full and demo versions, pricing for practice tests, and latest revisions.

Thursday, August 15, 2013

A+ Cert - Patch Management Policy

This list covers the major categories of things that can be patched or updated in a typical desktop configuration and the order in which you should apply them whenever possible. Patch your systems in this order and your patch management policy will be stronger than ever.

Bios:

As with servers, start here. Managing BIOS updates across multiple systems is all the easier when they're of the same make and manufacturer, but it requires "hard" downtime: The computer has to be powered down and rebooted to apply the new BIOS, and the administrator usually has to baby-sit each system individually that will be upgraded. Fortunately, many PC manufacturers now allow centralized updates to BIOSes through a management application -- Altiris, for instance, has a management solution for Dell desktops and notebooks that allows remote BIOS updates.

Device BIOSes:

These include things like BIOS updates for disk controllers, video cards or other devices. Device BIOS updates go into a separate category from regular BIOS updates for two reasons: One, they are easy to overlook and not often considered for desktops; two, you usually cannot update them en masse. For example: If you're administering a group of graphical workstations that need updates to their video card's BIOSes -- and the only way to do that is via a 16-bit DOS-based updater -- you'll probably have to do that by hand for each computer. However, if you could perform the update through a 32-bit Windows application, you could probably push out your Windows patches as you would any other update.

Device drivers:

As with servers, one of the more common hardware device-driver updates published for a desktop computer is for the network controller. Make sure you test the update ahead of time. If you automate patching on a whole slew of machines with such a driver and the end result is that they're all knocked off the network, your only choice might be to either re-image them from scratch or fix each one manually.

The OS:
Patching Windows OSes is the part almost everyone is directly familiar with and it needs relatively little elaboration here. One thing I'll add is something I also wrote about in the server version of this article: If there are device driver updates, they should be examined separately from other updates in case an OEM-provided version of the driver is more urgently needed.

Middleware:
This normally includes elements such as ODBC drivers but should also include things like the Microsoft .NET Framework. Note that with the .NET Framework, the 1.1 and 2.0 iterations (and the upcoming 3.0 edition as well) exist side-by-side and don't eclipse each other.

Application patches:
As with the OS and its attendant patches, you can roll out application patches through the usual automated mechanisms, and it should be done only after everything else has already been applied.

Practice Tests:
http://www.certexams.com/comptia/a+/a+essentials-exam-details.htm

Sunday, August 04, 2013

A+ Certification Books

http://www.simulationexams.com/books/comptia/aplus-books.htm

Written by the leading authority on CompTIA A+ certification and training, the new edition of this trusted resource offers complete, up-to-date coverage of CompTIA A+ exams 220-801 and 220-802. You’ll find learning objectives at the beginning of each chapter, exam tips, practice exam questions, and in-depth explanations. Prepare for the exams with confidence! McGraw-Hill is a Gold-Level CompTIA Authorized Partner offering Authorized CompTIA Approved Quality Content to give you the competitive edge on exam day. This comprehensive guide also serves as an essential on-the-job reference after certification.

Saturday, July 27, 2013

TutorialsWeb.com - Articles on OSI Model, Motherboard, and others.

Tutorialsweb.com has the following articles which may be useful in understanding or preparing for A+ cert.

Computer Motherboards

Motherboard components:
1. Mouse & keyboard
2. USB
3. Parallel port
4. CPU Chip
5. RAM slots
6. Floppy controller
7. IDE controller
8. PCI slot
9. ISA slot
10. CMOS Battery
11. AGP slot
12. CPU slot
13. Power supply plug in

Computer Networking

Network implementation consists of the following steps:
1. Physical network design

i. Local Area Network design:

LAN design consists of selecting appropriate devices such as Hubs, Bridges, Switches, and Routers. Criteria for selecting LAN devices include the following:

The number of ports required at different levels
The speed (10Mbps/100Mbps/1Gbps or others)
Media considerations, such as Ethernet, Token Ring etc.
Support for different network protocols such as TCP, VOIP etc.
Ease of configuration, and maintainability
Management (SNMP etc.)
Availability
Documentation

Printers and Scanners

Printers are commonly used output devices that produce a hard copy of document stored in electronic form, i.e they put information from computer on to paper.
There are various kinds of printers available today like Impact printers, Bubble-jet printers, Laser printers, Thermal printers etc.

Introduction to TCP/IP,

An Internet consists of a set of connected networks. The chief advantage of an Internet is that it provides universal interconnection while allowing individual groups to use whatever network hardware is best suited to their needs. The technology TCP/IP provides the basis for the global Internet, which helps in connecting individuals, universities, corporation and government department in many countries around the globe. The global Internet is expanding rapidly.

OSI Model

The OSI (Open Systems Interconnection) Model has the following layers:

The Application layer
The Presentation layer
The Session layer
The Transport layer
The Network layer
The Data link layer
The Physical layer

Note that the layers are divided for convenience and understanding, and in actual practice, there might be some overlap in functionalities. Visit TutorialsWeb.com for free articles.

Thursday, July 25, 2013

A+ Certification 220-801 Practice Tests

SimulationExams.com released A+ 220-801 Essentials practice tests with 300+ questions and answers. As you might be aware, CompTIA has release new exams several months ago and the older 220-701 will become obsolete very shortly. If any one is preparing for the exam with older objectives, you need to take the exam before it expires.

You may download the new A+ Essentials practice tests and try before purchasing the full version.

Saturday, April 30, 2011

Revised A+ Practice Tests With New Exam Engine

The practice tests for A+ Certification have been updated at SimulationExams.com. The practice tests consist of A+ Essentials 220-701 and A+ Practical Application 220-702. The new exam engine has the following features:
1. Integrated Exam Environment - All the available practice tests from SimulationExams.com will have a parent document within the program. One will be able see the test modules installed as well as the test modules that available for download and installation as can be seen from the figure above.
2. It is possible to check for any available updates pro grammatically, and install the latest version of the tests. Note that it is not required to check for updates manually as it is the case with other exam engines of other vendors.
3. Un-install: It is possible to uninstall any test module or the entire exam engine. Note that if you want to uninstall the entire exam engine, you will have the option to uninstall the individual test modules or not to.
4. Inline question feed-back: Candidates will be able to provide feedback on any individual question(s) without leaving the exam environment.
5. Several types of questions: Just as in the real cert exam, several types of question formats are supported: Multiple choice, Simlets, Testlets, Router Simulations, and Exhibit based questions

The demo version is limited to about 30 questions where as the full version will have 300+ questions. Demo version may be activated in to full version after ordering the same.

Download Demo versions:

A+ Essentials Practice Tests 220-701

A+ Practical Applications Practice Tests 220-702

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

A+ Certification 220-601 (2006 Objectives) and 220-701 (2009 Objectives) Compared

1. Networking

Basic networking concepts

Basics of workgroups and domains
Hub, switch and router
Common ports: HTTP, FTP, POP, SMTP, TELNET, HTTPS
Identify Virtual Private Networks (VPN)
Basics class identification

Network types

Broadband : fiber
Wireless : WEP, WPA, SSID, MAC filtering, DHCP Settings

2. Security

Basics of data sensitivity and data security

Compliance
Classifications
Social engineering

Security features (BIOS Security)

Drive lock
Passwords
Intrusion detection
TPM

Biometrics

Fingerprint scanner
Data wiping / hard drive destruction / hard drive recycling

3. Operating Systems

Additional OS:Windows Vista Home, Home Premium, Business and Ultimate

Compare and contrast the different Windows Operating Systems and their features

Windows 2000, Windows XP 32bit vs. 64bit, Windows Vista 32 bit vs. 64bit
Side bar, Aero, UAC, minimum system requirements, system limits
Windows 2000 and newer – upgrade paths and requirements
Terminology (32bit vs. 64bit – x86 vs. x64)
Application compatibility, installed program locations (32bit vs. 64bit),
Windows compatibility mode
User interface, start bar layout

Command prompt utilities

telnet
ping
ipconfig

Run line utilities

msconfig
msinfo32
Dxdiag
Cmd

Installation methods

Recover CD
Factory recovery partition

Install and configure windows OS

User data migration – User State Migration Tool (USMT)
Virtual memory

Configure power management

Suspend
Wake on LAN
Sleep timers
Hibernate
Standby

Demonstrate safe removal of peripherals

4. Hardware or Personal Computer components

Blu-Ray optical drive

Removable Storage: Hot swappable devices and non-hot swappable devices

Motherboard characteristics

I/O interfaces : USB 1.1 and 2.0,PS/2

Memory slots

SODIMM
SIMM

Bus slots

PCMCIA

Contrast RAID (levels 0, 1, 5)

Power supplies types

Voltage selector switch
Pins (20, 24)

CPU characteristics

Multicore , Triple and Quad core
Onchip Cache : L1 and L2

Memory Types

Single channel vs. dual channel

Speed

PC100
PC133
PC2700
PC3200
DDR3-1600
DDR2-667

Input devices

KVM switch

5. Troubleshooting, Repair and Maintenance

Common hardware and operating system symptoms and their causes

Hardware related symptoms

Excessive heat
Noise
Odors
Status light indicators
Alerts
Visible damage (e.g. cable, plastic)

Use documentation and resources

User / installation manuals
Internet / web based
Training materials

6. Communication and Professionalism

Set and meet expectations / timeline and communicate status with the customer

Offer different repair / replacement options if applicable
Provide proper documentation on the services provided
Follow up with customer / user at a later date to verify satisfaction

7.Safety and Environmental Procedures

EMI

Network interference
Magnets

RFI

Cordless phone interference
Microwaves

Electrical safety

CRT
Power supply
Inverter
Laser printers
Matching power requirements of equipment with power distribution and UPSs

Cable management

Avoiding trip hazards
Physical safety
Heavy devices
Hot components

Topics Removed

Networking Removed topics

Basic networking concepts

Cabling
Protocols (all other than TCP/IP, NetBIOS)
Connectors (all other than RJ45 and RJ11)

Network types

ISDN
Infra red
VOIP

All topics under these subheadings

i. Install, configure, optimize and upgrade networks

ii. Identify tools, diagnostic procedures and troubleshooting techniques for networks

2. Security Removed topics

Access points
Describe importance and process of incident reporting
Recognize and respond appropriately to social engineering situations
Perform preventive maintenance for computer security

3.OS Removed topics

Identify names, purposes and characteristics of the primary operating system components including registry, virtual memory and file system
Identify the names, locations, purposes and characteristics of operating system files for

example:

BOOT.INI

NTLDR

NTDETECT.COM

NTBOOTDD.SYS

Registry data files

4. Laptops and Portable Devices

Identifyand distinguish between mobile and desktop motherboards and processors including throttling, power management and WiFi

5.Printers

Solid Ink
Interfaces used by printers and scanners
Basic concepts of installing, configuring, optimizing and upgrading printers and scanners
Tools, basic diagnostic procedures for printers and scanners

Monday, March 09, 2009

A+ IT Practice Questions

1. When replacing an LCD in a laptop with Wi-Fi capabilities, which of the following cables should be disconnected? (Choose 2 best answers).

a. Main VGA to Primary Controller Board
b. Speaker
c. Keyboard
d. Panel
e. Wi-Fi

Ans: a,e

2. Which of the following measurement of a digital multimeter is typically done on a device in power-off state?

a. Voltage
b. Power
c. Current
d. Resistance

Ans: d

3. You find that the laser printer is slow in printing. Which of the following is most likely to increase the printing speed of a laser printer?

a. Update firmware
b. Update driver
c. Add more physical memory
d. Change paper
e. Change toner

ans: c

4. A Windows XP computer is connected to a peer-to-peer network. You suspect that the system is being hacked without any visible traces of being compromised. The computer has one user account and an administrative password set. Which of the following will create a higher level of
security?

a. Change Operating System to Windows 2000
b. Disable Guest account
c. Use complex password
d. Choose a different computer name

ans: b

5. To automatically update the accessories of a network printer, both the printer and the computer must support:

a. LPR/LPD
b. SNMP
c. HTTP
d. SSL

ans: b

6. What should a technician do FIRST to fix a problem on a Windows XP computer that displays an “Error loading operating system” or “Missing operating system” error message?

a. Re-install Windows XP from CD
b. From the Recovery Console run the FIXMBR command
c. Run Notton Anti Virus
d. Delete registry file

ans: b

Sunday, October 05, 2008

A+ Essentials Exam - Revised (New Objectives)

SimulationExams.com recently revised A+ Certification practice exams engine. One need to pass A+ Essentials along with one of the three available optionals, viz. A+ IT Technician, A+ Remote Support Technician, or A+ Depot Technician exams.

Details are available as below:
A+ Essentials
A+ IT Technican
A+ Remote Support
A+ Depot Technician

A+ Certification, awarded by CompTIA is vendor neutral. CompTIA certifications do not expire, though CompTIA recommends updating the certification to the most recent one offered by CompTIA.

Monday, September 01, 2008

A+ IT Technician Practice Tests

SimulationExams.com, a leading practice tests provider has recently released A+ IT Technician practice tests. The said exam is an optional part of the 2-part A+ Certification. To achieve A+ Certification, one needs to pass A+ Essentials exam and one of the following 3 optional exams:
a. A+ IT Technician, or
b. A+ Remote Support Technician, or
c. A+ Depot Technician

Among the 3 optional exams, A+ IT Technician is the most widely chosen optional exam for obtaining A+ Certification. CompTIA has discontinued earlier A+ Core Hardware, and A+ Operating Systems exams, and the candidates will no longer be able to register for these exams.

CompTIA certifications are valid for life, though the organization recommend for re-certification to keep abreast of changing technologies. A+ Certification is vendor neutral.

Saturday, November 03, 2007

VLAN Port Assignments

VLANs are assigned to individual switch ports.
Ports can be statically assigned to a single VLAN or dynamically assigned to a single VLAN.
All ports are assigned to VLAN 1 by default
Ports are active only if they are assigned to VLANs that exist on the switch.
Static port assignments are performed by the administrator and do not change unless modified by the administrator, whether the VLAN exists on the switch or not.
Dynamic VLANs are assigned to a port based on the MAC address of the device plugged into a port.
Dynamic VLAN configuration requires a VLAN Membership Policy Server (VMPS) client, server, and database to operate properly.

Sunday, September 16, 2007

CCENT Cisco Certified Entry Networking Technician

Cisco has recently introduced CCENT (Cisco Certified Entry-level Networking Technician) exam. The exam topic are provided below for reference:

Exam Number:		640-822 ICND1
Associated Certifications:		CCENT and CCNA
Duration:		90 Minutes (50-60 questions)
Available Languages:		English

Describe the operation of data networks.

Describe the purpose and functions of various network devices
Select the components required to meet a given network specification
Use the OSI and TCP/IP models and their associated protocols to explain how data flows in a network
Describe common networking applications including web applications
Describe the purpose and basic operation of the protocols in the OSI and TCP models
Describe the impact of applications (Voice Over IP and Video Over IP) on a network
Interpret network diagrams
Determine the path between two hosts across a network
Describe the components required for network and Internet communications
Identify and correct common network problems at layers 1, 2, 3 and 7 using a layered model approach
Differentiate between LAN/WAN operation and features

Implement a small switched network

Select the appropriate media, cables, ports, and connectors to connect switches to other network devices and hosts
Explain the technology and media access control method for Ethernet technologies
Explain network segmentation and basic traffic management concepts
Explain the operation of Cisco switches and basic switching concepts
Perform, save and verify initial switch configuration tasks including remote access management
Verify network status and switch operation using basic utilities (including: ping, traceroute,telnet,SSH,arp, ipconfig), SHOW & DEBUG commands
Implement and verify basic security for a switch (port security, deactivate ports)
Identify, prescribe, and resolve common switched network media issues, configuration issues, autonegotiation, and switch hardware failures

Implement an IP addressing scheme and IP services to meet network requirements for a small branch office

Describe the need and role of addressing in a network
Assign and verify valid IP addresses to hosts, servers, and networking devices in a LAN environment
Explain the basic uses and operation of NAT in a small network connecting to one ISP
Describe and verify DNS operation
Describe the operation and benefits of using private and public IP addressing
Enable NAT for a small network with a single ISP and connection using SDM and verify operation using CLI and ping
Configure, verify and troubleshoot DHCP and DNS operation on a router.(including: CLI/SDM)
Implement static and dynamic addressing services for hosts in a LAN environment
Identify and correct IP addressing issues

Implement a small routed network

Describe basic routing concepts (including: packet forwarding, router lookup process)
Describe the operation of Cisco routers (including: router bootup process, POST, router components)
Select the appropriate media, cables, ports, and connectors to connect routers to other network devices and hosts
Configure, verify, and troubleshoot RIPv2
Access and utilize the router CLI to set basic parameters
Connect, configure, and verify operation status of a device interface
Verify device configuration and network connectivity using ping, traceroute, telnet, SSH or other utilities
Perform and verify routing configuration tasks for a static or default route given specific routing requirements
Manage IOS configuration files (including: save, edit, upgrade, restore)
Manage Cisco IOS
Implement password and physical security
Verify network status and router operation using basic utilities (including: ping, traceroute,telnet,SSH,arp, ipconfig), SHOW & DEBUG commands

Explain and select the appropriate administrative tasks required for a WLAN

Describe standards associated with wireless media (including: IEEE WI-FI Alliance, ITU/FCC)
Identify and describe the purpose of the components in a small wireless network. (including: SSID, BSS, ESS)
Identify the basic parameters to configure on a wireless network to ensure that devices connect to the correct access point
Compare and contrast wireless security features and capabilities of WPA security (including: open, WEP, WPA-1/2)
Identify common issues with implementing wireless networks

Identify security threats to a network and describe general methods to mitigate those threats

Explain today's increasing network security threats and the need to implement a comprehensive security policy to mitigate the threats
Explain general methods to mitigate common security threats to network devices, hosts, and applications
Describe the functions of common security appliances and applications
Describe security recommended practices including initial steps to secure network devices

Implement and verify WAN links

Describe different methods for connecting to a WAN
Configure and verify a basic WAN serial connection

http://www.cisco.com/web/learning/le3/current_exams/640-822.html

Sunday, July 01, 2007

A+ Essentials 220-601 practice exams

SimulationExams.com has launched practice tests for A+ 2006 Certification. A+ Essentials practice exam includes over 300 practice questions. The practice questions include multiple choice, true/false, and exhibit based questions. The practice tests can downloaded from the website.
The exam objectives for A+ Essentials are:
1.0 Personal Computer Components
2.0 Laptop and Portable Devices
3.0 Operating Systems
4.0 Printers and Scanners
5.0 Networks
6.0 Security
7.0 Safety and Environmental Issues
8.0 Communication and Professionalism
One need to pass A+ Essentials with any one of the following options:
220-602 A+ IT Technician
220-603 A+ Remote Support Technician
220-604 A+ Depot Technician
Among the options available, 220-604 A+ Depot Technician is considered to be covering minimum syllabus.
Wishes all the certification aspirants good luck!

Monday, October 30, 2006

New A+ exams launch

Two of the exams offered by CompTIA(R) 1. A+ Core Hardware, and 2. A+ Operating Systems are revamped recently. The new objectives, and further details may be viewed at Comptia website, comptia.com.

Sunday, September 17, 2006

A+ Tutorial on Core Hardware Technologies.

A tutorial on A+ Core Hardware Technologies is available from simulationexams.com. A brief review of contents of the said tutorial are given below:

Computer Mother board
BIOS and CMOS Firmware
PC Memory
Processor/CPU
Storage Devices
Display Devices
PCMCIA/ PC Cards
IRQs, and I/O Addresses
Cables, and Connectors including serial, parallel, USB, and Firewire.
PC Power Supplies

Downloadable practice tests for A+ are also available from simulationexams.com