PC Hardware

What is FSB? How much power is supplied to each USB port? What is a UPS? What is the difference between standby and online UPS? What is SAS? What are the three main reasons for using RAID? Is RAID 0 considered to be a redundant Solution? Why? How many disks can be used for RAID 1? How RAID 5 works? What is the smallest number of disks required for RAID5? What other types of RAID do you know?

Microsoft-based Operating Systems

What is the difference between a workgroup and a domain? What are the major advantages of working in a domain model? What types of operating system installation methods do you know? What is an answer file? How would you create an answer file for Windows XP? How would you create one for Windows Vista? How do you perform an unattended installation on Windows XP? What is Sysprep? How do you use Sysprep? What is the major difference between Newsid and Sysprep? What is the function of the pagefile.sys file? What is the function of the hiberfil.sys file? What is the Registry? How can you edit the Registry? Name at least 3 ways of doing that. What should you do if you receive a message stating: "The following file is missing or corrupt: 'WINDOWS'SYSTEM32'CONFIG'SYSTEM"? How would you repair an unsuccessful driver update? When should you use each of the fallowing tools: System Restore, LKGC and Recovery Console? How do you set different print priority for different users? How can you reset user's passwords if you don't know his current password? What's the difference between changing a user's password and resetting it? You want to grant a user the right to perform backups should you add him to the administrators group? What is MMC?

What is gpedit.msc? How would you use the MMC to manage other servers on your network? You set a local policy for your Stand-alone XP Professional would the local policy effects the administrators group? What new in the Windows Vista Local Policy? What is the difference between User Privileges and User Permissions? What is Safe Mode? Which logs can be found in Event Viewer? What is msconfig? On which OS can it be found? Can you upgrade XP Home Edition to Server 2003? Which permission will you grant a user for a folder he need to be able to create and delete files in, if you do not want him to be able to change permissions for the folder? What is the difference between clearing the "allow" permission and checking the "deny"?

Networking

What is a NIC? What is a MAC Address? When would you use a crosslink cable? What are the main advantages and disadvantages of Fiber-Optic-based networks? What is the difference between a Hub and a Switch? On which OSI layer can a router be found? What is CSMA/CD? What is multicast? What is Broadcast? What is the difference between TCP and UDP? Describe some of the settings that are added by TCP and by UDP to the packet's header. What are TCP Ports? Name a few. What is a TCP Session? What three elements make up a socket? What will happen if you leave the default gateway information empty while manually configuring TCP/IP? What will happen if you execute the following command: "arp d *"? What is ICMP? When would you use the ping command with the "-t" switch? What command-line tool would help you discover for which port numbers your computer is listening? What is APIPA? How would you recognize it? What is a Cyclic Redundancy Check? What would you type in at a command prompt to view the IP settings for the computer that you are sitting at? What command would you type in at a command prompt to view the IP address of the remote computer?

What is the W Value for class B? What is the Net ID of an IP Address of 18.9.25.3 with Subnet Mask of 255.0.0.0? What is CIDR? What is 255.255.255.255 used for? What is the maximum number of hosts for a Class B Network? What is the (default) class type of 195.152.12.1? What is the subnet mask for 10.0.10.1/17? What is the result when changing from a subnet mask of 255.255.224.0 to a subnet mask of 255.255.240.0? How can you access a shared folder from a remote computer? Name at least 3 methods.

OSI Model (APSTNDP) The 7 layers of the OSI models can be divided into upper and lower layers. I have defined the characteristics, tasks and features of each layer separately. Layer 7: Application Layer The application layer defines the interfaces for communication and data transfer. This layer also provides and support services such as job transfer, handles network access, e-mail, supports user applications and error recovery. Protocols: FTP, DNS, SNMP, SMTP, FINGER, TELNET, TFTP, BOOTP and SMB protocol are operated on the application layer. Network Devices: Gateway network device is operated on the application layer. Layer 6: Presentation Layer The presentation layer presents the data into a uniform format and masks the difference of data format between two dissimilar systems. It also translates the data from application to the network format. Presentation layer is also responsible for the protocol conversion, encryption, decryption and data compression. Presentation layer is a best layer for cryptography. Network Devices: Gateway Redirector is operates on the presentation layer. Layer 5: Session Layer Session layer establish and manages the session between the two users at different ends in a network. Session layer also manages who can transfer the data in a certain amount of time and for how long. The examples of session layers and the interactive logins and file transfer sessions. Session layer reconnect the session if it disconnects. It also reports and logs and upper layer errors. Protocols: The protocols that work on the session layer are NetBIOS, Mail Slots, Names

Pipes, RPC Network Devices: Gateway Layer 4: Transport Layer Transport layer manages end to end message delivery in a network and also provides the error checking and hence guarantees that no duplication or errors are occurring in the data transfers across the network. Transport layer also provides the acknowledgement of the successful data transmission and retransmits the data if no error free data was transferred. It also provides and error handling and connectionless oriented data deliver in the network. Protocols: These protocols work on the transport layer TCP, SPX, NETBIOS, ATP and NWLINK. Network Devices: The Brouter, Gateway and Cable tester work on the transport layer. Layer 3: Network Layer The network layer determines that how data transmits between the network devices. It also translates the logical address into the physical address e.g computer name into MAC address. It is also responsible for defining the route, managing the network problems and addressing. Router works on the network layer and if a sending device does not break the data into the similar packets as the receiving device then network layer split the data into the smaller units and at the receiving end the network layer reassemble the data. Network layer routes the packets according to the unique network addresses. Router works as the post office and network layer stamps the letters (data) for the specific destinations. Protocols: These protocols work on the network layer IP, ICMP, ARP, RIP, OSI, IPX and OSPF. Network Devices: Network devices including Router, Brouter, Frame Relay device and ATM switch devices work on the network layer. Layer 2:Data Link Layer Defines procedures for operating the communication links Frames packets Detects and corrects packets transmit errors Protocols: Logical Link Control error correction and flow control manages link control and defines SAPs 802.1 OSI Model 802.2 Logical Link Control Media Access Control communicates with the adapter card

 controls the type of media being used: 802.3 CSMA/CD (Ethernet) 802.4 Token Bus (ARCnet) 802.5 Token Ring 802.12 Demand Priority Network Devices: Bridge Switch ISDN Router Intelligent Hub NIC Advanced Cable Tester Layer 1: Physical Layer Physical layer defines and cables, network cards and physical aspects. It defines raw bit stream on the physical media. It also provides the interface between network and network communication devices. It is also responsible for how many volts for 0 and how many for 1. Physical layer also checks the number of bits transmitted per second and two ways or one way transmission. Physical layer also dealing with the optical, mechanical and electrical features. Protocols: Protocols that work on the physical layer are ISDN, IEEE 802 and IEEE 802.2 Network Devices: Hubs, Repeaters, Oscilloscope and Amplifier works on the network devices