IT SPECIALIST EXAM OBJECTIVES

Networking
Candidates for this exam are familiar with general networking concepts and technologies
and understand how to manage and troubleshoot a network in a small-medium business
environment. Candidates should have some hands-on experience with Windows and Linux
operating systems, TCP/IP, name resolution processes, networking services, and network
topologies and troubleshooting in wired and wireless environments. Candidates should
have at least 150 hours of instruction or hands-on experience with networking.

Manage Workbook Options and Settings

To be successful on the test, the candidate is also expected to have the following
prerequisite knowledge and skills:
• 8th grade reading skills
• Basic operating system skills
• Problem-solving and critical thinking skills
• Basic hardware/software skills
• Digital literacy skills, including the ability to research, create content, and solve
problems using technology

1. Networking Fundamentals
1.1 Define network concepts
• Internet, intranet, extranet, client-server, peer-to-peer, transmission types
(unicast, multicast, broadcast), network devices including IoT

1.2 Define cloud and virtualization concepts

• Hypervisors, virtual machines, virtual switches

1.3 Describe remote access methods

• Virtual Private Network (VPN), Remote Desktop

2. Network Infrastructures
2.1 Define the characteristics of local area networks (LANs)
• Perimeter networks (security zones, DMZ), VLANs, wired LAN and wireless
LAN

2.2 Define the characteristics of wide area networks (WANs)

• DSL, site-to-site, cable modem, satellite, cellular (3G, 4G, 5G)

2.3 Identify wireless networking methods and characteristics

• Types of wireless networking standards and their characteristics (802.11,
Bluetooth), types of network security (WPA, WPA2, WEP, 802.1X, and
others), point-to-point (P2P) wireless, ad hoc networks, wireless bridging,
wireless interference

2.4 Compare and contrast network topologies and access methods

• Star, mesh, ring, bus, logical and physical topologies

Copyright © 2022 Pearson Education, Inc. or its affiliate(s). All rights reserved.
IT SPECIALIST EXAM OBJECTIVES

3. Network Hardware
3.1 Describe characteristics of switches
• Number and type of Ethernet ports (access vs. trunk), number of devices
supported, managed or unmanaged switches, VLAN capabilities, Layer
2 and Layer 3 switches and security options, potential for single point of
failure, switching types and MAC table, capabilities of hubs vs. switches
(collision domain, broadcast domain, half- and full-duplex), prevention of
switch loops by using spanning tree protocol

3.2 Describe characteristics of routers

• Potential for network bottlenecks, directly connected routes, static routing,
dynamic routing (routing protocols), default routes, routing table and how
it selects best route(s), port forwarding, Quality of Service (QoS), network
segmentation, convergence

3.3 Describe characteristics of physical media

• Cable types and their characteristics, including media segment length
and speed; fiber optic, twisted pair shielded or unshielded (CAT5–CAT7
cabling); configuration (crossover vs. straight-through); susceptibility to
electromagnetic interference (EMI), cross-talk, and interception

4. Protocols and Services

4.1 Describe the Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) model
• Identification and purpose of each layer; examples of devices, protocols,
and applications at each layer; MAC address

4.2 Describe the Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) model

• Identification and purpose of each layer; examples of devices, protocols,
and applications at each layer

4.3 Describe IPv4 concepts

• Classful vs. classless addressing, subnetting (purpose and why to use),
characteristics of IPv4 addressing (subnet mask, default gateway, sockets,
broadcast), private addresses (Class A (including loopback), Class B, and
Class C)

4.4 Describe IPv6 concepts

• Characteristics of IPv6 addressing (subnet mask, default gateway, sockets,
abbreviation), transitioning from IPv4 to IPv6 (tunneling protocols, tunnel
brokers, dual IP stack), address types (link-local vs. global), multicast
groups (all routers/all nodes), loopback

4.5 Identify well-known ports

• HTTP, HTTPS, FTP, SMTP, IMAP, DNS, RDP, SSH

4.6 Describe name resolution concepts

• Static name resolution (HOSTS file, LMHOSTS file), dynamic name
resolution (DNS, WINS), DNS resource records (A, AAAA, MX, PTR, SRV,
CNAME, SOA), forward vs. reverse lookups, steps in the name resolution
process

4.7 Identify the roles of networking services

• Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP), Network Address Translation
(NAT) (dynamic vs. static, public vs. private, port address translation),
firewalls

Copyright © 2022 Pearson Education, Inc. or its affiliate(s). All rights reserved.
 5. Troubleshooting
5.1 Given a scenario, describe the troubleshooting process in a small-
medium business network
• Steps in the troubleshooting process, etiquette/professional conduct

5.2 Given a scenario, use the appropriate hardware troubleshooting

tools
• Appropriate tool selection, multimeter, cable tester, toner, time-domain
reflectometer (TDR), optical TDR (OTDR)

5.3 Given a scenario, use the appropriate Windows software tools to

troubleshoot a problem
• Appropriate tool selection, syntax (ping, ipconfig, tracert, pathping,
nslookup, hostname, netstat, arp), local loopback IP, protocols

5.4 Given a scenario, use the appropriate Linux software tools to

troubleshoot a problem
• Appropriate tool selection, syntax (ping, ip addr, traceroute, tracepath, dig,
host, netstat, arp)

Copyright © 2022 Pearson Education, Inc. or its affiliate(s). All rights reserved.