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Viewing articles tagged 'computerfundamentals'

A Structured Troubleshooting Method How to approach any fault.THE STEPSIdentify the problem Establish a theory of the cause Test the... Addresses, Domains and Name Resolution Finding things.WHAT AN ADDRESS ISA number identifying a device on a network.WHAT THE TWO VERSIONS... Budgeting and Planning IT Spend Financial management.WHAT TO BUDGET FORHardware replacement Software licences and subscriptions... Building Your Support Knowledge Learning the environment.WHAT TO LEARN FIRSTWhat systems exist and what each does Who the users... Certifications and Learning Paths in IT Formal qualifications.WHAT CERTIFICATIONS DEMONSTRATEA defined body of knowledge, assessed... Change Management Controlling what is altered.WHY IT MATTERSMost incidents follow a change.WHAT A CHANGE PROCESS... Command Line Fundamentals Text-based control.WHY IT MATTERS IN IT WORKMany tasks are only possible, or far faster, from the... Common Support Scenarios Patterns you will meet repeatedly.CANNOT SIGN INPassword, account locked, expired, caps lock,... Communicating With Users The human part of support.WHAT USERS NEED TO KNOWThat you received it What is happening When they... Comparing Common Operating Systems The main families.WINDOWSDominant on business desktops.Extensive application support, centralised... Computer Fundamentals: Everything That Matters, Briefly The whole category in one page.IDENTIFY THE LAYER BEFORE DIAGNOSINGHardware, firmware, operating... Computer Hardware: Everything That Matters, Briefly The summary.DIAGNOSE THE RIGHT COMPONENTA machine slow with several programs open needs memory,... Computer Software: Everything That Matters, Briefly The summary.A STOPPED SERVICE PRODUCES SYMPTOMS WITH NO VISIBLE CAUSEMany functions depend on... Configuration and Documentation Management Knowing how things are set up.WHAT TO DOCUMENTWhat systems exist How they are configured How they... Core Digital Competencies What everyone should be able to do.WHAT THE BASELINE ISOperate a device and its operating... Data Recovery Fundamentals When files are lost.WHAT TO ESTABLISH FIRSTWhether it was deleted, overwritten, corrupted, or the... Defining Service Levels Agreeing expectations.WHAT A SERVICE LEVEL AGREEMENT DOESStates what is provided, to what... Developing From Support Into Other Roles Career progression in IT.WHY SUPPORT IS A GOOD STARTIt exposes you to every system, every failure... Diagnosing Faults: Everything That Matters, Briefly The summary.FOLLOW A METHODIdentify, theorise, test, plan, implement, verify, document.Random... Diagnosing Recurring Problems Beyond individual incidents.WHAT A RECURRING PROBLEM ISThe same symptom appearing repeatedly,... Digital Literacy and Maintenance: Everything That Matters, Briefly The summary.ASSESS WHAT A USER CAN ACTUALLY DOIt determines how to explain anything. Confidence... Displays and Graphics Visual output.WHAT DETERMINES DISPLAY QUALITYResolution: the number of pixelsSize, and therefore... Documenting Support Work Records that help.WHAT TO RECORD IN EVERY TICKETWhat was reported What you found What you did... Escalating Effectively Passing work onward.WHEN TO ESCALATEIt exceeds your access or authority It exceeds your knowledge... Evaluating Information and Sources Online Judging what you find.WHAT TO ASKWho published this? When? What do they gain? What is it based... Files and Storage: Everything That Matters, Briefly The summary.DELETION REMOVES THE REFERENCE, NOT THE DATAWhich is why deleted files are frequently... Gathering Information From Users Establishing what happened.WHY IT MATTERSThe reported problem and the actual problem frequently... Handling Difficult Situations When conversations are hard.WHAT MAKES USERS ANGRYBeing unable to work Being ignored Being blamed... Handling Security Incidents in Support When something is compromised.WHAT TO RECOGNISEReports of unexpected messages sent from a user's... Help Desk Fundamentals: Everything That Matters, Briefly The summary.SILENCE CAUSES MOST DISSATISFACTIONUpdate even when there is no progress. "Still... How a Web Page Is Requested and Served Requests and responses.WHAT HAPPENS WHEN A PAGE LOADSThe name is resolved A connection is opened,... How an Operating System, Hardware and Applications Relate The layers.WHAT THE LAYERS AREHardware, at the bottom Firmware, initialising it The operating... How Computers Represent Information Bits and encoding.WHAT EVERYTHING REDUCES TOTwo states, represented as one and zero.WHY... How Email Works Sending and receiving.WHAT HAPPENS WHEN MAIL IS SENTThe client submits it to a mail server That... How File Systems Work Organising storage.WHAT A FILE SYSTEM DOESRecords where each file's data physically resides... How Programs Run Processes and execution.WHAT HAPPENS WHEN A PROGRAM STARTSIts file is read from storage Memory is... How the Internet Is Structured Networks of networks.WHAT IT ISAn enormous number of independent networks, interconnected, using... Incidents, Requests and Problems The distinction that matters.WHAT AN INCIDENT ISSomething not working as it should.WHAT THE GOAL... Input, Output and Peripheral Devices Everything connected.WHAT INPUT DEVICES DOProvide data to the system: keyboards, pointing... Installing and Removing Software Managing what is present.WHERE SOFTWARE SHOULD COME FROMThe vendor An official distribution... Internet Fundamentals: Everything That Matters, Briefly The summary.PROPAGATION IS CACHES EXPIRING, NOT A SPREADING PROCESSWhich is why a change appears... Introduction to IT: Everything That Matters, Briefly The summary.MOST IT PROBLEMS ARE NOT TECHNICAL FAILURESThey are process and communication... Isolating the Cause Narrowing possibilities.WHAT TO DETERMINEIs it one user or many? One device or many? One... IT Asset Management Knowing what you own.WHAT AN ASSET ISAnything of value to be tracked: devices, software licences,... IT Service and Asset Management: Everything That Matters, Briefly The summary.ORGANISE AROUND SERVICES, NOT TECHNOLOGYUsers do not care which server failed; they... Managing Accounts and Access Identity through its lifecycle.WHAT THE LIFECYCLE ISCreation on joining Modification on role... Managing Devices Across an Organisation Fleet management.WHAT TO STANDARDISEHardware specifications, by role The operating system version... Managing Shared Storage Files used by several people.WHAT TO ESTABLISHA structure everyone understands Who may access... Managing Software Assets and Licences Compliance and cost.WHAT TO TRACKEvery application in use The licence under which it is used How... Managing the Hardware Lifecycle From purchase to disposal.WHAT THE STAGES AREPlanning and specification Purchase Deployment... Managing Your Support Workload Handling many requests.WHAT TO DO AT THE START OF A PERIODReview what is open, and what is... Measuring Support Performance Knowing how you are doing.WHAT TO MEASUREVolume, by type Time to first response Time to... Memory and How It Is Used Working storage.WHAT IT DOESHolds data and instructions currently in use.WHY IT IS FASTIt is... Motherboards, Buses and Expansion How components connect.WHAT THE MOTHERBOARD DOESConnects every component, and provides the paths... Onboarding and Offboarding Users Joiners and leavers.WHAT ONBOARDING REQUIRESNotice, in advance A defined standard for the role... Operating Systems: Everything That Matters, Briefly The summary.A SUBSTANTIAL PROPORTION OF ACCESS PROBLEMS ARE PERMISSION PROBLEMSCheck which... Paths, Directories and Naming Locating files.WHAT A PATH ISThe location of a file within the file system.WHAT ABSOLUTE... Power Supplies and Electrical Considerations Providing power safely.WHAT A POWER SUPPLY DOESConverts mains power to the voltages components... Preventive Maintenance in an Organisation Reducing incidents before they occur.WHAT PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE COVERSPatching Disk space... Prioritising Support Requests Deciding what comes first.WHAT DETERMINES PRIORITYImpact: how many people or how much of the... Processes, Services and System Monitoring Watching what runs.WHAT TO MONITORProcessor use Memory use Disk activity Network activity Which... Professional Conduct in IT Work Ethics in a privileged position.WHAT THE POSITION INVOLVESAccess to systems, files and... Receiving and Logging Requests The first step.WHAT TO CAPTUREWho is reporting How to contact them What exactly is happening When... Recognising Threats and Working Safely Everyday security awareness.WHAT TO BE ALERT TOMessages about accounts asking you to sign in... Remote Support Techniques Helping without being present.WHAT TOOLS PROVIDEViewing the user's screen Controlling the device,... Routine Computer Maintenance Keeping machines working.WHAT TO DO REGULARLYApply updates Restart, at least weekly Check free... Shift Handover in a Support Team Continuity between people.WHY IT MATTERSWork does not stop at the end of a shift, and dropped... Storage Devices Compared Where data persists.MECHANICAL DRIVESSpinning platters with moving heads.High capacity, low cost,... Support Practice and Career: Everything That Matters, Briefly The summary.BUILD YOUR OWN NOTES FROM THE FIRST DAYInstitutional knowledge is largely... Support Tiers and Their Purpose How support is organised.WHAT THE TIERS TYPICALLY AREFirst: initial contact, common issues, known... Supporting a Rollout or Migration Planned change affecting many users.WHAT TO ESTABLISH BEFORE IT BEGINSWhat is changing, precisely... Supporting Remote and Field Users People not in the office.WHAT IS DIFFERENTYou cannot see the device or the environment... Supporting Users With Varying Skill Levels Adapting your approach.WHAT TO ESTABLISHWhat the person can already do.HOWBy asking, or by... Technical Support: Everything That Matters, Briefly The summary.RESOLVE THE ACTUAL PROBLEM, NOT THE REPORTED SYMPTOMAnd know when to stop and... The Boot Process From power to usable.WHAT HAPPENS IN ORDERFirmware initialises and tests hardware It locates a... The Processor and How It Works Central processing.WHAT IT DOESFetches instructions, decodes them, executes them, and stores... The Role of a Technical Support Professional What the work involves.WHAT THE WORK ISResolving problems Fulfilling requests Maintaining systems... Training Users Effectively Reducing support demand through capability.WHAT TO ESTABLISHWhat people actually struggle... Troubleshooting Hardware Faults Physical problems.WHAT COMMON SYMPTOMS SUGGESTNo power at all: supply, cable or socketPowers on,... Troubleshooting Network Problems Connectivity faults.WHAT TO CHECK IN ORDERIs the cable connected or the wireless associated? Does... Troubleshooting Printing Problems A common support category.WHAT TO ESTABLISH FIRSTOne user or all? One printer or all? One... Troubleshooting Software and Application Faults Program problems.WHAT TO ESTABLISHWhether it affects one user or all Whether it started after a... Types of Software Categories.SYSTEM SOFTWAREThe operating system, drivers and utilities managing the... Understanding Application Compatibility Whether software will run.WHAT DETERMINES COMPATIBILITYThe operating system and its version... Understanding Backup Types and Strategies Protecting data properly.WHAT A BACKUP ISA separate copy, from a point in time, that the live... Understanding Client and Server Roles Who asks and who answers.WHAT A CLIENT ISSoftware making a request.WHAT A SERVER ISSoftware... Understanding Protocols and Ports How services communicate.WHAT A PROTOCOL ISAn agreed set of rules for exchanging data.WHAT A PORT... Understanding Software Licensing Legal use of software.WHAT A LICENCE GRANTSPermission to use software, under stated... Understanding Software Updates and Patching Keeping software current.WHAT UPDATES CONTAINSecurity fixes Defect corrections New features... Understanding the IT Environment of an Organisation What you will be supporting.WHAT TO ESTABLISH WHEN JOININGWhat systems exist What each is for Who... Understanding Units and Measurements in IT Quantities you will meet.STORAGE AND FILE SIZEMeasured in bytes, with each step roughly a... Understanding Wireless and Mobile Connectivity Connections without cables.WHAT AFFECTS WIRELESS QUALITYDistance Walls and obstructions... Users, Groups and Permissions Access control.WHAT AN ACCOUNT ISAn identity with its own settings, files and permissions.WHAT A... Using a Knowledge Base Recorded solutions.WHAT IT PROVIDESFaster resolution Consistency between staff Self-service for... What a Help Desk Does The function.WHAT IT PROVIDESA single point of contact for users needing help Recording and... What an Operating System Does Core functions.WHAT IT MANAGESProcessor time Memory Storage Devices Users and permissions... What Information Technology Covers The discipline.WHAT IT INCLUDESHardware: the physical equipmentSoftware: the programs running on... What IT Service Management Means Managing IT as a service.WHAT IT ISOrganising IT around the services it provides to the... Working Under Pressure in IT Incidents and demand.WHAT PRESSURE LOOKS LIKE IN ITA major outage Many simultaneous requests An... Working With Vendors and Suppliers External support.WHEN TO INVOLVE THEMThe fault is in their product It exceeds your access or...
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