Operating Systems

Understanding Operating System Fundamentals

• Differentiating between various operating systems, including Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS.
• Explaining the kernel's role as the core of an operating system, managing resources and interacting directly with hardware.
• Understanding file systems: FAT32, NTFS, ext4, HFS+, and their respective strengths and weaknesses.
• Explaining the boot process, from initial power-on to the operating system's graphical user interface (GUI).
• Comparing and contrasting command-line interfaces (CLIs) and graphical user interfaces (GUIs), highlighting their use cases.

Working with Windows

• Navigating the Windows registry, understanding its structure (hives, keys, values), and using regedit.
• Configuring user accounts, including local accounts and Microsoft accounts, managing permissions, and troubleshooting user profile issues.
• Managing Windows services, understanding their dependencies, and using services.msc to start, stop, and configure services.
• Using the Windows Event Viewer to troubleshoot system errors, application errors, and security events.
• Configuring and troubleshooting Windows Update, including understanding update types, configuring update settings, and resolving update errors.

Working with macOS

• Using the Terminal application for command-line interaction with macOS.
• Managing user accounts and permissions in macOS, including understanding the root user and sudo command.
• Understanding and using macOS system preferences for hardware and software configuration.
• Troubleshooting macOS startup issues, including Safe Mode and Recovery Mode.
• Using Activity Monitor to monitor system resource usage (CPU, memory, disk, network) and identify performance bottlenecks.

Working with Linux

• Navigating the Linux file system using the command line (ls, cd, pwd, mkdir, rm, cp, mv).
• Managing user accounts and permissions in Linux using commands like useradd, userdel, passwd, chown, chmod.
• Understanding package management systems (apt, yum, dnf, pacman) and using them to install, update, and remove software.
• Configuring network interfaces in Linux using commands like ifconfig, ip, and route.
• Using systemd to manage system services (start, stop, enable, disable, status).

Networking

Networking Fundamentals

• Explaining the OSI model and its seven layers (Application, Presentation, Session, Transport, Network, Data Link, Physical).
• Understanding TCP/IP and its suite of protocols (TCP, UDP, IP, HTTP, DNS, SMTP, etc.).
• Differentiating between IPv4 and IPv6 addressing schemes and their characteristics.
• Understanding subnetting and CIDR notation, and performing subnet calculations.
• Explaining the purpose and functionality of routers, switches, and firewalls.

Network Configuration and Troubleshooting

• Configuring network interfaces on Windows, macOS, and Linux (IP address, subnet mask, gateway, DNS servers).
• Using network troubleshooting tools like ping, traceroute/tracert, ipconfig/ifconfig, nslookup/dig to diagnose network issues.
• Troubleshooting common network problems, such as connectivity issues, DNS resolution failures, and slow network performance.
• Setting up and configuring a home or small office network, including assigning IP addresses, configuring DHCP, and setting up Wi-Fi security.
• Understanding and configuring virtual private networks (VPNs) for secure remote access.

Network Security

• Implementing firewalls to control network traffic and protect against unauthorized access.
• Configuring Wi-Fi security protocols (WPA2, WPA3) to protect against wireless eavesdropping and intrusion.
• Understanding common network attacks, such as DDoS attacks, man-in-the-middle attacks, and port scanning.
• Implementing intrusion detection systems (IDS) and intrusion prevention systems (IPS) to detect and prevent malicious activity.
• Configuring and managing network access control (NAC) to restrict access to network resources based on user identity and device health.

System Administration

User and Group Management

• Creating, modifying, and deleting user accounts on Windows, macOS, and Linux.
• Managing user permissions and access rights to files and directories.
• Creating and managing groups to simplify user administration.
• Implementing password policies to enforce strong passwords and prevent unauthorized access.
• Using directory services (e.g., Active Directory, LDAP) to centralize user and group management.

File System Management

• Creating, formatting, and mounting file systems on hard drives, SSDs, and other storage devices.
• Managing disk quotas to limit disk space usage by users and groups.
• Implementing file system backups and recovery procedures.
• Optimizing file system performance by defragmenting hard drives and tuning file system parameters.
• Troubleshooting file system errors and corruption.

Automation and Scripting

• Writing simple scripts to automate repetitive tasks using scripting languages like Bash (Linux/macOS) and PowerShell (Windows).
• Using scripting to manage user accounts, file systems, and network configurations.
• Scheduling tasks using cron (Linux/macOS) and Task Scheduler (Windows) to automate tasks.
• Using configuration management tools (e.g., Ansible, Puppet, Chef) to automate system configuration and deployment.
• Understanding the principles of Infrastructure as Code (IaC) and using tools like Terraform to manage infrastructure.

IT Security

Security Fundamentals

• Understanding the CIA triad (Confidentiality, Integrity, Availability) and its importance in IT security.
• Identifying common security threats, such as malware, phishing attacks, social engineering, and ransomware.
• Understanding the principles of risk management and performing risk assessments.
• Implementing security policies and procedures to protect against security threats.
• Staying up-to-date on the latest security vulnerabilities and threats.

Endpoint Security

• Installing and configuring antivirus software to protect against malware.
• Implementing endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions to detect and respond to advanced threats.
• Configuring firewalls to protect endpoints from network attacks.
• Implementing data loss prevention (DLP) solutions to prevent sensitive data from leaving the organization.
• Enforcing security policies on endpoints using group policies (Windows) and configuration profiles (macOS).

Data Security

• Implementing data encryption to protect sensitive data at rest and in transit.
• Using access control lists (ACLs) to restrict access to sensitive data.
• Implementing data masking and tokenization to protect sensitive data in non-production environments.
• Implementing data backup and recovery procedures to protect against data loss.
• Understanding data retention policies and implementing procedures to comply with legal and regulatory requirements.

Troubleshooting

Troubleshooting Methodology

• Developing a systematic approach to troubleshooting, including gathering information, isolating the problem, testing solutions, and documenting results.
• Using the scientific method to test hypotheses and identify the root cause of problems.
• Understanding the importance of documentation in troubleshooting and creating detailed documentation of problems and solutions.
• Using troubleshooting tools and techniques to diagnose hardware and software problems.
• Escalating complex problems to senior IT support staff or vendors.

Hardware Troubleshooting

• Troubleshooting common hardware problems, such as computer crashes, slow performance, and device errors.
• Using diagnostic tools to identify hardware failures.
• Replacing faulty hardware components, such as hard drives, memory modules, and motherboards.
• Troubleshooting peripheral devices, such as printers, scanners, and external hard drives.
• Troubleshooting network connectivity issues, such as cable problems, network card failures, and router configuration problems.

Software Troubleshooting

• Troubleshooting common software problems, such as application crashes, errors, and slow performance.
• Using event logs and debuggers to diagnose software problems.
• Uninstalling and reinstalling software to resolve problems.
• Updating software to fix bugs and security vulnerabilities.
• Troubleshooting operating system problems, such as boot errors, blue screens, and system crashes.