Lesson 3: Identifying OS Types and Features

Question 1

The market for operating systems is divided into 4 mainstream types:

Answer 1

- Business client
- Home Client
- Network Operating System (NOS)
- Cellphone (smartphone)/tablet

Business client—An OS designed to work as a client in centrally managed business domain networks.
Network Operating System (NOS)—An OS designed to run servers in business networks.
Home client—An OS designed to work as a standalone machine or in a workgroup network in a home or small office.
Cell phone (smartphone)/Tablet—An OS designed to work with a handheld portable device. This type of OS must have a touch-operated interface.

Question 2

key NTFS features (6)

Answer 2

- Journaling
- Snapshots
- Security
- POSIX Compliance
- Indexing
- Dynamic Disks

Journaling—When data is written to an NTFS volume, it is re-read, verified, and logged. In the event of a problem, the sector concerned is marked as bad and the data relocated. Journaling makes recovery after power outages and crashes faster and more reliable.
Snapshots—This allows the Volume Shadow Copy Service to make read-only copies of files at given points in time even if the file is locked by another process. This file version history allows users to revert changes more easily and also supports backup operations.
Security—Features such as file permissions and ownership, file access audit trails, quota management, and encrypting file system (EFS) allow administrators to ensure only authorized users can read/modify file data.
POSIX Compliance—To support UNIX/Linux compatibility, Microsoft engineered NTFS to support case-sensitive naming, hard links, and other key features required by UNIX/Linux applications. Although the file system is case-sensitive capable and preserves case, Windows does not insist upon case-sensitive naming.
Indexing—The Indexing Service creates a catalog of file and folder locations and properties, speeding up searches.
Dynamic Disks—This disk management feature allows space on multiple physical disks to be combined into volumes.

Question 3

OS Compatibility Issues (4)

Answer 3

- Update Limitations
- Software & Hardware Compatibility
- Network Compatibility
- User Training and Support

Question 4

A customer asks whether an iOS app that your company developed will also work on her Apple macOS computer. What issue does this raise, and what answer might you give?

Answer 4

The issue here is compatibility between different operating systems. Even though both are produced by Apple, iOS and macOS use different environments, so the iOS app cannot necessarily be installed directly.
Your company might make a macOS version.

Question 5

What feature of modern file systems assists recovery after power outages or OS crash events?

Answer 5

Journaling means that the file system keeps a log of updates that it can use to recover damaged data. The OS might also make use of snapshot capability to maintain a file-version history or perform continuous backups.

Question 6

Apart from Windows and macOS, what operating system options are there for client PCs installed to a local network? (3)

Answer 6

• One of the distributions of Linux
• Some sort of UNIX
• Chrome OS is installed on Chromebox PCs. These are often used by educational institutions and businesses that rely primarily on web applications rather than locally installed desktop software.

Question 7

You are advising a customer with an older-model Android smartphone. The customer wants to update to the latest version of Android, but using the update option results in a “No updates available” message. What type of issue is this, and what advice can you provide?

Answer 7

This is an issue with update limitations. Android is quite a fragmented market, and customers must depend on the handset vendor to implement OS updates for a particular model. The customer can only check the handset vendor’s website or helpline to find out if a version update will ever be supported for that model.

Question 8

Editions of Windows? (5)

Answer 8

• Windows Home
• Windows Pro
• Windows Pro for workstations
• Windows Enterprise
• Windows Education/Education Pro

Question 9

Pro and Education editions of Windows are restricted to how many TB?

Answer 9

2 TB

Question 10

Pro for Workstations and Enterprise editions are restricted to how many TB

Answer 10

6 TB

Question 11

2-way multiprocessing and up to 128 cores support

Answer 11

Pro and Education editions

Question 11

4-way multiprocessing and up to 256 cores support

Answer 11

Pro for Workstations and Enterprise editions

Question 11

In terms of system hardware, what is the main advantage of a 64-bit version of Windows?

Answer 11

More RAM–Support for more than 4 GB RAM

Question 12

You are advising a business that needs to provision video-editing workstations with 4-way multiprocessing. Which retail Windows edition will allow them to make full use of this hardware?

Answer 12

Windows Pro for Workstations supports 4-way multiprocessing (four CPUs installed to separate sockets) and up to 6 TB RAM. Windows Enterprise has the same hardware limits but is not available via a retail channel.

Question 13

You are advising a customer whose business is expanding. The business owner needs to provision an additional 30 desktop computers, some of which will be installed at a second office location. The business is currently run with a workgroup network of five Windows 10 Home Premium desktop computers and one file server. Why might you suggest licenses for an edition of Windows 10 that supports corporate needs for the new computers and has upgrades for the old computers? Which specific edition(s) could you recommend?

Answer 13

Domain network environment – Windows 10 Pro or Windows 10 Enterprise

Without a domain, accounts must be configured on each computer individually. With more than 30 computers to manage at two locations, this would be a substantial task, so switching to a domain network, where the accounts can be configured on the server, is likely to save costs in the long term. You can suggest either Windows 10 Pro or Windows 10 Enterprise for use on a domain.

Question 14

A developer needs a workstation that will run a variety of applications locally for their development project. The minimum memory required is 64GB of RAM. Which architecture should the developer use?

A.x86
B.x64
C.Either x86 or x64 will work
D.ARM

Answer 14

B. x64

Each version and edition of Windows 10 was originally available as 32-bit (x86) or 64-bit (x64) software. The 64-bit version is needed because the 32-bit only supports 4 GB of system memory.

All 32-bit (x86) Windows editions are limited to 4 GB system memory. 64-bit editions all support much more RAM but have different limits for licensing purposes.

Both architectures will not work because the x86 architecture will not work.

The principal alternative to the standard x86/x64 CPU architecture is one devised by Advanced RISC Machines (ARM). ARM designs are used in the current generation of Apple hardware, in most Android smartphones and tablets.

Question 15

A network administrator is looking for an alternative network operating system (NOS) but also does not want a steep learning curve. Which of the following optimizes for NOS functionality?

A.Windows 10
B.Windows 11
C.macOS
D.Windows Server 2019

Answer 15

D. Windows Server 2019

Windows Server 2019 and Windows Server 2022 are optimized for use as NOSs. They share the same underlying code and desktop interface as the client versions.

Windows 10 and Windows 11 are released in different editions to support business workstation and home PC use.

Both Windows 10 and Windows 11 are not necessarily built for network operating systems. If they were used, a virtual machine would need to be used on top of them.

macOS is the operating system that only supplies Apple-built workstations (Apple Mac desktops and Apple iMac all-in-ones) and laptops (Apple MacBooks).

Question 16

A server administrator manages client images throughout their environment using a Windows Deployment Server. However, the security team asks for a specific test box that cannot be joined to the domain to test malware. Which of the following licenses could the administrator use for the test box to gain the desired results?

A.Education
B.OEM
C.Enterprise
D.Home

Answer 16

D. Home

Education: This license is meant for educational institutions and is not specifically for isolated or non-domain joined machines. It does not grant flexibility in terms of avoiding domain join for malware testing.

OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer): An OEM license is tied to the hardware it’s installed on and generally requires the device to be part of a specific environment, typically with domain join for enterprise use cases. It is not ideal for testing in an isolated state.

Enterprise: An Enterprise license is intended for business environments with multiple devices joined to a domain and does not allow for isolation from the domain, which is required for testing malware on an isolated box.

Home: The Home edition of Windows is designed for consumer use and does not require domain joining. This is the most appropriate license for a test box that should not be part of the domain, making it suitable for testing malware in an isolated manner.

Question 16

A startup computer company sells laptops and desktops with pre-installed software. What type of license is the company using in this situation?

A.Home
B.Enterprise
C.OEM
D.Education

Answer 16

C. OEM

An original equipment manufacturer (OEM) license means that the OS is pre-installed to a PC or laptop and is valid for that device only. The computer vendor is responsible for support.

The Windows Home edition is designed for domestic consumers and possibly small office home office (SOHO) business use.

Windows Enterprise has the full feature set but is only available via volume licensing.

Windows Education is a variant of the Enterprise and Pro editions and is designed for licensing by schools and colleges. Windows Enterprise and Education editions are only available via volume licensing.

Question 17

A manager in charge of client images wants to test out new updates that do not make radical changes to Windows. What should the manager most likely look for?

A.Quality update
B.Feature update
C.Upgrade
D.Patches

Answer 17

A. Quality update

A. Quality update: These updates are typically smaller in scope and focus on fixing bugs, improving security, and making small improvements without making radical changes to the Windows operating system. This is the type of update that a manager would most likely look for if they want to test new updates that don’t make major changes.

B. Feature update: Feature updates are larger and introduce new features or major changes to the operating system. These updates can significantly alter the user experience and would likely involve more radical changes, which is not what the manager is looking for in this scenario.

C. Upgrade: An upgrade usually refers to moving from one version of Windows to a newer one (e.g., from Windows 10 to Windows 11). This typically involves significant changes to the system, which again is not what the manager is looking for.

D. Patches: Patches are generally small fixes that address specific vulnerabilities or issues, and while they might overlap with quality updates, they don’t encompass the broader improvements that a quality update does.

Thus, quality update is the most appropriate choice since it involves updates that are less disruptive and focus on improvements and bug fixes.

Question 18

The lead for a company’s vulnerability management program is looking at the mobile aspect of the company’s program. They started with end of life devices, then addressed patching statuses, and are now looking at hardening. Which of the following has the widest variety of change and will prove the most difficult?

A.iOS
B.iPadOS
C.Windows
D.Android

Answer 18

D. Android

Android software code is made publicly available. This means there is more scope for hardware vendors, such as Acer, Asus, HTC, LG, Motorola, OnePlus, Oppo, Samsung, Sony, and Xiaomi, to produce specific versions for their smartphones and tablets models.

iOS is the operating system for Apple’s iPhone smartphone and original models of the iPad tablet. Like macOS, iOS is also derived from UNIX and developed as a closed-source operating system.

The iPadOS has been developed from iOS to support the functionality of the latest iPad models (2019 and up).

Manufacturers have also redesigned Windows to support touch.

Question 18

A Windows administrator wants to become more familiar with Linux but still wants to use Windows primarily. The administrator installs the bash subsystem for Windows and is reading about how Windows has made strides to become more compatible with Linux. Which of the following was part of the changes to the underlying New Technology File System (NTFS) structure?

A.Journaling
B.Snapshots
C.Case-sensitive naming
D.Indexing

Answer 18

C. Case-sensitive naming

To support UNIX/Linux compatibility, Microsoft engineered the New Technology File System (NTFS) to support case-sensitive naming, hard links, and other key features UNIX/Linux applications require.

When data is written to an NTFS volume, it is re-read, verified, and logged via journaling. In the event of a problem, the sector concerned is marked as bad and the data relocated.

Snapshots allow the Volume Shadow Copy Service to make read-only copies of files at given points in time, even if the file gets locked by another process.

The Indexing Service creates a catalog of file and folder locations and properties, speeding up searches.

Question 18

A client administrator plans an upgrade from Windows 10 to Windows 11 in the environment but has to plan from a budgetary perspective. What type of hardware requirement will the administrator need to consider?

A.TPM chip
B.App compatibility
C.Network protocol support
D.User training

Answer 18

A. TPM chip

A. TPM chip: Windows 11 has specific hardware requirements, one of which is the need for a TPM 2.0 (Trusted Platform Module) chip. This security feature is required for Windows 11 to ensure secure encryption and system integrity. Since the administrator is planning an upgrade to Windows 11, they need to ensure that all client machines meet this requirement, making it a critical factor to consider from a hardware perspective.

B. App compatibility: While important, app compatibility is more of a software concern rather than a hardware requirement. While some applications might need to be updated or tested for compatibility with Windows 11, this is not a hardware requirement.

C. Network protocol support: Network protocol support is also important for ensuring connectivity and communication within the environment, but it is not directly related to the hardware requirements for upgrading to Windows 11.

D. User training: Although user training is necessary for any OS upgrade, it is a procedural and administrative consideration rather than a hardware requirement.

Thus, the TPM chip is the most important hardware requirement to consider when upgrading to Windows 11, making A. TPM chip the correct answer.

Question 19

A server administrator needs to set up a Linux server but mainly deals with Windows servers. The administrator wants to use a subscription-based version to have support when needed. Which of the following should the server administrator use?

A.Mint
B.SUSE Linux Enterprise
C.Fedora
D.Arch

Answer 19

B. SUSE Linux Enterprise

A. Mint: Linux Mint is a user-friendly, community-driven distribution based on Ubuntu. While it’s a great choice for desktop users and offers ease of use, it doesn’t come with subscription-based support or enterprise-level services. It’s more geared towards personal use and general desktop computing rather than server environments requiring professional support.

B. SUSE Linux Enterprise: SUSE Linux Enterprise is a subscription-based Linux distribution designed for enterprise environments. It provides professional support, security patches, and updates, making it ideal for a server administrator who requires vendor-backed support and reliability. This would meet the administrator’s need for support while setting up and maintaining a Linux server.

C. Fedora: Fedora is a community-driven project backed by Red Hat but is not subscription-based. It is more suitable for developers and enthusiasts who want cutting-edge software. While it’s a great distribution, it doesn’t offer the kind of professional support or subscription model that the administrator needs.

D. Arch: Arch Linux is a rolling release distribution designed for advanced users who want full control over their system. It does not come with any official support or subscriptions. It is not recommended for users who need enterprise-grade support for a server.

Therefore, SUSE Linux Enterprise is the best choice for a server administrator seeking a subscription-based version with professional support.

Question 20

An IT administrator at a university plans to push out security configurations to their computer lab to help prevent infection. Which of the following would best help the administrator?

A.Bitlocker
B.Group Policy
C.Remote Desktop Protocol
D.Services console

Answer 20

B. Group Policy

A. Bitlocker: Bitlocker is a full disk encryption tool used to secure data on a device by encrypting its hard drive. While it helps protect data in case of theft or loss, it does not directly assist with pushing out security configurations across multiple machines in a lab environment.

B. Group Policy: Group Policy is a feature of Windows that allows IT administrators to manage and configure settings across multiple computers in a networked environment. Using Group Policy, the administrator can configure and enforce security policies, like password policies, software restrictions, and system settings, on all machines in the computer lab. This is the best choice for pushing out security configurations to prevent infection.

C. Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP): RDP allows remote access to a computer over a network, but it is not specifically designed for managing or deploying security configurations to multiple machines. It’s more about accessing and controlling systems remotely.

D. Services console: The Services console is used to manage and configure the system services running on a machine. While it can be helpful for stopping or disabling certain services on a machine, it is not an ideal tool for deploying and enforcing security configurations across multiple computers in a lab.

Thus, Group Policy is the most effective and scalable method for the administrator to enforce security configurations across multiple computers in the lab.

Question 20

Lesson 3 Summary

Answer 20

Lesson 3
Summary
You should be able to explain differences between OS types, versions, and editions to identify a suitable choice of OS for a given scenario.

Guidelines for Supporting Operating Systems

Follow these guidelines to support use of multiple operating system types in a home or business environment:

Establish requirements for workstation (Windows, Linux, macOS, Chrome OS) and cell phone/tablet (iOS, iPadOS, Android) operating systems given devices used in the environment.
Ensure that an appropriate edition is selected when deploying Windows:
32-bit versus 64-bit support.
RAM and CPU limits between Home, Pro, Pro for Workstations, and Enterprise editions.
Features supported by Pro that are not available in Home (RDP server, BitLocker, gpedit.msc) and features supported by Enterprise editions that are not available in Pro.
OEM, retail, and/or volume-licensing availability.
Monitor vendor life-cycle policies (update limitations and EOL announcements) to plan OS and device upgrade and replacement cycles.
Plan for compatibility concerns between operating systems, including filesystem formats (NTFS, FAT32, ext3/ext4, APFS, exFAT), software, networking, and user training/education on different desktop styles.
Additional practice questions for the topics covered in this lesson are available on the CompTIA Learning Center.