CompTIA part 2

What is a Type 2 hypervisor?

Hypervisor software that must be installed as an application running on a host OS. A Type 1 (or bare metal) hypervisor is installed directly to the host hardware.

What is the minimum number of disks required to implement RAID 10, and how much of the disks' total capacity will be available for the volume?

RAID 10 requires at least four disks (two mirrored pairs) and comes with a 50% capacity overhead, so the volume will only be half the total disk capacity.

If you have a computer with three hard disks, what type of RAID fault-tolerant configuration will make best use of them?

RAID 5 (striping with parity). RAID 0 is not fault tolerant. RAID 1 and RAID 10 require an even number of disks.

You are dealing with a support request and think that you have identified the probable cause of the reported problem. What should be your next troubleshooting step?

Test the theory to determine the cause.

What considerations for locating a 3-D printer do you have to make?

The 3-D print process is sensitive to movement and vibration, so the printer must be located on a firm and stable surface. The process can also be affected by dust and the ambient temperature and humidity (especially variations and drafts). Finally, some printer types are fully exposed, so there is some risk of burns from the high-heat elements. Ideally, the printer should not be accessible to untrained staff.

What feature of DHCP means that it must use UDP at the transport layer?

The Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) uses broadcast addressing, which is not supported by the connection-oriented Transmission Control Protocol (TCP). Consequently, DHCP uses the connectionless User Datagram Protocol (UDP).

A user complains that their Bluetooth keyboard, which has worked for the last year, has stopped functioning. What would you suggest is the problem?

The batteries in the keyboard have run down—replace them.

You are reviewing network inventory and come across an undocumented cable reel with "CMP/MMP" marked on the jacket. What installation type is this cable most suitable for?

The cable is plenum cable, rated for use in plenum spaces (building voids used with HVAC systems).

Several laptops need to be replaced in the next fiscal cycle, but that doesn't begin for several months. You want to improve functionality as much as possible by upgrading or replacing components in some of the laptops that are having problems. Which items are most easily replaced in a laptop?

The fixed drive, system memory (RAM), and plug-in wireless card will be the easiest upgradable components to install. If items need repairing, the battery, touchpad, and the keyboard should be straightforward to replace, if you can obtain compatible parts.

True or false? A TPM provides secure removable storage so that encryption keys can be used with different computers.

False. A trusted platform module (TPM) provides secure storage for a single computer as it is an embedded function of the CPU or motherboard chipset. The term hardware security module (HSM) is sometimes used to describe a secure USB thumb drive for storing encryption keys on portable media.

True or false? USB-C ports and connectors are compatible with Apple Lightning connectors and ports.

False. An adapter cable is required.

True or false? Only a single network name can be configured on a single access point.

False. Each band can be assigned a different service set identifier (SSID) or network name. Access points also allow the configuration of multiple SSIDs per radio, such as configuring a secure network for known clients and an open network for guests.

True or false? A solid-state drive (SSD) attached to an M.2 port must be using the non-volatile memory host controller interface specification (NVMHCI) or NVM Express (NVMe).

False. M.2 is a physical form factor and can support both SATA and NVMe interfaces.

True or false? AAA allows switches and access points to hold directory information so that they can authenticate clients as they connect to the network.

False. One of the purposes of authentication, authorization, and accounting (AAA) is to authenticate clients as they connect to the network, but the directory information and credentials are not stored on or verified by switches and access points. These devices are configured as clients of an AAA server and act only to transit authentication data between the end user device (the supplicant) and the AAA server.

True or false? A top-level domain such as .com represents the top of the DNS hierarchy.

False. The Domain Name System (DNS) uses root servers at the top of the hierarchy. The root is represented by a trailing dot at the end of a fully qualified domain name (FQDN), though this can very commonly be omitted in ordinary usage.

True or false? A SOHO router uses an embedded modem and Ethernet adapter to forward traffic between public and private network segments over a single hardware port.

False. The modem and Ethernet interfaces use separate ports.

True or false? At the Transport layer, connections between hosts to exchange application data are established over a single port number.

False. The server application is identified by one port, but the client must also assign its own port to track the connection.

True or false? A long-range fixed wireless installation operating without a license is always illegal.

False. These installations may use unlicensed spectrum but must not exceed the effective isotropic radiated power (EIRP) defined for the frequency band by regulations.

True or false? Running the fans continually at maximum speed is the best way to prevent overheating.

False. This is likely to damage the fans and draw more dust into the case. It will also cause a lot of excess noise. To prevent overheating, the PC should be installed to a suitable location (away from direct sunlight and radiators) and cleaned and maintained to a schedule.

True or false? A memory card reader is needed to attach a thumb drive to a PC.

False—a thumb or pen drive will plug into a USB port.

True or false? To enable printer sharing via Windows, the print device must be connected to the Windows PC via an Ethernet or Wi-Fi link.

False—any print device can be shared via printer properties. The print device can be connected to the Windows print server over USB, Bluetooth, Ethernet, or Wi-Fi. Other clients connect to the printer via the share, however, so the Windows PC must be kept on to facilitate printing.

What type of peripheral port would you expect to find on a current generation smartphone?

For Apple devices, the Lightning port. For Android, it will be USB-C.

What is the significance of a PSU's wattage rating when you are designing a custom-build PC?

It determines the CPU model and number and type of memory modules, expansion cards, and storage devices that can be installed. The PSU's wattage rating must be higher than the sum of the power requirements of all the PC's components.

You have been servicing a computer, but when you have finished you find that it will not turn on. There was no power problem before, and you have verified that the computer is connected to a working electrical outlet. What is the most likely explanation?

It is most likely that one or more power connectors have not been reconnected. Check the P1 motherboard connector, a 4-pin CPU connector, and all necessary SATA or Molex device connectors. Also, the cable connecting the power button to a motherboard header could have been disconnected.

What effect does a dirty primary charge roller have on laser printing?

It leaves black stripes on the paper. If the roller does not apply the correct charge evenly to the drum, toner is attracted to the place where the charging failed, creating a black stripe all the way down the page.

How do you configure an autodiscover-enabled email provider on a smartphone?

Just select the provider then enter the email address. If the account is detected, you will be prompted for the password.

A cloud service provides a billing dashboard that reports the uptime, disk usage, and network bandwidth consumption of a virtual machine. What type of cloud characteristic does this demonstrate?

Metered utilization.

What type of standard adapter card might be used to connect internal FRU devices to the motherboard of a laptop?

Mini-PCIe, mSATA, or M.2.

A company has discovered that an employee has been emailing product design documents to her smartphone and then saving the files to the smartphone's flash drive. Which technology can be deployed to prevent such policy breaches?

Mobile application management (MAM) allows an enterprise to create a protected container as a workspace for corporate apps and data and prevent copying to other storage areas.

You are configuring a network attached storage (NAS) appliance. What file sharing protocol(s) could you use to allow access to Windows, Linux, and Apple macOS clients?

Most clients should support Server Message Block (SMB). Another option is to configure File Transfer Protocol (FTP).

A probe reports that the Internet connection has RTT latency of 200 ms. What is the likely impact on VoIP call quality?

Most vendors recommend that one-way latency should not exceed 150 ms. Round trip time (RTT) measures two-way latency, so 200 ms is within the recommended 300 ms tolerance. Call quality should not be severely impacted, but if latency is persistently that high, it might be worth investigating the cause.

What types of paper/stationery can dot matrix printers use that laser and inkjet printers cannot?

Multi-part or continuous tractor-fed stationery and carbon copy paper.

You are identifying suitable smartphone models to issue to field sales staff. The models must be able to use digital payments. What type of sensor must the devices have?

Near-field communications (NFC) allow the user to touch the phone to a point-of-sale terminal to authorize payment in conjunction with a wallet app.

What widely supported boot method is missing from the following list? HDD, Optical, USB.

Network/PXE (Pre-eXecution Environment)—obtaining boot information from a specially configured server over the network.

Can 802.11ac achieve higher throughput to a single client by multiplexing the signals from both 2.4 and 5 GHz frequency bands? Why or why not?

No. First, a client can only use one radio at a time and so cannot connect simultaneously to the 2.4 GHZ and 5 GHz bands. Secondly, 802.11ac works only at 5 GHz; 802.11ac access points use the 2.4 GHz band to support 802.11b/g/n clients. The 802.11ac standard can increase bandwidth by using multiple input output (MIMO) antenna configurations to allocate more streams, such as 2x2 or 3x3.

Consulting the vendor documentation, you find that this system uses DDR4 error-correcting code (ECC) RDIMMs. The spares you have are DDR4 ECC UDIMMs. Can they be used for the upgrade?

No. If the vendor documentation specifies registered memory (RDIMMs), you must use RDIMM modules. Unbuffered DIMMs (UDIMMs) will not be compatible even if they are ECC.

A user reports that a "Limited connectivity" desktop notification is displayed on their computer, and they cannot connect to the Internet. Will you need to replace the NIC in the computer?

No. Limited connectivity reported by the OS means that the link has been established, but the host has not been able to contact a DHCP server to obtain a lease for a valid configuration.

You are writing an advisory to identify training requirements for support staff and have included OT networks as one area not currently covered. Another technician thinks you should have written IT. Are they correct?

No. Operational technology (OT) refers to networks that connect embedded systems in industrial and process automation systems.

A workstation has a multi-socket motherboard but only a single LGA 1150 socket is populated. The installed CPU is a Xeon E3-1220. You have a Xeon E3-1231 CPU in store that also uses the LGA 1150. Should this be used to enable symmetric multiprocessing and upgrade system performance?

No. The CPU models must be identical. If the CPUs are not identical, the system is unlikely to boot. Even if the system boots, it is not likely to operate reliably.

You need to upgrade the system RAM on a PC. The motherboard has two 8 GB modules of DDR3 RAM installed and two free slots. You have two spare 16 GB DDR4 modules in your stores. Can these be used for this upgrade?

No. The DDR generation of the motherboard slot and modules must match. You can only use DDR3 modules.

You need to provision a virtualization workstation to run four guest OSs simultaneously. Each VM requires 2 GB system RAM. Is an 8 GB workstation sufficient to meet this requirement?

No. The host OS and/or hypervisor also requires system memory. If the host also a 2 GB requirement, you would only be able to launch three of the VMs simultaneously.

You are auditing your network for the presence of legacy systems. Should you focus exclusively on identifying devices and software whose vendor has gone out of business?

No. While this can be one reason for products becoming unsupported, vendors can also deprecate use of products that they will no longer support by classifying them as end of life (EOL).

You are specifying a computer for use as a software development workstation. This will be required to run multiple virtual machines (VMs). Can any x64-compatible CPU with sufficient clock speed be used?

No. You must verify that the CPU model supports virtualization extensions.

You are setting up a Wi-Fi network. Do you need to configure the BSSID?

No. You need to configure the service set identifier (SSID), unless you want to rely on the default value. The SSID is a name for users to recognize the network by. The basic SSID (BSSID) is the MAC address of the access point's radio. As this is coded into the device firmware, it does not need to be configured. Stations use the BSSID to send frames to the access point.

A user reports hearing noises from the hard disk—does this indicate it is failing and should be replaced?

Not necessarily. Hard disks do make noises, but they are not all indicators of a problem. Question the user to find out what sort of noises are occurring or inspect the system yourself.

You are assisting a user with pairing a smartphone to a Bluetooth headset. What step must the user take to start the process?

On the smartphone, open the Bluetooth page under Settings. This will make the phone discoverable and enable the user to find nearby devices. If the headset is not found automatically, check if there is a button on the headset to make it discoverable.

How many storage devices can be attached to a single SATA port?

One.

You use three Windows 10 applications that need to print to a Canon inkjet printer. How many printer drivers must you install?

One. Applications rely on the operating system to mediate access to devices. They do not need their own drivers.

A thermal printer used to create labels for parts bins, kits, and boxes is jammed due to a label coming loose during printing. How should you resolve this problem?

Open the printer and locate the label that came off the backing. Remove the label, and if there is any sticky residue, clean it with isopropyl alcohol (IPA) applied to a swab. Ensure the roll of labels is properly loaded and that there are no loose labels that might come loose again.

You received a user complaint about a laptop being extremely hot to the touch. What actions should you take in response to this issue?

Overheating can be a sign that dust and dirt is restricting the necessary airflow within the device, so start by cleaning the ventilation duct with compressed air, and then make sure that the device is getting proper air circulation around the outside of the case, such as by supplying a chiller pad.

You are planning to install a network of wireless access points with power supplied over data cabling. Each access point requires a 20W power supply. What version of PoE must the switch support to fulfill this requirement?

PoE+ (802.3at) or PoE++/4PPoE (802.3bt).

A laser printer is producing white stripes on the paper. What could be causing this?

Poorly distributed toner or a damaged/worn transfer corona wire. If the secondary corona does not apply a charge evenly across the paper, less toner is attracted from the drum to the part of the sheet where charging failed. Note that if there are repetitive white or black marks (rather than stripes) that do not smudge, the issue is more likely to be dirt or grease on the drum.

Another technician has scribbled some notes about a firewall configuration. The technician has listed only the port numbers 25 and 3389. What is the purpose of the protocols that use these ports by default?

Port TCP/25 is used by the Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) to send and receive email messages. Port TCP/3389 is used by Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) to connect to a computer's graphical shell over the network.

The technician has made a note to check that port 445 is blocked by the firewall. What is the purpose of the protocol that uses this port by default, and why should it be blocked?

Port TCP/445 is used by the Server Message Block (SMB) protocol that implements Windows File/Printer Sharing. SMB is designed for use on local networks only. Allowing access from the Internet would be a security risk.

A user reports that the printed output is not up to the usual standards for her printer. You will need to resolve this issue so she can print her report. What is the overall process for troubleshooting this issue?

Print out a test page to see if you can reproduce the problem the user reported. If you see the same problem as reported by the user, identify the print defect, based on the type of printer, to resolve the problem. Document the steps you took to resolve the problem.

What must you do before installing a new toner cartridge into a printer?

Remove the packing strips. Many printer brands place plastic tabs or cling-wrap over sensitive components during shipping. The old cartridge should be removed and placed into a sealed bag for recycling.

A user has been supplied with a monitor from stores as a temporary replacement. However, the user reports that the device is unusable because of a thick green band across the middle of the screen. What technique could you use to diagnose the cause?

Replace the cable with a known good one. If this does not solve the problem, suspect an issue with the monitor. As the PC was used with no issues with another monitor, there is not likely to be an issue with the video card.

What basic factor might you look at in selecting a high-performance hard disk drive?

Revolutions per minute (RPM)—the speed at which it spins. The top-performing drives are 15,000 (15K) or 10,000 (10K).

To minimize paper costs, a department should use the duplex printing option on a shared printer by default. The print device is already configured with an automatic duplex finishing unit. What additional step should you take to try to ensure duplex printing?

Set duplex mode as the default under Printing Preferences.

Users in the marketing department complain that a recently installed printer is not producing accurate color output. What step might resolve the problem?

Switch to a PostScript (PS) driver. This is likely to have better support for accurate color models. You might also suggest running a calibration utility.