PDF: CertMaster Learn A+ Study Guide

CertMaster Learn and CertMaster Labs for A+ Core 1 and Core 2 (Exams 220-1101 & 220-1102) Set Type # of Cards Provider Default 1058 cards comptia Side 1 Side 2 1 High-Def...

CertMaster Learn and CertMaster Labs for A+ Core 1 and Core 2 (Exams 220-1101 & 220-1102) Set Type # of Cards Provider Default 1058 cards comptia Side 1 Side 2 1 High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) Digital audio/video interface developed for use on both consumer electronics and computer equipment. 2 DisplayPort Digital audio/video interface developed by VESA. DisplayPort supports some cross-compatibility with DVI and HDMI devices. 3 Thunderbolt Thunderbolt can be used as a display interface (like DisplayPort) and as a general peripheral interface (like USB 3). The latest version uses USB-C connectors. 4 Lightning Proprietary connector and interface used by Apple iPhone and iPad devices. 5 Serial Advanced T Technology echnology Attachment (SA (SAT TA) Serial ATA is the most widely used interface for hard disks on desktop and laptop computers. It uses a 7-pin data connector with one device per port. There are three SATA standards specifying bandwidths of 1.5 Gb/s, 3 Gb/s, and 6 Gb/s respectively. SATA drives also use a new 15-pin power connector, though adapters for the old style 4-pin Molex connectors are available. External drives are also supported via the eSATA interface. 6 Molex connector Legacy power connector for internal devices such as hard drives and optical drives. (Image ©123RF.com) 7 external SA SAT TA (eSA (eSAT TA) Variant of SATA cabling designed for external connectivity. 8 Peripheral Component Interconnect Express (PCIe) Internal expansion bus that uses serial point-to-point communications between devices. Each link can comprise one or more lanes (x1, x2, x4, x8, x12, x16, or x32). Each lane supports a full-duplex transfer rate of 250 MB/s (v1.0) up to about 4 GB/s (v5.0). 9 Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) Legacy internal expansion bus supporting 32-bit parallel transfers working at 33 MHz. 10 Advanced T Technology echnology Extended (A (ATX) TX) Standard PC case, motherboard, and power supply specification. Mini-, Micro-, and Flex-ATX specify smaller board designs. 11 Information T Technology echnology Extended Series of motherboard form factors designed for small form factor (SFF) computers and appliances. 12 headers Connector on the motherboard for internal cabling, such as fan power and front panel ports and buttons. 13 video card Adapter that handles graphics processing and output to a display device over one or more video interface ports. 14 capture card Adapter card designed to record video from a source such as a TV tuner or games console. 15 sound card Adapter card providing sound playback and recording functionality. A number of different audio ports exist on modern computer motherboards or on specialist sound cards. Commonly, audio ports may be marked as: audio out, audio in, speaker out, microphone input/mic, and headphones. 16 network interface card (NIC) Adapter card that provides one or more Ethernet ports for connecting hosts to a network so that they can exchange data over a link. 17 Digital V Visual isual Interface (DVI) Legacy video interface that supports digital only or digital and analog signaling. 18 Video Graphics Array (VGA) Legacy video interface supporting analog-only signaling over a 15-pin D-shell connector. 19 Small computer system interface (SCSI) Legacy expansion bus standard allowing for the connection of internal and external devices. Each device on a SCSI bus must be allocated a unique ID. The bus must also be terminated at both ends. 20 integrated drive electronics (IDE) Legacy mass storage bus, most commonly implemented as enhanced IDE (EIDE) and also referred to as parallel advanced technology attachment (PATA). Each IDE controller port supports two devices connected over ribbon cable with three connectors (controller, primary device, and secondary device). 21 DB-9 Legacy connector form factor used for serial (9-pin) and VGA (15-pin) interfaces. 22 adapter cable Peripheral cable converting between connector form factors or between signaling types, such as DisplayPort to HDMI. 23 input voltage Range of alternating current (AC) voltages that a PSU can accept when connected to grid power. Some PSUs are manually switched between low-line 110–120 VAC and high-line 220–240 VAC. 24 wattage rating Measure of how much power can be supplied by a PSU. 25 output voltages (3.3 VDC, 5 VDC, and 12 VDC) Direct current (DC) 3.3 VDC, 5 VDC, and 12 VDC power supplied over PSU cables to computer components. 26 modular PSU PSU design where power cables can be attached to ports on the unit as needed. 27 redundant power supply System case configuration supporting two power units for fault tolerance. 28 heat sink Cooling device fitted to PC components to optimize heat transfer. 29 thermal paste Cooling substance applied between a component and heat sink to optimize heat transfer. 30 fan Cooling device fitted to PC cases and components to improve air flow. 31 liquid-based cooling system Cooling system that uses system of pipes, water blocks, and pumps to transfer heat away from components. 32 solid-state drive (SSD) Persistent mass-storage device implemented using flash memory. 33 mSA mSAT TA Connector form factor for internal solid state drives. 34 NVM Express (NVMe) Internal interface for connecting flash memory devices, such as SSDs, directly to a PCI Express bus. NVMe allows much higher transfer rates than SATA/AHCI. 35 hard disk drive (HDD) Mass storage device that uses mechanical platters with a magnetic coating that are spun under disk heads that can read and write to locations on each platter (sectors). 36 redundant array of independent disks (RAID) Specifications use multiple storage devices to protect against data loss in the event of device failure. 37 RAID 0 Striping drive configuration that provides no redundancy against device failure. 38 RAID 1 Mirrored two-disk redundant drive configuration with 50% capacity utilization. 39 RAID 5 Striping with parity-redundant drive configuration supporting a flexible number of devices and better than 50% capacity utilization. 40 RAID 10 Stripe of mirrored four-disk redundant drive configuration with 50% capacity utilization. A RAID10 volume can support the loss of one device in each mirror. 41 flash drive Solid state flash memory provisioned as a peripheral device with a USB interface. 42 memory card Solid state flash memory provisioned as a peripheral device in a proprietary adapter card form factors, such as Secure Digital and microSD. 43 Compact Discs (CDs) Optical storage technology supporting up to 700 MB per disc with recordable and re-writable media also available. 44 optical drive Mass storage device that supports CD, DVD, and/or Blu-ray media. Burner-type drives also support recording and rewriting. 45 virtual RAM An OS mediates access to random-access memory (RAM) devices by assigning a virtual address space to each process. As well as protecting memory access, the memory capacity can be extended by configuring a swap space or pagefile on a mass-storage device (HDD or SSD). 46 Double Data Rate SDRAM (DDR SDRAM) Series of high-bandwidth system-memory standards (DDR3/DDR4/DDR5) where data is transferred twice per clock cycle. 47 Small Outline DIMM (SODIMM) System-memory form factor designed for use in laptops. 48 Single-channel System-memory controller configuration that provides one data pathway between the memory modules and the CPU. 49 dual-channel System-memory controller configuration that provides two data pathways between the memory modules and a compatible CPU. 50 triple-channel System-memory controller configuration that provides three data pathways between the memory modules and a compatible CPU. 51 quadruple-channel System-memory controller configuration that provides four data pathways between the memory modules and a compatible CPU. 52 Error correcting code (ECC) RAM System memory (RAM) with built-in error correction security. It is more expensive than normal memory and requires motherboard support. It is typically only used in servers. 53 x86 The x86 CPU Architecture refers to the way a computer processes information. The x86 instruction set defines a CPU as IBM PC compatible. x86 PC processors are designed and manufactured by Intel and Advanced Micro Devices (AMD). 54 Intel Intel processors were used in the first IBM PCs, and the company's CPUs and chipsets continue to dominate the PC and laptop market. 55 Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) CPU manufacturer providing healthy competition for Intel. AMD chips such as the K6 or Athlon 64 and latterly the Ryzen have been very popular with computer manufacturers and have often out-performed their Intel equivalents. 56 Advanced RISC Machines (ARM) Designer of CPU and chipset architectures widely used in mobile devices. RISC stands for reduced instruction set computing. RISC microarchitectures use a small number of simple instructions that can be performed as a single operation. This contrasts with complex (CISC) microarchitectures, which use a large set of more powerful instructions that can take more than one operation to complete. 57 multithreading CPU architecture that exposes two or more logical processors to the OS, delivering performance benefits similar to multicore and multisocket to threaded applications. 58 multi-socket Motherboard configuration with multiple CPU sockets. The CPUs installed must be identical. 59 multicore CPU design that puts two chips onto the same package. Most CPUs are multicore (more than two cores). 60 support virtualization CPU extensions to allow better performance when a host runs multiple guest operating systems or VMs. 61 socket types All CPU sockets use a zero insertion force (ZIF) mechanism. This means that no pressure is required to insert the CPU, reducing the risk of bending or breaking the fragile pin contacts. 62 escalate In the context of support procedures, incident response, and breach-reporting, escalation is the process of involving expert and senior staff to assist in problem management. 63 Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) Legacy 32-bit firmware type that initializes hardware and provides a system setup interface for configuring boot devices and other hardware settings. 64 Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) Type of system firmware providing support for 64-bit CPU operation at boot, full GUI and mouse operation at boot, and better boot security. 65 boot options Disk or network adapter device from which an operating system can be loaded. 66 USB permissions Feature of system setup allowing USB ports to be disabled. 67 boot password Feature of system setup that prevents the computer from booting until the correct user password is supplied. A supervisor password restricts access to the system setup program. 68 Secure boot Feature of UEFI that prevents unauthorized processes from executing during the boot operation. 69 Trusted platform module (TPM) Specification for secure hardware-based storage of encryption keys, hashed passwords, and other user- and platform-identification information. 70 hardware security module (HSM) An appliance for generating and storing cryptographic keys. This sort of solution may be less susceptible to tampering and insider threats than software-based storage. 71 power power-on -on self-test (POST) Test routine built into PC firmware to confirm that system components are available at boot or to signal an error condition via a beep code or on-screen status message. 72 beep code During POST, errors in hardware or the system firmware data can be brought to the attention of the user by beep noises. Each beep code is able to draw attention to a particular fault with the hardware. It was once customary for a computer to beep once to indicate that POST has been successful, though most modern computers boot silently. 73 blue screen of death (BSOD) Microsoft status screen that indicates an error from which the system cannot recover (also called a stop error). Blue screens are usually caused by bad driver software or hardware faults (memory or disk). Other operating systems use similar crash indicators, such as Apple's pinwheel and Linux's kernel panic message. 74 Self-Monitoring, Analysis, and Reporting T Technology echnology Technology designed to alert the user to an error condition in a mass-storage device before the disk becomes (SMAR (SMART)T) unusable. 75 input/output operations per second (IOPS) Performance indicator that measures the time taken to complete read/write operations. 76 local area network (LAN) Network scope restricted to a single geographic location and owned/managed by a single organization. 77 802.3 Ethernet Standards developed as the IEEE 802.3 series describing media types, access methods, data rates, and distance limitations at OSI layers 1 and 2 using xBASE-y designations. 78 wireless local area network (WLAN) Network scope and type that uses wireless radio communications based on some variant of the 802.11 (Wi-Fi) standard series. 79 Wi-Fi Brand name for the IEEE 802.11 standards that can be used to implement a wireless local area network (WLAN). 80 wide area network (W (WAN) AN) Network scope that spans a large geographical area, incorporating more than one site and often a mix of different media types and protocols plus the use of public telecommunications networks. 81 Metropolitan area network (MAN) Network scope covers the area of a city (that is, no more than tens of kilometers). 82 small office home office (SOHO) Category of network type and products that are used to implement small-scale LANs and off-the-shelf Internet connection types. 83 datacenter Facility dedicated to the provisioning of reliable power, environmental controls, and network fabric to server computers. 84 storage area network (SAN) Network dedicated to provisioning storage resources, typically consisting of storage devices and servers connected to switches via host bus adapters. 85 personal area network (P (PAN) AN) Network scope that uses close-range wireless technologies (usually based on Bluetooth or NFC) to establish communications between personal devices, such as smartphones, laptops, and printers/peripheral devices. 86 patch panel Type of distribution frame used with twisted pair cabling with IDCs to terminate fixed cabling on one side and modular jacks to make cross-connections to other equipment on the other. 87 hub Layer 1 (Physical) network device used to implement a star network topology on legacy Ethernet networks, working as a multiport repeater. 88 switch Intermediate system used to establish contention-free network segments at OSI layer 2 (Data Link). An unmanaged switch does not support any sort of configuration. 89 managed switches Ethernet switch that is configurable via a command-line interface or SDN controller. 90 Power over Ethernet (PoE) Specification allowing power to be supplied via switch ports and ordinary data cabling to devices such as VoIP handsets and wireless access points. Devices can draw up to about 13 W (or 25 W for PoE+). 91 injector A device that can supply Power over Ethernet (PoE) if the Ethernet switch ports do not support it. 92 unshielded twisted pair (UTP) Media type that uses copper conductors arranged in pairs that are twisted to reduce interference. Typically, cables are 4-pair or 2-pair. 93 Shielded twisted pair (STP) Copper twisted-pair cabling with screening and shielding elements for individual wire pairs and/or the whole cable to reduce interference. 94 twisted pair cable Network cable construction with insulated copper wires twisted about each other. A pair of color-coded wires transmits a balanced electrical signal. The twisting of the wire pairs at different rates acts to reduce interference and crosstalk. 95 T568A/T568B Twisted-pair termination pinouts defined in the ANSI/TIA/EIA 568 Commercial Building Telecommunications Standards. 96 patch cord Type of flexible network cable typically terminated with RJ45 connectors. Ethernet patch cords cannot be longer than five meters. 97 permanent cable Type of solid network cable typically terminated to punchdown blocks that is run through wall and ceiling spaces. 98 cable stripper Tool for stripping cable jacket or wire insulation. 99 punchdown tool Tool used to terminate solid twisted-pair copper cable to an insulation displacement connector block. 100 crimper Tool to join a Registered Jack (RJ) form factor connector to the ends of twisted-pair patch cable. 101 cable tester Two-part tool used to test successful termination of copper cable by attaching to each end of a cable and energizing each wire conductor in turn with an LED to indicate an end-to-end connection. 102 tone generator Two-part tool used to identify one cable within a bundle by applying an audible signal. 103 loopback plug Tool used to verify the integrity of a network interface port by checking that it can receive a signal generated by itself. 104 network tap Hardware device inserted into a cable run to copy frames for analysis. 105 switched port analyzer (SP (SPAN) AN) Copying ingress and/or egress communications from one or more switch ports to another port. This is used to monitor communications passing over the switch. 106 plenum Cable for use in building voids designed to be fire-resistant and to produce a minimal amount of smoke if burned. 107 Direct burial A type of outside plant (OSP) installation where cable is laid directly into the ground with no protective conduit. 108 fiber optic cable Network cable type that uses light signals as the basis for data transmission. Infrared light pulses are transmitted down the glass core of the fiber. The cladding that surrounds this core reflects light back to ensure transmission efficiency. Two main categories of fiber are available; multi-mode, which uses cheaper, shorter wavelength LEDs or VCSEL diodes, or single-mode, which uses more expensive, longer wavelength laser diodes. At the receiving end of the cable, light-sensitive diodes re-convert the light pulse into an electrical signal. Fiber optic cable is immune to eavesdropping and EMI, has low attenuation, supports rates of 10 Gb/s+, and is light and compact. 109 Single-mode fiber (SMF) Fiber optic cable type that uses laser diodes and narrow core construction to support high bandwidths over distances of more than five kilometers. 110 Multi-mode fiber (MMF) Fiber optic cable type using LED or vertical cavity surface emitting laser optics and graded using optical multimode types for core size and bandwidth. 111 Straight tip (ST) Bayonet-style twist-and-lock connector for fiber optic cabling. 112 Subscriber connector (SC) Push/pull connector used with fiber optic cabling. 113 Lucent connector (LC) Small form factor push-pull fiber optic connector; available in simplex and duplex versions. 114 Coaxial (coax) cable Media type using two separate conductors that share a common axis categorized using the Radio Grade (RG) specifications. 115 F-type connector Screw down connector used with coaxial cable. 116 802.1 802.111 standards Specifications developed by IEEE for wireless networking over microwave radio transmission in the 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and 6 GHz frequency bands. The Wi-Fi standards brand has six main iterations: a, b, g, Wi-Fi 4 (n), Wi-Fi 5 (ac), and Wi-Fi 6 (ax). These specify different modulation techniques, supported distances, and data rates, plus special features, such as channel bonding, MIMO, and MU-MIMO. 117 access point (AP) Device that provides a connection between wireless devices and can connect to wired networks, implementing an infrastructure mode WLAN. 118 Basic Service Set Identifier (BSSID) MAC address of an access point supporting a basic service area. 119 channels Subdivision of frequency bands used by Wi-Fi products into smaller channels to allow multiple networks to operate at the same location without interfering with one another. 120 frequency bands Portion of the microwave radio-frequency spectrum in which wireless products operate, such as 2.4 GHz band or 5 GHz band. 121 dynamic frequency selection (DFS) Regulatory feature of wireless access points that prevents use of certain 5 GHz channels when in range of a facility that uses radar. 122 channel bonding Capability to aggregate one or more adjacent wireless channels to increase bandwidth. 123 multiple input multiple output" (MIMO) Use of multiple reception and transmission antennas to boost wireless bandwidth via spatial multiplexing and to boost range and signal reliability via spatial diversity. 124 multiuser MIMO (MU-MIMO) Use of spatial multiplexing to allow a wireless access point to support multiple client stations simultaneously. 125 orthogonal frequency division multiple access" Feature of Wi-Fi 6 allowing an access point to serve multiple client stations simultaneously. (OFDMA) 126 service set identifier (SSID) Character string that identifies a particular wireless LAN (WLAN). 127 Wi-Fi analyzer Device or software that can report characteristics of a WLAN, such as signal strength and channel utilization. 128 decibel (dB) Unit for representing the power of network signaling. 129 signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) Measurement of a wireless signal level in relation to any background noise. 130 long-range fixed wireless Ground-based microwave transmission that supports long distances over precisely aligned directional antennas. These products can either make privileged use of licensed frequency bands or use public unlicensed radio- frequency spectrum. 131 decibels isotropic (dBi) Unit for representing the increase in power gained by the directional design of a wireless antenna. 132 Ef Effective fective isotropic radiated power (EIRP) Signal strength from a transmitter, measured as the sum of transmit power, antenna cable/connector loss, and antenna gain. 133 Bluetooth Short-range, wireless radio-network-transmission medium normally used to connect two personal devices, such as a mobile phone and a wireless headset. 134 Radio Frequency ID (RFID) Means of encoding information into passive tags, which can be energized and read by radio waves from a reader device. 135 Near Field Communications (NFC) Standard for two-way radio communications over very short (around four inches) distances, facilitating contactless payment and similar technologies. NFC is based on RFID. 136 Internet service providers (ISPs) Provides Internet connectivity and web services to its customers. 137 public switched telephone network (PSTN) Global network connecting national telecommunications systems. 138 plain old telephone system (POTS) Parts of a telephone network "local loop" that use voice-grade cabling. Analog data transfer over POTS using dial-up modems is slow (33.3 Kb/s). 139 Digital subscriber line (DSL) Carrier technology to implement broadband Internet access for subscribers by transferring data over voice- grade telephone lines. There are various "flavors" of DSL, notably S(ymmetric)DSL, A(symmetric)DSL, and V(ery HIgh Bit Rate)DSL. 140 cable modem Cable-Internet-access digital modem that uses a coaxial connection to the service provider's fiber-optic core network. 141 fiber to the premises (FTTP) Internet connection type that uses a fiber link between the subscriber premises and ISP network. Fiber to the premises (FTTP) uses a full fiber link, while fiber to the curb (FTTC) retains a short segment of copper wire between the subscriber premises and a street cabinet. 142 optical network terminal (ONT) Device that converts between optical and electrical signaling deployed to facilitate full fiber Internet connection types. 143 satellite System of microwave transmissions where orbital satellites relay signals between terrestrial receivers or other orbital satellites. Satellite internet connectivity is enabled through a reception antenna connected to the PC or network through a DVB-S modem. 144 wireless internet service provider (WISP) ISP offering Internet access over ground-based Line of Sight (LoS) microwave transmitters. 145 Cellular radio Standards for implementing data access over cellular networks are implemented as successive generations. For 2G (up to about 48 Kb/s) and 3G (up to about 42 Mb/s), there are competing GSM and CDMA provider networks. Standards for 4G (up to about 90 Mb/s) and 5G (up to about 300 Mb/s) are developed under converged LTE standards. 146 Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM) Standard for cellular radio communications and data transfer. GSM phones use a SIM card to identify the subscriber and network provider. 4G and later data standards are developed for GSM. 147 Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) Method of multiplexing a communications channel using a code to key the modulation of a particular signal. CDMA is associated with Sprint and Verizon cellular phone networks. 148 router Intermediate system working at the Network layer capable of forwarding packets around logical networks of different layer 1 and layer 2 types. 149 firewall Software or hardware device that protects a network segment or individual host by filtering packets to an access control list. 150 Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol Network protocol suite used to implement the Internet and most WANs and LANs. It uses a four-layer network (TCP/IP) model that corresponds roughly to the OSI model as follows: Network Interface (Physical/Data Link), Internet (Network), Transport (Transport), Application (Session, Presentation, Application). 151 Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) Protocol in the TCP/IP suite operating at the transport layer to provide connection-oriented, guaranteed delivery of packets. 152 User Datagram Protocol (UDP) Protocol in the TCP/IP suite operating at the transport layer to provide connectionless, non-guaranteed communication. 153 Internet Protocol (IP) Network (Internet) layer protocol in the TCP/IP suite providing packet addressing and routing for all higher- level protocols in the suite. 154 IPv4 Version of the Internet Protocol that uses 32-bit address values and subnet masks typically expressed in dotted decimal notation. 155 subnet mask Number of bits applied to an IP address to mask the network ID portion from the host/interface ID portion. 156 default gateway IP configuration parameter that identifies the address of a router on the local subnet that the host can use to contact other networks. 157 public IP address Some IP address ranges are designated for use on private networks only. Packets with source IP addresses in public ranges are permitted to be forwarded over the Internet. Packets with source IP addresses from private ranges should be blocked at Internet gateways or forwarded using some type of translation mechanism. 158 network address translation (NA (NAT) T) Routing mechanism that conceals internal addressing schemes from the public Internet by translating between a single public address on the external side of a router and private, non-routable addresses internally. 159 Domain Name System (DNS) Service that maps fully qualified domain name labels to IP addresses on most TCP/IP networks, including the Internet. 160 dynamic host configuration protocol (DHCP) Protocol used to automatically assign IP addressing information to hosts that have not been configured manually. 161 automatic private IP addressing (APIP (APIPA) A) Mechanism for Windows hosts configured to obtain an address automatically that cannot contact a DHCP server to revert to using an address from the range 169.254.x.y. This is also called a link-local address. 162 IPv6 Version of the Internet Protocol that uses 128-bit address values typically expressed in canonical hex notation with slash notation network prefixes. 163 HyperT HyperText ext T Transfer ransfer Protocol (HTTP)/HyperT (HTTP)/HyperText ext Application protocol used to provide web content to browsers. HTTP uses port 80. HTTPS(ecure) provides for Transfer Protocol Secure (HTTPS) encrypted transfers, using TLS and port 443. 164 Secure Shell (SSH) Application protocol supporting secure tunneling and remote terminal emulation and file copy. SSH runs over TCP port 22. 165 Trivial File T Transfer ransfer Protocol (TFTP) Simplified form of FTP supporting only file copying. TFTP works over UDP port 69. 166 scope Range of consecutive IP addresses in the same subnet that a DHCP server can lease to clients. 167 lease Address configuration assigned by a DHCP server to a client for a limited period. 168 reserve DHCP configuration that assigns either a prereserved or persistent IP address to a given host, based on its hardware address or other ID. 169 host name A human-readable name that identifies a network host. 170 fully qualified domain name (FQDN) Unique label specified in a DNS hierarchy to identify a particular host within a subdomain within a top-level domain. 171 resource records Data file storing information about a DNS zone. The main records are as follows: A (maps a host name to an IPv4 address), AAAA (maps to an IPv6 address), CNAME (an alias for a host name), MX (the IP address of a mail server), and PTR (allows a host name to be identified from an IP address). 172 MX record Type of DNS resource record used to identify the email servers used by a domain. 173 TXT record DNS resource record for storing free-form string values. 174 spam Junk, fraudulent, and malicious messaging sent over email (or instant messaging, which is called spim). Spam can also be spread via social networking. 175 Sender Policy Framework (SPF) DNS record identifying hosts authorized to send mail for the domain. 176 DomainKeys Identified Mail (DKIM) Cryptographic authentication mechanism for mail utilizing a public key published as a DNS record. 177 Domain-Based Message Authentication, Reporting, Framework for ensuring proper application of SPF and DKIM utilizing a policy published as a DNS record. and Conformance (DMARC) 178 virtual LAN (VLAN) Logical network segment comprising a broadcast domain established using a feature of managed switches to assign each port a VLAN ID. Even though hosts on two VLANs may be physically connected to the same switch, local traffic is isolated to each VLAN, so they must use a router to communicate. 179 virtual private network (VPN) Secure tunnel created between two endpoints connected via an unsecure transport network (typically the Internet). 180 file server In file server–based networks, a central machine provides dedicated file and print services to workstations. Benefits of server-based networks include ease of administration through centralization. 181 Server Message Block (SMB) Application protocol used for requesting files from Windows servers and delivering them to clients. SMB allows machines to share files and printers, thus making them available for other machines to use. SMB client software is available for UNIX-based systems. Samba software allows UNIX and Linux servers or NAS appliances to run SMB services for Windows clients. 182 Common Internet File System (CIFS) CIFS was proposed as a means of implementing SMB version 1 as an Internet standard.SMB1 has very serious security vulnerabilities and is now disabled by default on current Windows versions. 183 Network Basic Input/Output System (NetBIOS) Session management protocol used to provide name registration and resolution services on legacy Microsoft networks. 184 File T Transfer ransfer Protocol (FTP) Application protocol used to transfer files between network hosts. Variants include S(ecure)FTP, FTP with SSL (FTPS and FTPES) and T(rivial)FTP. FTP utilizes ports 20 and 21. 185 uniform resource locator (URL) Application-level addressing scheme for TCP/IP, allowing for human-readable resource addressing. For example: protocol://server/file, where "protocol" is the type of resource (HTTP, FTP), "server" is the name of the computer (www.microsoft.com), and "file" is the name of the resource you wish to access. 186 Transport Layer Security (TLS) Security protocol that uses certificates for authentication and encryption to protect web communications and other application protocols. 187 certificate Issued by a Certificate Authority (CA) as a guarantee that a public key it has issued to an organization to encrypt messages sent to it genuinely belongs to that organization. 188 certificate authority (CA) Server that guarantees subject identities by issuing signed digital certificate wrappers for their public keys. 189 email Electronic store and forward messaging system. Email supports text messages and binary file attachments. For Internet email, an SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol) server is used to forward mail to a host. A mail client then uses either POP3 (Post Office Protocol) or IMAP (Internet Mail Access Protocol) to access the mailbox on the server and download messages. 190 Simple Mail T Transfer ransfer Protocol (SMTP) Application protocol used to send mail between hosts on the Internet. Messages are sent between servers over TCP port 25 or submitted by a mail client over secure port TCP/587. 191 Post Office Protocol (POP) Application protocol that enables a client to download email messages from a server mailbox to a client over port TCP/110 or secure port TCP/995. 192 Internet Message Access Protocol (IMAP) Application protocol providing a means for a client to access and manage email messages stored in a mailbox on a remote server. IMAP4 utilizes TCP port number 143, while the secure version IMAPS uses TCP/993. 193 Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) Protocol used to access network directory databases, which store information about authorized users and their privileges, as well as other organizational information. 194 Remote Authentication Dial-in User Service AAA protocol used to manage remote and wireless authentication infrastructures. (RADIUS) 195 terminal emulator Software that reproduces text input and output for a given command shell or OS. 196 Telnet Application protocol supporting unsecure terminal emulation for remote host management. Telnet runs over TCP port 23. 197 Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) Application protocol for operating remote connections to a host using a graphical interface. The protocol sends screen data from the remote host to the client and transfers mouse and keyboard input from the client to the remote host. It uses TCP port 3389. 198 Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) Application protocol used for monitoring and managing network devices. SNMP works over UDP ports 161 and 162 by default. 199 Syslog Application protocol and event-logging format enabling different appliances and software applications to transmit logs or event records to a central server. Syslog works over UDP port 514 by default. 200 proxy server Server that mediates the communications between a client and another server. It can filter and often modify communications as well as provide caching services to improve performance. 201 unified threat management (UTM) All-in-one security appliances and agents that combine the functions of a firewall, malware scanner, intrusion detection, vulnerability scanner, data-loss prevention, content filtering, and so on. 202 load balancer Type of switch, router, or software that distributes client requests between different resources, such as communications links or similarly configured servers. This provides fault tolerance and improves throughput. 203 legacy system Hardware or software product that is no longer supported by its vendor and therefore no longer provided with security updates and patches. 204 end of life (EOL) Product life-cycle phase where mainstream vendor support is no longer available. 205 embedded system Electronic system that is designed to perform a specific, dedicated function, such as a microcontroller in a medical drip or components in a control system managing a water treatment plant. 206 operational technology (OT) Communications network designed to implement an industrial control system rather than data networking. 207 supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) Type of industrial control system that manages large-scale, multiple-site devices and equipment spread over geographically large areas from a host computer. 208 Internet of Things (IoT) Devices that can report state and configuration data and be remotely managed over IP networks. 209 Smart devices Device or appliance (such as a TV, refrigerator, thermostat, video entry phone, or lightbulb) that can be configured and monitored over an IoT network. 210 port flapping Network error where a port transitions rapidly between up and down states. 211 received signal strength indicator (RSSI) Signal strength as measured at the receiver, using either decibel units or an index value. 212 Voice over Internet Protocol (V (VoIP) oIP) Generic name for protocols that carry voice traffic over data networks. 213 Latency Time taken for a signal to reach the recipient, measured in milliseconds. Latency is a particular problem for two-way applications, such as VoIP (telephone) and online conferencing. 214 Jitter Variation in the time it takes for a signal to reach the recipient. Jitter manifests itself as an inconsistent rate of packet delivery. If packet loss or delay is excessive, then noticeable audio or video problems (artifacts) are experienced by users. 215 quality of service (QoS) Systems that differentiate data passing over the network that can reserve bandwidth for particular applications. A system that cannot guarantee a level of available bandwidth is often described as Class of Service (CoS). 216 Virtualization Computing environment where multiple independent operating systems can be installed to a single hardware platform and run simultaneously. 217 virtual machines (VMs) Guest operating system installed on a host computer using virtualization software (a hypervisor). 218 Sandbox Computing environment that is isolated from a host system to guarantee that the environment runs in a controlled, secure fashion. Communication links between the sandbox and the host are usually completely prohibited so that malware or faulty software can be analyzed in isolation and without risk to the host. 219 Application virtualization Software delivery model where the code runs on a server and is streamed to a client. 220 Containerization Type of virtualization applied by a host operating system to provision an isolated execution environment for an application. 221 image Clone copy of an operating system installation (including installed software, settings, and user data) stored as a file on disk. VMs use images to store persistent data, and the technology is also used to make system backups. 222 virtual machine sprawl (VM sprawl) Configuration vulnerability where provisioning and deprovisioning of virtual assets are not properly authorized and monitored. 223 virtual machine escaping (VM escaping) Attack against a virtualization platform where malware running in a VM is able to interact directly with the hypervisor or host kernel. 224 cloud computing Computing architecture where on-demand resources provisioned with the attributes of high availability, scalability, and elasticity are billed to customers on the basis of metered utilization. 225 metered utilization Feature of cloud service models that allows customers to track and pay for precise compute, storage, and network resource units. 226 elasticity Property by which a computing environment can add or remove resources in response to increasing and decreasing demands in workload. 227 High availability (HA) Metric that defines how closely systems approach the goal of providing data availability 100% of the time while maintaining a high level of system performance. 228 Scalability Property by which a computing environment is able to gracefully fulfill its ever-increasing resource needs. 229 Public (or multitenant) Cloud that is deployed for shared use by multiple independent tenants. 230 cloud service providers (CSPs) Organization providing infrastructure, application, and/or storage services via an "as a service" subscription- based, cloud-centric offering. 231 Private Cloud that is deployed for use by a single entity. 232 Community Cloud that is deployed for shared use by cooperating tenants. 233 Hybrid Cloud deployment that uses both private and public elements. 234 cloud service models Classifying the provision of cloud services and the limit of the cloud service provider's responsibility as software, platform, infrastructure, and so on. 235 Infrastructure as a service (IaaS) Cloud service model that provisions virtual machines and network infrastructure. 236 Software as a service (SaaS) Cloud service model that provisions fully developed application services to users. 237 Platform as a service (PaaS) Cloud service model that provisions application and database services as a platform for development of apps. 238 Virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) A virtualization implementation that separates the personal computing environment from a user's physical computer. 239 desktop as a service (DaaS) Cloud service model that provisions desktop OS and applications software. 240 Software-defined networking (SDN) APIs and compatible hardware/virtual appliances allowing for programmable network appliances and systems. 241 application programming interface (API) Methods exposed by a script or program that allow other scripts or programs to use it. For example, an API enables software developers to access functions of the TCP/IP network stack under a particular operating system. 242 touch screen A display screen combined with a digitizer that is responsive to touch input. 243 liquid crystal display (LCD) Flat-panel display technology where the image is made up of liquid crystal cells with color filters controlled using electrical charges. The display must be illuminated by a backlight. 244 thin film transistor (TFT) Specific display technology used to implement modern flat-panel LCD displays. 245 Twisted nematic (TN) Type of low-cost TFT display with relatively poor viewing angles and contrast ratio, but good response times. 246 In-plane switching (IPS) Type of TFT display with the best overall quality, including wide viewing angles, good contrast ratio, and good response times (on premium units). 247 Vertical alignment (V (VA) A) Type of TFT display with good viewing angles and excellent contrast ratio. 248 light-emitting diodes (LED) Small, low-power lamps used both as diagnostic indicators, the backlight for a TFT display, and (as an organic LED array) in high-quality flat panels. 249 inverter Fluorescent lamp backlights require AC power. An inverter component converts DC power from the motherboard to AC. The inverter can fail separately to the backlight. 250 or organic ganic LED (OLED) Type of flat panel display where each pixel is implemented as an LED, removing the need for a separate backlight. 251 backlight LED or fluorescent lamp that illuminates the image on a flat-panel (TFT) screen. If the backlight component fails, only a dim image will be shown. 252 digitizer As part of a touch screen assembly, the digitizer is a touch-sensitive layer placed on top of the display panel. The digitizer converts analog touch and gesture events to digital signals that can be interpreted as different types of input. 253 Trackpad Sometimes synonymous with touch pad, but also a touch interface provisioned as a peripheral device, often dedicated to use with digital art applications. 254 touch pen Input device that can be used with a compatible digitizer/track pad/drawing tablet for natural input, such as handwriting and sketching. 255 digital camera Version of a 35 mm film camera where the film is replaced by light-sensitive diodes and electronic storage media (typically a flash memory card). The sensitivity of the array determines the maximum resolution of the image, measured in megapixels. Most mobile devices are fitted with embedded cameras that can function as both still and video cameras. 256 webcam Type of digital camera used to stream and record video. There are many types, from devices built into laptops to standalone units. While early devices were only capable of low resolutions, most webcams are now HD- capable. 257 headset Peripheral device supporting audio input (microphone) and output (speaker headphones). 258 airplane mode A toggle found on mobile devices enabling the user to disable and enable wireless functionality quickly. 259 preferred roaming list (PRL) Data that allows a CDMA-based handset to connect to nearby cell towers. 260 Long T Term erm Evolution (L (LTE) TE) Packet data communications specification providing an upgrade path for both GSM and CDMA cellular networks. LTE Advanced is designed to provide 4G standard network access. 261 hotspot Using the cellular data plan of a mobile device to provide Internet access to a laptop or PC. The PC can be tethered to the mobile by USB, Bluetooth, or Wi-Fi (a mobile hotspot). 262 universal asynchronous receiver transmitter (UAR (UART) T) Controller that can send and receive data in an asynchronous serial format. 263 pairing Feature of Bluetooth that establishes connectivity between two devices, often by entering a PIN. 264 port replicator A simple device used to extend the range of ports (for example, USB, DVI, HDMI, Thunderbolt, network, and so on) available for a laptop computer when it is used on a desk. 265 docking station Advanced type of port replicator designed to provide additional ports (such as network or USB) and functionality (such as expansion slots and drives) to a portable computer when used at a desk. 266 App Store Feature of mobile computing that provides a managed interface for installing third-party software apps. 267 Microsoft 365 Mobile/cloud computing office productivity and data storage suite operated by Microsoft. 268 Google W Workspace orkspace Mobile/cloud computing office productivity and data storage suite operated by Google. 269 iCloud Mobile/cloud computing office-productivity and data-storage suite operated by Apple and closely integrated with macOS and iOS. 270 data caps Feature of mobile computing that allows use of a network connection to be limited to avoid incurring additional carrier charges. 271 Mobile device management (MDM) Process and supporting technologies for tracking, controlling, and securing the organization's mobile infrastructure. 272 Mobile application management (MAM) Enterprise management function that enables control over apps and storage for mobile devices and other endpoints. 273 biometric authentication Authentication mechanism that allows a user to perform a biometric scan to operate an entry or access system. Physical characteristics stored as a digital data template can be used to authenticate a user. Typical features used include facial pattern, iris, retina, fingerprint pattern, and signature recognition. 274 two-factor authentication (2F (2FA) A) Strong authentication mechanism that requires a user to submit two different types of credential, such as a fingerprint scan plus PIN. Often, the second credential is transmitted via a second trusted device or account. This is also referred to as 2-step verification. 275 location service Feature of mobile computing that identifies or estimates the device's geographical position using GPS and/or network data. 276 Global Positioning System (GPS) Means of determining a receiver's position on Earth based on information received from orbital satellites. 277 battery Power source for a portable computer, typically a rechargeable Lithium-ion (Li-ion) type. A small coin cell battery is also used in a computer to power CMOS RAM. 278 printer "Printer" is often used to mean "print device" but also refers to a term used to describe the software components of a printing solution. The printer is the object that Windows sends output to. It consists of a spool directory, a printer driver, and configuration information. 279 print device Term used to describe the actual printer hardware that services a print job when submitted from an application. 280 unbox Operational procedure for ensuring that a new device is installed safely to an optimum environment. 281 page description language (PDL) Instructions that the print device can use to create an image on the page (for most printers, this means a raster describing the placement of dots on the paper). 282 cyan, magenta, yellow yellow,, and black (CMYK) Subtractive color model used by print devices. CMYK printing involves use of halftone screens. Four screens (or layers) of dots printed in each of the colors are overlaid. The size and density of the dots on each layer produce different shades of color and is viewed as a continuous tone image. 283 PostScript Page description language developed by Adobe that is capable of creating accurate, device-independent output (this means that two different printer models will produce exactly the same output from the same print file). 284 Printer Control Language (PCL) Page description and printer control language developed by HP to implement printer driver functionality. 285 duplex unit Installable option that enables a print device or scanner to use both sides of a page automatically. 286 print server Computer configured to share a connected printer with other hosts. The client hosts connect to the printer share rather than directly to the print device. 287 secured print Feature that holds print jobs until the user authenticates directly with the print device using a PIN or smart badge. 288 scanner Type of copier that can convert the image of a physical object into an electronic data file. The two main components of a scanner are the lamp, which illuminates the object, and the recording device, an array of charge coupled devices (CCDs). 289 Optical Character Recognition (OCR) Software that can identify the shapes of characters and digits to convert them from printed images to electronic data files that can be modified in a word-processing program. 290 flatbed scanner Type of scanner where the object is placed on a glass faceplate and the scan head moves underneath it. 291 automatic document feeder (ADF) Device that feeds media automatically into a scanner or printer. 292 Server Message Block (SMB) or scan to folder Feature of scanners and multifunction devices that directs output to a shared network folder. 293 imaging drum Drum or belt in a laser printer that supports a high electric charge that can be selectively removed using a laser or LED light source. 294 toner Specially formulated compound to impart dye to paper through an electrographic process (used by laser printers and photocopiers). The key properties of toner are the colorant (dye), ability to fuse (wax or plastic), and ability to hold a charge. There are three main types of toner, distinguished by the mechanism of applying the toner to the developer roller: dual component (where the toner is mixed with a separate magnetic developer), mono-component (where the toner itself is magnetic), and non-magnetic mono-component (where the toner is transferred using static properties). 295 pickup roller Print device components that feed paper between the input tray, print engine, and output tray. 296 separation pad Print device component that ensures only a single sheet at a time is fed into the paper path. 297 transfer roller Roller, corona wire, or belt assembly on a laser print device that applies a charge to the media (paper) so that it attracts toner from the photoconductor. A detac strip then removes the charge to prevent paper curl. On a color laser printer, the transfer unit is usually a belt. 298 fuser Assembly in a laser print device that fixes toner to media. This is typically a combination of a heat and pressure roller. 299 transfer belt Roller, corona wire, or belt assembly on a laser print device that applies a charge to the media (paper) so that it attracts toner from the photoconductor. A detac strip then removes the charge to prevent paper curl. On a color laser printer, the transfer unit is usually a belt. 300 maintenance kit On a laser printer, the fuser unit (the part that fuses toner onto the paper) needs replacing according to the maintenance kit schedule. A maintenance kit also includes new pickup, feed, and separation rollers. It may also include transfer components (roller or belt), or these may be replaced on a different schedule, depending on the printer model. 301 Inkjet printers Type of printer where colored ink is sprayed onto the paper using microscopic nozzles in the print head. There are two main types of ink dispersion system: thermal shock (heating the ink to form a bubble that bursts through the nozzles) and piezoelectric (using a tiny element that changes shape to act as a pump). 302 belt Inkjet print device component that moves the print head over the paper. 303 thermal printer Type of printer that uses a heated print head and specially treated paper to form the image. Most direct thermal printers are handheld devices used for printing labels or receipts. 304 impact printer Typically a dot matrix printer, this uses pressure to transfer ink from a ribbon onto paper in a particular pattern, similar to the mechanism of a typewriter. 305 3-D printer Hardware device capable of small-scale manufacturing. Most 3-D printers use either a variety of filament (typically plastic) or resin media with different properties. 306 Print bed 3-D print device component on which output is deposited. 307 filament 3-D print device media type. 308 resin 3-D print device media type. 309 finisher unit Print device component used to automate document production, such as hole punching or stapling print jobs. 310 print monitor In Windows, the print monitor is a process that checks the print queue (%SystemRoot%\System32\Spool\ Printers\) for print jobs. When they arrive, they are processed, if necessary, then passed via a print port to the print device. 311 Spooler Generic term describing how a print output stream is passed from a client application and stored temporarily at a print server until the print monitor can route the job to the print device. 312 Instant Search Windows feature allowing rapid search of apps, data folders, messages, and the web. 313 Windows Settings Touch-enabled interface for managing user and system settings in Windows. 314 Control Panel Legacy management interface for configuring user and system settings in Windows. 315 Microsoft account Cloud-based SSO service allowing users to synchronize settings between multiple Windows devices. 316 Accounts settings Windows Settings pages relating to user account creation and maintenance. 317 User Accountsapplet Control Panel app relating to user account creation and maintenance. 318 Privacy settings Windows Settings pages related to personal data collection and use. 319 Time & Language settings Windows Settings pages allowing configuration of default data formats (date, currency, and so on), location information, and keyboard input locale. 320 Personalization settings Windows Settings pages related to customizing the appearance of the desktop using themes. 321 Ease of Access Windows Settings pages related to desktop and input/output device accessibility configuration. 322 OneDrive Cloud storage service operated by Microsoft and closely integrated with Windows. 323 This PC File system object representing a Windows computer and the disk drives installed to it. 324 Recycle Bin When files are deleted from a local hard disk, they are stored in the Recycle Bin. They can be recovered from here if so desired. 325 File Explorer Options Control Panel app related to view and browsing settings for File Explorer. 326 Indexing Options Control Panel app related to search database maintenance. 327 System Settings Windows Settings pages relating to basic and advanced system settings. 328 Update & Security settings Windows Settings pages related to configuring automatic patching, deploying feature updates, and managing security features. 329 Windows Security Touch-enabled app for configuring features such as firewall and antivirus. 330 Devices settings Windows Settings pages for using and configuring attached hardware. 331 Phone settings Windows Settings pages for associating a smartphone with Windows. 332 Devices and Printers Control Panel app for using and configuring attached hardware. 333 Device Manager Primary interface for configuring and managing hardware devices in Windows. Device Manager enables the administrator to disable and remove devices, view hardware properties and system resources, and update device drivers. 334 Sound applet Control Panel applet related to speaker and microphone configuration plus Windows sound events and notifications. 335 Standby Power-saving mode where power to all compatible components except system memory is cut. Note that systems on standby still consume some electricity. 336 Hibernate Power-saving state where the contents of memory are saved to hard disk (hiberfil.sys) and the computer is powered off. Restarting the computer restores the desktop. 337 sleep Power-saving mode in Windows. On a laptop, this functions much like standby, but on a desktop, the system also creates a hibernation file before entering the standby state. 338 Power Options Control Panel app related to configuring power button/lid events and power-saving modes. 339 fast startup Power-saving option allowing swift resume from sleep via an image of system memory contents saved to a hibernation file. 340 Apps Windows Settings pages relating to configuration of Windows Features and third-party software apps. 341 Programs and Features Control Panel applet allowing management of Windows Features and third-party software. 342 Mail applet Control Panel applet related to configuration of Microsoft Outlook email accounts and storage files. 343 Gaming settings Windows Settings pages related to game mode settings and Xbox integration. 344 Network & Internet Windows Settings pages related to interface configuration, network profiles, and proxy configuration. 345 Network and Sharing Center Control Panel related to interface configuration, network profiles, and discovery/file sharing settings. 346 Windows Defender Firewall Built-in, host-based filtering of network connections. 347 Internet Options Control Panel applet allowing configuration of the Internet Explorer web browser. 348 Administrative T Tools ools Folder in Control Panel containing default Microsoft management consoles used to configure the local system. 349 WinX menu Start button shortcut menu with quick access to principal configuration and management utilities. 350 Run dialog Windows interface for executing commands. 351 Disk Management (diskmgmt.msc) Console related to initializing, partitioning, and formatting disk drives. 352 Storage Spaces Windows feature for creating a single storage resource from multiple devices. Data can be protected against device failure by RAID-like mirroring or parity. 353 Defragment and Optimize Drives tool (dfr (dfrgui.exe) gui.exe) Fragmentation occurs when a data file is not saved to contiguous sectors on an HDD and reduces performance. The defragmenter mitigates this and can also perform optimization operations for SSDs. 354 Disk Clean-up (cleanmgr (cleanmgr.exe).exe) Windows utility for removing temporary files to reclaim disk space. 355 Task Scheduler (tasksch.msc) Enables execution of an action (such as running a program or a script) automatically at a pre-set time or in response to some sort of trigger. 356 Local Users and Groups (lusrmgr (lusrmgr.msc).msc) Console for creating and managing user and group accounts with the authentication and permissions scope of the local system. 357 Certificate Manager console (certmgr (certmgr.msc).msc) Console related to managing digital certificates for the current user and trusted root certification authority certificates. 358 Group Policy Editor (gpedit.msc) Console related to configuring detailed user and system registry settings via policies. 359 Registry Editor (regedit.exe) Tool for making direct edits to the registry database, such as adding or modifying keys or values. The Registry Editor can be used to make backups of the registry. 360 registry In the Windows registry, a key is analogous to a folder on the file system. Keys are used to group like settings together in a hierarchy that is logical to navigate. 361 hives File storing configuration data corresponding to a section of the Windows registry. 362 Microsoft Management Console (MMC) Utility allowing Windows administrative tools to be added as snap-ins to a single interface. 363 System Information (msinfo32.exe) Utility that provides a report of the PC's hardware and software configuration. 364 Event V Viewer iewer (eventvwr (eventvwr.msc).msc) Windows console related to viewing and exporting events in the Windows logging file format. 365 Task Manager (taskmgr (taskmgr.exe).exe) Windows utility used to monitor and manage process execution, resource utilization, user sessions, startup settings, and service configuration. 366 process Software program that has been executed and is running in system memory. 367 Startup Apps and scripts set to run when the computer starts or when the user signs in. Startup items can be configured as shortcuts, registry entries, or Task Scheduler triggers. 368 Services (services.msc) Windows machines run services to provide functions; for example, Plug-and-Play, the print spooler, DHCP client, and so on. These services can be viewed, configured, and started/stopped via the Services console. You can also configure which services run at startup using msconfig. You can view background services (as well as applications) using the Processes tab in Task Manager. 369 Resource Monitor (resmon.exe) Console for live monitoring of resource utilization data for the CPU and GPU, system memory, disk/file system, and network. 370 Performance Monitor (perfmon.msc) Console for reporting and recording resource utilization via counter data for object instances. 371 System Configuration Utility (msconfig.exe) Utility for configuring Windows startup settings. 372 cmd.exe Basic shell interpreter for Windows. 373 Run as administrator Windows feature that requires a task to be explicitly launched with elevated privileges and consented to via UAC. 374 directory File system object used to organize other file system objects into containers. 375 dir command Command-line utility that displays information about the contents of the current directory. 376 cd command Command-line tool used to navigate the directory structure. 377 move command Command-line tool for moving files. 378 copy command Command-line tool for copying files. 379 xcopy command Command-line directory and file copy utility offering improved functionality compared to the basic copy command. 380 robocopy command Command-line file copy utility recommended for use over the older xcopy. 381 md command Command-line tool for creating directories. 382 rmdir Command-line tool for deleting directories. The /s switch enables the deletion of non-empty directories. 383 diskpart Command-line utility used to configure disk partitions. 384 format command Command-line utility for creating a file system on a partition. 385 X: Command-line utility used to select the working drive. 386 chkdsk Command-line tool that verifies the integrity of a disk's file system. 387 shutdown command Command-line tool for shutting down or restarting the computer. The command is supported by Windows and Linux, though with different syntax. 388 System File Checker Command-line utility that checks the integrity of system and device driver files. 389 winver command Command-line tool for reporting Windows version information. 390 Windows Windows started as version 3.1 for 16-bit computers. A workgroup version provided rudimentary network facilities. Windows NT 4 workstations and servers (introduced in 1993) provided reliable 32-bit operation and secure network facilities, based around domains. The Windows 9x clients (Windows 95, 98, and Me) had far- lower reliability and support only for workgroups but were still hugely popular as home and business machines. Windows 2000 and Windows XP workstations married the hardware flexibility and user interface of Windows 9x to the reliability and security of Windows NT, while the server versions saw the introduction of Active Directory for managing network objects. The subsequent client releases of Windows (Vista/7/8/8.1) feature a substantially different interface (Aero) with 3D features as well as security improvements. The latest client versions—Windows 10 and Windows 11—are designed for use with touch-screen devices. 391 macOS Proprietary OS designed by Apple for their range of iMac computers, Mac workstations, and MacBook portables. 392 UNIX UNIX is a family of more than 20 related operating systems that are produced by various companies. It can run on a wide variety of platforms. UNIX offers a multitude of file systems in addition to its native system. UNIX remains widely deployed in enterprise data centers to run mission-critical applications and infrastructure. 393 Linux Open-source OS packaged in distributions supported by a wide range of hardware and software vendors. 394 Chrome OS Proprietary OS developed by Google to run on specific laptop (chromebooks) and PC (chromeboxes) hardware. 395 iPadOS OS for some models of the Apple iPad tablet. 396 iOS OS for Apple's iPhone smartphone and most iPad tablet models. 397 update limitations Product life cycle and procurement consideration where a device or product no longer receives a full range of updates or support from its vendor. 398 Android Cell phone/smartphone/tablet OS developed by the Open Handset Alliance (primarily driven by Google). Unlike iOS, it is an open-source OS, based on Linux. 399 file system Structure for file data indexing and storage created by a process of formatting a partition that allows an OS to make use of a mass storage device, such as an HDD, SSD, or thumb drive. 400 New T Technology echnology File System (NTFS) 64-bit default file system for Windows, with file-by-file compression and RAID support as well as advanced file attribute management tools, encryption, and disk quotas. 401 FAT32 32-bit file system used principally for system partitions and removable media. 402 exF exFA AT 64-bit version of the FAT file system with support for larger partition and file sizes. 403 ext3 Standard Linux file system that includes journaling and has since been replaced with ext4. 404 Apple File System (APFS) Default file system for macOS-based computers and laptops. 405 Compatibility concerns Considerations that must be made when using an app in an environment with multiple device and OS platforms. 406 end of life (EOL) Product life-cycle phase where mainstream vendor support is no longer available. 407 desktop Graphical OS interface that allows programs to run within window containers. Desktop styles include tools for launching apps, such as the Windows Start Menu, and managing apps, such as the Windows taskbar. Changes to the desktop style over the course of version and feature updates can be confusing for users. 408 32-bit (x86) or 64-bit (x64) Processing modes referring to the size of each instruction processed by the CPU. 32-bit CPUs replaced earlier 16-bit CPUs and were used through the 1990s to the present day, though most PC and laptop CPUs now work in 64-bit mode. The main 64-bit platform is called AMD64 or EM64T (by Intel). Software can be compiled as 32-bit or 64-bit. 64-bit CPUs can run most 32-bit software, but a 32-bit CPU cannot execute 64-bit software. 409 Windows editions Feature restrictions applied to Windows to distinguish different markets, pricing, and licensing models, such as home versus professional versus enterprise. 410 feature updates Release paradigm introduced for Windows 10 where significant changes and new features are distributed via Windows Update on a semiannual schedule. 411 original equipment manufacturer (OEM) In PC terms, companies that sell Windows co-branded under their own logo. OEM Windows licenses are valid only on the system that the software was installed on, and the OEM must provide support. 412 BitLocker Feature of Windows allowing for encryption of NTFS-formatted drives. The encryption key can be stored in a TPM chip on the computer or on a USB drive. 413 Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) Application protocol for operating remote connections to a host using a graphical interface. The protocol sends screen data from the remote host to the client and transfers mouse and keyboard input from the client to the remote host. It uses TCP port 3389. 414 upgrade path Earlier versions of an OS that support an in-place upgrade to a newer version, retaining settings, third-party apps, and user data files. 415 Clean install OS setup method where the target disk is repartitioned and formatted, removing any existing OS and/or data files. 416 In-place upgrade OS installation method where the setup program is launched from an existing OS. This can typically retain user data files, settings, and third-party apps. 417 Hardware Compatibility List (HCL) Before installing an OS, it is vital to check that all the PC components have been tested for compatibility with the OS (that they are on the Hardware Compatibility List [HCL] or Windows Logo'd Product List). Incompatible hardware may not work or may even prevent the installation from completing successfully. 418 unattended installations Deployment method where installation choices are saved in an answer file or script so that the setup program executes without manual intervention. 419 image deployment Deployment method where the target disk is written with an image of the new OS. 420 boot method Device used to start the setup program and hold source files for installing or upgrading an OS. 421 Preboot eXecution Environment (PXE) Feature of a network adapter that allows the computer to boot by contacting a suitably configured server over the network. 422 master boot record (MBR) Sector on a mass storage device that holds information about partitions and the OS boot loader. 423 globally unique identifier(GUID) partition table Modern disk partitioning system allowing large numbers of partitions and very large partition sizes. (GPT) 424 recovery partition OEM recovery media enabling the user to reset the system to its factory configuration. 425 System requirements Minimum specifications for CPU speed, memory, and disk capacity for installing an OS or app. 426 distribution method