Lesson 11

Question 1

BranchCache

Answer 1

Finally, if Johan’s office is part of a larger network connecting many offices over a wide area, the Enterprise edition offers a refined method for distributing applications to many locations, called BranchCache.

Question 2

Windows version

Answer 2

A Windows version refers to big jumps in the OS, such as Windows 8.1 or Windows 10.

Question 3

Editions

Answer 3

Editions are variations within each version.

Question 4

Thick Clients

Answer 4

A standard thick client runs a modern operating system and general productivity applications to accomplish the vast majority of tasks needed by office and home users. When most folks hear the term PC, the thick client comes to mind. Thick clients are the quiet workhorses of modern computing.

A typical thick client
The “thick” part of thick client doesn’t necessarily refer (these days) to the physical thickness of the computer case or system unit that houses everything. It means more that the computer has everything it needs to do its work without a network connection.

Question 5

To wrap, a standard thick client:

Answer 5

To wrap, a standard thick client:

Is a complete system that has its own operating system and desktop applications
Does not need a network connection to run
Meets recommended requirements for its operating system

Question 6

Thin Clients

Answer 6

A thin client is a system designed to outsource much of its work. Thin clients usually rely on resources from powerful servers, so they may not have hard drives, for example, or store any data. This means a thin client’s role in the computing ecosystem is dependent on the power and accessibility of the servers providing those resources.

Thin clients are a good fit for single-purpose systems that feed into big centralized databases or systems, such as point-of-sale machines (cash registers) that depend on an inventory database and payment processing system. Another common example today is office workstations that are basically just a keyboard, mouse, and monitor you use to access one of many isolated copies of Windows (or any other OS) running on a central server.

Because the classic thin client relies on network connectivity and access to servers over those networks, we’ll revisit it when we get to networking in Advanced CompTIA A+ Certification Prep.

To wrap, a thin client:

Stores only basic applications; may be a single-use system
Needs a network connection to run; may need a network connection to boot
Meets minimum hardware requirements for its operating system

Question 7

To wrap, a thin client:

Answer 7

Stores only basic applications; may be a single-use system
Needs a network connection to run; may need a network connection to boot
Meets minimum hardware requirements for its operating system

Question 8

Server

Answer 8

When we talk about a server, we’re really just talking about a computer—any computer—running software that other computers access through a network. We don’t usually have a desktop PC or a laptop in mind, but there’s nothing to stop you from installing server software on an old desktop, sticking it in a closet, and letting it serve files or host a game like Minecraft.

The role servers play in the modern computing ecosystem is always expanding. A few decades ago, almost everything you did with a computer required installing local software or hardware. These days, most of the software the average person uses is powered by or at least interacts with entire networks of servers.

Question 9

To wrap, a server:

Answer 9

Runs software that provides resources to other computers over a network
Any computer can be a server
Computers designed to fill a server role don’t look like typical personal computers

Question 10

specific custom PC configurations

Answer 10

standard thick clients, thin clients, gaming PCs, graphic/CAD/CAM design workstations, audio/video editing workstations, virtualization workstations, and network-attached storage devices.

Question 11

Gaming

Answer 11

The name of the game with a gaming rig is a higher-end graphics card. A gamer goes through a game’s graphics settings and sets everything to the max. And since games aren’t all about how good they look, you’ll also want a good sound card and headphones. (Okay—you also need a good game, but one thing at a time.)

A high-end graphics card with a powerful graphics processing unit (GPU) is important, but it’s not the only upgrade you need to make your games play well. You’ll need a fast, multicore processor, more than thick client RAM (at least 16+ GB), and a high-definition sound card to provide optimal positional audio. Crank them up and throw on some high-end cooling, like a purpose-built water-cooling rig, to give a gaming system the foundation for greatness.

Question 12

To wrap, a gaming PC needs:

Answer 12

Multicore processor
High-end cooling (maybe liquid)
High-end video/specialized GPU
High-definition sound card

Question 13

Graphics/CAD/CAM Design Workstations

Answer 13

Professional photographers and graphic designers generally work with pretty hefty files, so at its core, a graphics workstation requires a fast, multicore CPU, maximum RAM, and serious storage space. Because designers work visually, add to that mix the need for high-end video components. Finally, throw in specialized software to make it all work. Graphics engineers have a few other options, but they fall into computer-aided design (CAD) and computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) categories.

Question 14

computer-aided design (CAD) and computer-aided manufacturing (CAM)

Answer 14

Note: CAD/CAM software programs enable engineers to create and build components in an industrial setting.

Question 15

To wrap, a graphics/CAD/CAM design workstation needs:

Answer 15

Multicore processor
High-end video/specialized GPU
Very large amounts of RAM, often the maximum the system can accept
Robust storage

Question 16

Audio/Video Editing Workstations

Answer 16

The requirements for audio editing workstations are very similar to those for graphics workstations—a fast, multicore CPU, gobs of RAM, and a large monitor. Plus, you need lots of fast storage. Add to that the need for a high-quality audio interface—a box that you hook up to a PC with inputs that enable you to connect professional microphones and instruments. Audio interfaces range in size from an interface you can fit in your hand to one that will take up most of your desk.

Question 17

control surfaces

Answer 17

Just like with graphics workstations, audio editing workstations frequently make use of specialized input devices. These devices, referred to as control surfaces, mimic the look and feel of older, analog mixing consoles. These control surfaces range in size from small desktop units, all the way up to room-filling behemoths that are used in recording studios. Some of these boards also contain an audio interface.

Question 18

Video editing workstations

Answer 18

combine the requirements of a graphics workstation and an audio editing workstation. Video editors often use two or more color-calibrated monitors so they can view the video stream they’re working on with one monitor and see their video editor open on the other, making dual monitors very useful; if used to produce high-resolution 4K video, a monitor supporting this resolution is also essential. Video editing workstations require a very powerful CPU paired with as much RAM as possible, since video editing is a far more intensive process than graphics or audio editing. Lots of high-speed storage is also required since video projects eat terabytes for breakfast. Many video editing workstations have multiple hard drives set up in a RAID array for added storage capacity and enhanced read/write speed.

Because video editing workstations are frequently used as audio editing workstations, too, you will often find video editing workstations with the same audio interfaces and control surfaces as you’d see on an audio editing workstation. There are also video interfaces that enable editors to connect to various cameras. Additionally, many video editors use custom keyboards that have special labels and controls for popular video editing software.

Question 19

Exam Tip:

Answer 19

The CompTIA A+ 1001 objectives use the term audio/video editing workstation, combining both types into a single thing. These machines often do double duty, so that’s cool, and keep that in mind for the exam. In practice, you’ll find dedicated audio editing workstations and dedicated video editing workstations, as well as the combined units.

Question 20

To wrap, an audio/video editing workstation needs:

Answer 20

Specialized audio and video card
Large, fast storage
Very large amounts of RAM, often the maximum the system can accept
Dual monitors (or more)

Question 21

Virtualization Workstations

Answer 21

Virtualization is a powerful technology that enables you to run more than one operating system at the same time on a single computer. With virtualized servers, you can consolidate multiple, power-hungry machines into one box, saving floor space, electricity, and a lot of running around. With virtualization workstations, virtualization is most often used to run a second OS within the OS installed on the computer’s hard drive.

Question 22

Exam Tip

Answer 22

You’ll need lots of RAM—think maximum RAM—and a fast CPU with many cores to get great performance out of a virtualization workstation.

Question 23

To wrap, a virtualization workstation:

Answer 23

Needs very large amounts of RAM—often the maximum the system can accept
Needs a fast CPU with as many cores as the systems—and your wallet—allow

Question 24

Network-Attached Storage

Answer 24

As more and more computing devices move into the home environment, there’s a need for a centralized storage space, a network-attached storage (NAS) device, to dish out files and folders on demand—a place for all your media to stream to multiple devices. Unlike the other client systems in this chapter, a NAS is a kind of server (which evolved from more general servers)—so it has specialized needs.

If you go shopping for a NAS to bring home, most of the small rectangular boxes you find look like a little PC with a few storage-drive bays, controls, and status indicators on the front. You attach this self-contained purpose-built device (we call it an appliance) to your network, control it with your web browser, and access it as a file server from your other systems and devices. A rack-mounted NAS is basically the same concept, except it’s built to slot into a server rack and may hold a lot more storage drives. Whether you want a dedicated NAS or a home server that provides network-attached storage as one of many jobs, there are a few essentials: a system and server software that support the features you want, a very fast network connection, and gobs of storage.

Question 25

NAS requirement

Answer 25

The system you install it in should at least clear the minimum OS requirements. It’ll need enough ports and bays for the number of drives you want to install (and don’t forget a boot drive for the NAS itself!) You almost certainly want on-board RAID or a RAID card. If it’ll do double duty as a media center, you may need a DVD or Blu-ray Disc drive, an HDMI or DisplayPort port, and enough video performance to drive your display.

Question 26

NAS network

Answer 26

For the network, a wired Gigabit Ethernet NIC should be standard issue (though 10 Gigabit Ethernet is a great improvement if your router supports it). It sounds cool to go wireless, but you should connect a home server or NAS via Ethernet to minimize any lag or dropped frames.

At a minimum, get two drives of identical size that have as much capacity as you can afford. Plus, because you need fault tolerance on the data, you simply must use a RAID 1 configuration at a minimum (and thus the need to get two identical drives). If your budget and motherboard can handle it, get four identical drives and run them in RAID 10.

Question 27

To wrap, NAS storage needs:

Answer 27

Server software to supports file sharing (and any must-have features such as media streaming)
Hardware that can run your OS and contain/connect your storage
A RAID array with high-quality fault-tolerant storage
Gigabit or 10 Gigabit NIC