Book Image

Networking Fundamentals

By : Gordon Davies
Book Image

Networking Fundamentals

By: Gordon Davies

Overview of this book

A network is a collection of computers, servers, mobile devices, or other computing devices connected for sharing data. This book will help you become well versed in basic networking concepts and prepare to pass Microsoft's MTA Networking Fundamentals Exam 98-366. Following Microsoft's official syllabus, the book starts by covering network infrastructures to help you differentiate intranets, internets, and extranets, and learn about network topologies. You’ll then get up to date with common network hardware devices such as routers and switches and the media types used to connect them together. As you advance, the book will take you through different protocols and services and the requirements to follow a standardized approach to networking. You’ll get to grips with the OSI and TCP/IP models as well as IPv4 and IPv6. The book also shows you how to recall IP addresses through name resolution. Finally, you’ll be able to practice everything you’ve learned and take the exam confidently with the help of mock tests. By the end of this networking book, you’ll have developed a strong foundation in the essential networking concepts needed to pass Exam 98-366.
Table of Contents (23 chapters)
Free Chapter
1
Section 1: Network Infrastructure
7
Section 2: Network Hardware
11
Section 3: Protocols and Services
18
Section 4: Mock Exams
19
Mock Exam 1
20
Mock Exam 2

Introduction to basic security features

With all of this interconnectivity, it is important that we protect our networks and the data held within them. At this stage, I would like to introduce you to some of the following basic security technologies that we can utilize to protect our networks:

  • Firewalls
  • DMZ
  • VPN

Firewalls

Firewalls are arguably one of the best methods of protecting your computer, yet very few people understand them. I would suggest the reason for this is because Microsoft does a pretty good job of implementing firewalls within their Windows operating systems (OSes). Windows Firewall has been part of the OS since its introduction in Windows XP Service Pack 2, and over time, its functionality has increased...