A+, Network+, Security+ Exams in a Nutshell

Suggested Exercises for the Exams

The A+ exams expect you to have a good understanding of concepts related to computer hardware and software. Hands-on experience is recommended and is good to have. You should be well-acquainted with hardware terminology, operating systems, and basic security concepts, and you should have the basic skills to troubleshoot problems. You will need to review the Study Guide and pay close attention to the areas that are new for you or that you feel uncomfortable with.

This section includes some exercises that you can perform either on a standalone computer or in a network to gain some hands-on experience. Since the A+ exams mainly cover all core basic knowledge skills related to installing, configuring, and troubleshooting computer hardware and software, you will need plenty of experience in these tasks. You must know what specifications to look for when selecting a component and how to correctly install the hardware and device drivers.

Warning

It is recommended that you do not perform any of the suggested exercises in your organization or in any running computer network. Create a test environment consisting of two computers for completing these exercises. Even if you just want to view network settings in a production environment, make sure a senior administrator accompanies you. In any case, you should follow the policies of the organization. For most exercises where you need to work on internal parts of a computer, make sure that you are wearing a properly ...