Introduction

If you're picking up this book, it means 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 similar to a physician being board certified in a certain area of expertise. It can add to your résumé 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 not!

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. This book covers more than just the exam, though. I believe in providing my students with a foundation of IT knowledge that will prepare them for real jobs, not just to pass a test. After all, life is not a multiple-choice test with the answers clearly laid out in front of you!

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 that you have a base level of knowledge in the specific areas tested by the IT Fundamentals objectives.

Four 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 is 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).

Exam prices and codes may vary based on the country in which the exam is administered. For detailed pricing and exam registration procedures, refer to CompTIA's website at www.comptia.org.

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 either to "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 about which you're unsure, 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.

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 work successfully 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 11 chapters in this book:

Chapter 1, "Core Hardware Components" This chapter introduces you to the core insides of a computer, specifically motherboards,...