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IT 101 EXPLORING
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AND
ITS ESSENTIAL STUDY GUIDE
Module 1: Course Overview and Mindset
What is IT?
IT is essentially the use of digital technology, like computers and the internet, to store and process data
into useful information.
What does an IT Support Specialist do?
IT support specialists make sure that an organization's technological equipment is running smoothly.
This includes managing, installing, maintaining, troubleshooting, and configuring office and computing
equipment.
Module 2: Introduction to Information Technology
Hardware Basics – Computer Components
Hardware: External or internal devices and equipment that help you perform major functions.
The computer case is also known as a tower, box, system unit, base unit, enclosure, housing, chassis,
and cabinet. Contains all the hardware components of a computer.
Motherboard: The body or circulatory system of the computer that connects all the pieces together.
CPU: Central processing unit determines the performance of your system. A central processing unit
(CPU), also called a central processor, main processor or just processor, is the electronic circuitry that
executes instructions comprising a computer program. The CPU performs basic arithmetic, logic,
controlling, and input/output (I/O) operations specified by the instructions in the program. Measured in
cycles per second.
Hard drive: It is a long-term memory component that holds all our data, which can include music,
pictures, applications. SSD: Solid State Drive. HDD (Hard disk drive): Hard disk drives, or HDDs, use a
spinning platter and a mechanical arm to read and write information. Gigabytes and Terabytes.
RAM: Random Access Memory temporary storage for computer programs. Loads apps while you’re
using the app for example.
Power supply: Converts electricity from our wall outlet onto a format that our computer can use.
Network Interface Card (NIC) – allows the computer to communicate over the network/Internet via a
RJ45. Possible to have USB versions of both.
Graphics Cards – A graphics card (also called a video card, display card, graphics adapter, VGA card/VGA,
video adapter, display adapter, or colloquially GPU) is a computer expansion card that generates a feed
of graphics output to a display device such as a monitor.
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Hardware Basics – Computer Peripherals
Peripherals: the external devices which we connect to our computer that add functionality, like a
mouse, a keyboard, and a monitor.
Input/Output device: A device that performs input and output, including monitors, keyboards, mice,
hard disk drives, speakers, Bluetooth headsets, webcams, and network adapters.
Ports: Connection points that we can connect devices to that extend the functionality of our computer.
Type-C connector: A type of USB connector meant to replace many peripheral connections.
USB (Universal Serial Bus): A connection standard for connecting peripherals to devices such as
computers.
USB-C adapter: One of the standard power, data and display connector types used in mobile devices.
Docking stations allow you to plug in many different connections. Mostly all have a USB-C.
HDMI: A type of cable that outputs both video and audio.
Display port: Port which also outputs audio and video.
Operating Systems and Software Basics
Operating system: the software that supports a computer's basic functions, such as scheduling tasks,
executing applications, and controlling peripherals.
Microsoft Windows – NFTS (new) and FAT – 32 (Old)
Apple macOS – APFS, MAC OS Extended, ExFAT
Google’s Android OS
Apple iOS
Linus – EXT4, EXT3 (old)
File system: A system used to manage files and data. Different OS use their own file system.
A program is an application that is running on a computer (Word, Excel, Calculator).
A process is a running program that has been loaded into the memory.
Virtual machine (VM): An application that uses physical resources like memory, CPU and storage, but
they offer the added benefit of running multiple operating systems at once.
What is Networking?
Computer networking refers to interconnected computing devices that can exchange data and share
resources with each other. These networked devices use a system of rules, called communications
protocols, to transmit information over physical or wireless technologies.
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Nodes and links are the basic building blocks in computer networking. A network node may be data
communication equipment (DCE) such as a modem, hub or, switch, or data terminal equipment (DTE)
such as two or more computers and printers. A link refers to the transmission media connecting two
nodes. Links may be physical, like cable wires or optical fibers, or free space used by wireless networks.
In a working computer network, nodes follow a set of rules or protocols that define how to send and
receive electronic data via the links. The computer network architecture defines the design of these
physical and logical components. It provides the specifications for the network’s physical components,
functional organization, protocols, and procedures.
Routers –
A router is a device that connects two or more packet-switched networks or subnetworks. It serves two
primary functions: managing traffic between these networks by forwarding data packets to their
intended IP addresses and allowing multiple devices to use the same Internet connection.
There are several types of routers, but most routers pass data between LANs (local area networks) and
WANs (wide area networks). A LAN is a group of connected devices restricted to a specific geographic
area. A LAN usually requires a single router.
A WAN, by contrast, is a large network spread out over a vast geographic area. Large organizations and
companies that operate in multiple locations across the country, for instance, will need separate LANs
for each location, which then connect to the other LANs to form a WAN. Because a WAN is distributed
over a large area, it often necessitates multiple routers and switches.
Switches –
A network switch forwards data between devices, unlike routers, which forward data between
networks.
Wireless Access Points –
In computer networking, a wireless access point, or more generally just an access point, is a networking
hardware device that allows other Wi-Fi devices to connect to a wired network.
IPv4 Address Basics
What is an IP Address? An Internet Protocol address is a numerical label such as 192.0.2.1 that is
connected to a computer network that uses the Internet Protocol for communication. An IP address
serves two main functions: network interface identification and location addressing.
IPv4 has 4 octets which means a group of 8.
IT 101 EXPLORING
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AND
ITS ESSENTIAL STUDY GUIDE
Module 1: Course Overview and Mindset
What is IT?
IT is essentially the use of digital technology, like computers and the internet, to store and process data
into useful information.
What does an IT Support Specialist do?
IT support specialists make sure that an organization's technological equipment is running smoothly.
This includes managing, installing, maintaining, troubleshooting, and configuring office and computing
equipment.
Module 2: Introduction to Information Technology
Hardware Basics – Computer Components
Hardware: External or internal devices and equipment that help you perform major functions.
The computer case is also known as a tower, box, system unit, base unit, enclosure, housing, chassis,
and cabinet. Contains all the hardware components of a computer.
Motherboard: The body or circulatory system of the computer that connects all the pieces together.
CPU: Central processing unit determines the performance of your system. A central processing unit
(CPU), also called a central processor, main processor or just processor, is the electronic circuitry that
executes instructions comprising a computer program. The CPU performs basic arithmetic, logic,
controlling, and input/output (I/O) operations specified by the instructions in the program. Measured in
cycles per second.
Hard drive: It is a long-term memory component that holds all our data, which can include music,
pictures, applications. SSD: Solid State Drive. HDD (Hard disk drive): Hard disk drives, or HDDs, use a
spinning platter and a mechanical arm to read and write information. Gigabytes and Terabytes.
RAM: Random Access Memory temporary storage for computer programs. Loads apps while you’re
using the app for example.
Power supply: Converts electricity from our wall outlet onto a format that our computer can use.
Network Interface Card (NIC) – allows the computer to communicate over the network/Internet via a
RJ45. Possible to have USB versions of both.
Graphics Cards – A graphics card (also called a video card, display card, graphics adapter, VGA card/VGA,
video adapter, display adapter, or colloquially GPU) is a computer expansion card that generates a feed
of graphics output to a display device such as a monitor.
,2
Hardware Basics – Computer Peripherals
Peripherals: the external devices which we connect to our computer that add functionality, like a
mouse, a keyboard, and a monitor.
Input/Output device: A device that performs input and output, including monitors, keyboards, mice,
hard disk drives, speakers, Bluetooth headsets, webcams, and network adapters.
Ports: Connection points that we can connect devices to that extend the functionality of our computer.
Type-C connector: A type of USB connector meant to replace many peripheral connections.
USB (Universal Serial Bus): A connection standard for connecting peripherals to devices such as
computers.
USB-C adapter: One of the standard power, data and display connector types used in mobile devices.
Docking stations allow you to plug in many different connections. Mostly all have a USB-C.
HDMI: A type of cable that outputs both video and audio.
Display port: Port which also outputs audio and video.
Operating Systems and Software Basics
Operating system: the software that supports a computer's basic functions, such as scheduling tasks,
executing applications, and controlling peripherals.
Microsoft Windows – NFTS (new) and FAT – 32 (Old)
Apple macOS – APFS, MAC OS Extended, ExFAT
Google’s Android OS
Apple iOS
Linus – EXT4, EXT3 (old)
File system: A system used to manage files and data. Different OS use their own file system.
A program is an application that is running on a computer (Word, Excel, Calculator).
A process is a running program that has been loaded into the memory.
Virtual machine (VM): An application that uses physical resources like memory, CPU and storage, but
they offer the added benefit of running multiple operating systems at once.
What is Networking?
Computer networking refers to interconnected computing devices that can exchange data and share
resources with each other. These networked devices use a system of rules, called communications
protocols, to transmit information over physical or wireless technologies.
, 3
Nodes and links are the basic building blocks in computer networking. A network node may be data
communication equipment (DCE) such as a modem, hub or, switch, or data terminal equipment (DTE)
such as two or more computers and printers. A link refers to the transmission media connecting two
nodes. Links may be physical, like cable wires or optical fibers, or free space used by wireless networks.
In a working computer network, nodes follow a set of rules or protocols that define how to send and
receive electronic data via the links. The computer network architecture defines the design of these
physical and logical components. It provides the specifications for the network’s physical components,
functional organization, protocols, and procedures.
Routers –
A router is a device that connects two or more packet-switched networks or subnetworks. It serves two
primary functions: managing traffic between these networks by forwarding data packets to their
intended IP addresses and allowing multiple devices to use the same Internet connection.
There are several types of routers, but most routers pass data between LANs (local area networks) and
WANs (wide area networks). A LAN is a group of connected devices restricted to a specific geographic
area. A LAN usually requires a single router.
A WAN, by contrast, is a large network spread out over a vast geographic area. Large organizations and
companies that operate in multiple locations across the country, for instance, will need separate LANs
for each location, which then connect to the other LANs to form a WAN. Because a WAN is distributed
over a large area, it often necessitates multiple routers and switches.
Switches –
A network switch forwards data between devices, unlike routers, which forward data between
networks.
Wireless Access Points –
In computer networking, a wireless access point, or more generally just an access point, is a networking
hardware device that allows other Wi-Fi devices to connect to a wired network.
IPv4 Address Basics
What is an IP Address? An Internet Protocol address is a numerical label such as 192.0.2.1 that is
connected to a computer network that uses the Internet Protocol for communication. An IP address
serves two main functions: network interface identification and location addressing.
IPv4 has 4 octets which means a group of 8.
