Introduction

If you're picking up this book, it means that it's likely that either you're thinking about getting into the IT industry or you are relatively new to it. Either way, you are probably getting advice from nearly everyone you meet. One of the common refrains you probably hear is “Get certified!” With so many certifications out there, you might wonder where to start—CompTIA IT Fundamentals is that place.

Certification is one of the best things you can do for your career if you are working in, or want to break into, the IT profession because it proves that you know what you're talking about regarding the subjects in which you're certified. It also powerfully endorses you as a professional in a way that's very similar to a physician being board certified in a certain area of expertise. It can add to your resume and make you more attractive to potential employers and more valuable as an employee. In these challenging economic times, keeping ahead of the competition—even standing out among your present colleagues—could make a big difference in whether you gain a promotion or possibly keep your job instead of being the one who gets laid off!

In this book, you'll find out what the IT Fundamentals exam is all about because each chapter covers a part of the exam. I've included some great review questions at the end of each chapter to help crystallize the information you learned and solidly prepare you to ace the exam.

A really cool thing about working in IT is that it's constantly evolving, so there are always new things to learn and fresh challenges to master. Once you obtain your IT Fundamentals certification and discover that you're interested in taking it further by getting into more complex topics (and making more money), the CompTIA A+ certification is definitely your next step.

What Is the CompTIA IT Fundamentals Certification?

IT Fundamentals is a certification developed by the Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA) that exists to provide resources and education for the computer and technology community. This is the same body that developed the A+ exam for PC technicians, Network+ for networking experts, and Security+ for security practitioners.

Way back in 1995, members of the organization got together to develop a new certification that tests skills for IT. To ensure industry-wide support, it was sponsored by many past and present IT industry leaders like these:

• Compaq Computers
• Digital Equipment Corporation (a part of Compaq)
• IBM
• Lotus
• Microsoft
• Novell
• TSS
• U.S. Robotics
• US West
• Wave Technologies

The IT Fundamentals exam was designed to test the skills of those with little to no experience in the field, but who want to show that they have a broad general understanding of core IT topics. It tests areas such as computer hardware, operating systems and applications, basic networking, security, and setting up and maintaining a computer.

Why Become IT Fundamentals Certified?

Because CompTIA is a well-respected developer of vendor-neutral industry certifications, becoming IT Fundamentals certified proves you have a base level of knowledge in the specific areas tested by the IT Fundamentals objectives.

Three major benefits are associated with becoming IT Fundamentals certified:

Proof of Professional Achievement Computer professionals are pretty competitive when it comes to collecting more certifications than their peers. And because the IT Fundamentals certification broadly covers the entire field of computers, it's a great stepping-stone to prove that you have what it takes to succeed in this industry. Because it's rare to gain something that's worth a lot with little effort, I'll be honest—preparing for the IT Fundamentals exam isn't exactly a lazy day at the beach. But passing the test is worth it because it will get the attention of potential employers.

Opportunity for Advancement We all like to get ahead in our careers—advancement results in more responsibility and prestige, and it usually means a fatter paycheck, greater opportunities, and added options. In the IT sector, a great way to make sure all that good stuff happens is by earning a lot of technology certifications, including IT Fundamentals.

Fulfillment of Training Requirements IT Fundamentals, because of its wide-reaching industry support, is recognized as a baseline of computer knowledge. This can potentially fulfill IT-related training requirements set forth by your company.

Customer Confidence As companies discover the CompTIA advantage, they will undoubtedly require qualified staff to achieve these certifications. Many companies outsource their work to consulting firms with experience working with security. Firms that have certified staff have a definite advantage over firms that don't.

How to Become IT Fundamentals Certified

As this book goes to press, Pearson VUE is the sole IT Fundamentals exam provider. The following are the necessary contact information and exam-specific details for registering. Exam pricing might vary by country or by CompTIA membership.

When you schedule the exam, you'll receive instructions regarding appointment and cancellation procedures, ID requirements, and information about the testing center location. In addition, you'll receive a registration and payment confirmation letter. Exams can be scheduled up to six weeks out or as late as the next day (or, in some cases, even the same day).

After you've successfully passed your IT Fundamentals exam, CompTIA will award you a certification. Within four to six weeks of passing the exam, you'll receive your official CompTIA IT Fundamentals certificate and ID card. (If you don't receive these within eight weeks of taking the test, contact CompTIA directly using the information found in your registration packet.)

Tips for Taking the IT Fundamentals Exam

Here are some general tips for taking your exam successfully:

• Bring two forms of ID with you. One must be a photo ID, such as a driver's license. The other can be a major credit card or a passport. Both forms must include a signature.
• Arrive early at the exam center so you can relax and review your study materials, particularly tables and lists of exam-related information. Once you are ready to enter the testing room, you will need to leave everything outside; you won't be able to bring any materials into the testing area.
• Read the questions carefully. Don't be tempted to jump to an early conclusion. Make sure you know exactly what each question is asking.
• Don't leave any unanswered questions. Unanswered questions are scored against you. There will be questions with multiple correct responses. When there is more than one correct answer, a message at the bottom of the screen will prompt you to either “choose two” or “choose all that apply.” Be sure to read the messages displayed to know how many correct answers you must choose.
• When answering multiple-choice questions you're not sure about, use a process of elimination to get rid of the obviously incorrect answers first. Doing so will improve your odds if you need to make an educated guess.
• On form-based tests (nonadaptive), because the hard questions will take the most time, save them for last. You can move forward and backward through the exam.
• For the latest pricing on the exams and updates to the registration procedures, visit CompTIA's website at www.comptia.org.

Who Should Read This Book?

You—if want to pass the IT Fundamentals exam and pass it confidently! This book is chock full of the exact information you need and directly maps to IT Fundamentals exam objectives (listed later in this introduction), so if you use it to study for the exam, your odds of passing shoot way up.

And in addition to including every bit of knowledge you need to learn to pass the exam, I've included some really great tips and solid wisdom to equip you even further to successfully work in the real IT world.

What Does This Book Cover?

This book covers everything you need to know to pass the CompTIA IT Fundamentals exam. But in addition to studying the book, it's a good idea to practice on actual computers if you can.

Here's a list of the 12 chapters in this book:

Chapter 1, “Core Hardware Components” This chapter introduces you to the core insides of a computer, specifically motherboards, processors, memory, storage, expansion slots, power, and cooling systems.

Chapter 2, “Peripherals and Connectors” While core hardware is important, users can truly customize their computer experience by adding peripheral hardware. To connect all of those toys to your system, you need to know which connectors to use, and this chapter teaches you all of that.

Chapter 3, “Operating Systems” Without an operating system, computer hardware makes a pretty good doorstop. The operating system is the most critical piece of software on a computer, because it coordinates the efforts of the hardware and provides an interface for the user to interact with the machine.

Chapter 4, “Software Applications” This chapter covers a variety of common application types that reside on computers, such as productivity software, collaboration software, antimalware utilities, and specialized software like games. It also teaches you the proper ways to install, uninstall, and manage applications.

Chapter 5, “Networking Technologies and Wireless Routers” Who doesn't want to get on the Internet? Wireless routers are popular today as a method to get Internet connectivity. You'll learn about basic networking technologies and how to configure a wireless router in this chapter.

Chapter 6, “Network Sharing and Storage” Building on the basic networking technologies in Chapter 5, this chapter shows you how to share resources on a network for other users to access, such as files and printers. It also introduces cloud computing and virtualization.

Chapter 7, “Mobile Devices” It seems like mobile devices are everywhere, doesn't it? In this chapter, you will learn how to set up and configure mobile devices to participate on a network, as well as how to use devices from different platforms.

Chapter 8, “Security Threats” The downside to computers is that it seems like hackers are everywhere. This chapter will introduce you to common threats posed by would-be attackers, so you know how to avoid them.

Chapter 9, “Security Best Practices” This chapter builds on Chapter 8 by showing you how to set up your system to protect it against attacks. You will learn about concepts such as access control, device hardening, and safe web browsing and email use.

Chapter 10, “Buying and Configuring a Workstation” Buying a new computer can be thrilling! Getting it home and having a tangled mess of wires can be a bit of a downer. In this chapter, you will understand what to look for in your ideal computer, as well as what to do when you get home to set it up so that it runs just as you want it to.

Chapter 11, “Computer Support and Backups” Inevitably, computers will run into problems—it's the nature of electronic components. This chapter will show you how to troubleshoot any issues that pop up. Warning: after reading this chapter all of your family members will call on you for technical support (if they don't already)! This chapter also shows you how to back up your data so you don't have a catastrophic loss.

Chapter 12, “Environmental and Safety Concepts” Working with computers isn't particularly dangerous, but there are some safety concepts to be aware of to protect yourself as well as your hardware from damage. And when you're ready to upgrade your gear, you should know how to safely dispose of old equipment.

What's Included in the Book

I've included several study learning tools throughout the book:

Assessment Test At the end of this introduction is an Assessment Test that you can use to check your readiness for the exam. Take this test before you start reading the book; it will help you determine the areas you might need to brush up on. The answers to the Assessment Test questions appear on a separate page after the last question of the test. Each answer includes an explanation and a note telling you the chapter in which the material appears.

Objective Map and Opening List of Objectives Just before the Assessment Test you'll find a detailed exam objective map, showing you where each of the exam objectives is covered in this book. In addition, each chapter opens with a list of the exam objectives it covers. Use these to see exactly where each of the exam topics is covered.

Exam Essentials Each chapter, just after the summary, includes a number of exam essentials. These are the key topics you should take from the chapter in terms of areas to focus on when preparing for the exam.

Lab Exercises Each chapter includes a hands-on lab to give you more experience. These exercises map to the exam objectives. Some ask specific questions, and the answers to these can be found in Appendix B.

Chapter Review Questions To test your knowledge as you progress through the book, there are 20 review questions at the end of each chapter. As you finish each chapter, answer the review questions and then check your answers—the correct answers and explanations are in Appendix A. You can go back to reread the section that deals with each question you got wrong to ensure that you answer correctly the next time you're tested on the material.

Interactive Online Learning Environment and Test Bank

The interactive online learning environment that accompanies CompTIA IT Fundamentals Study Guide: Exam FC0-U51 provides a test bank with study tools to help you prepare for the certification exam—and increase your chances of passing it the first time! The test bank includes the following:

Sample Tests All of the questions in this book are provided, including the Assessment Test, which you'll find at the end of this introduction, and the Chapter Tests, which include the Review Questions at the end of each chapter. In addition, there are two Practice Exams. Use these questions to test your knowledge of the study guide material. The online test bank runs on multiple devices.

Flashcards Questions are provided in digital flashcard format (a question followed by a single correct answer). You can use the flashcards to reinforce your learning and provide last-minute test prep before the exam.

Other Study Tools A glossary of key terms from this book and their definitions is available as a fully searchable PDF.

How to Use This Book

If you want a solid foundation for the serious effort of preparing for the IT Fundamentals exam, then look no further because I've spent countless hours putting together this book with the sole intention of helping you to pass it!

This book is loaded with valuable information, and you will get the most out of your study time if you understand how I put the book together. Here's a list that describes how to approach studying:

1. Take the Assessment Test immediately following this introduction. (The answers are at the end of the test, but no peeking!) It's okay if you don't know any of the answers—that's what this book is for. Carefully read over the explanations for any question you get wrong, and make note of the chapters where that material is covered.
2. Study each chapter carefully, making sure you fully understand the information and the exam objectives listed at the beginning of each one. Again, pay extra-close attention to any chapter that includes material covered in questions you missed on the Assessment Test.
3. Complete the lab exercise at the end of each chapter. Do not skip these exercises. One reason is that they directly map to the CompTIA objectives and reinforce the material. Another reason is that it gives you hands-on experience, which is crucial.
4. Answer all the review questions related to each chapter. Specifically note any questions that confuse you, and study the corresponding sections of the book again. And don't just skim these questions—make sure you understand each answer completely.
5. Try your hand at the Practice Exams. The more questions you practice, the better you will be when you sit for the real exam.
6. Test yourself using all the electronic flashcards. This is a brand-new and updated flashcard program to help you prepare for the latest CompTIA IT Fundamentals exam, and it is a really great study tool.

Learning every bit of the material in this book is going to require applying yourself with a good measure of discipline. So try to set aside the same time period every day to study, and select a comfortable and quiet place to do so. If you work hard, you will be surprised at how quickly you learn this material.

If you follow the steps listed here and study with the Review Questions, Practice Exams, electronic flashcards, and all the written labs, you would almost have to try to fail the CompTIA IT Fundamentals exam. However, studying for the IT Fundamentals exam is like training for a marathon—if you don't go for a good run every day, you're not likely to finish very well.

Exam Objectives

Speaking of objectives, you're probably pretty curious about those, right? CompTIA asked groups of IT professionals to fill out a survey rating the skills they felt were important in their jobs, and the results were grouped into objectives for the exam and divided into five domains.

This table gives you the extent by percentage that each domain is represented with on the actual examination.

CompTIA IT Fundamentals Study Guide

FC0-U51 Exam Objectives