Infrastructure practice questions

Laptops are portable general-purpose computers with an integrated keyboard and pointing device and a full desktop operating system.

The rep needs portability, a built-in keyboard and touchpad, and full desktop applications. A laptop combines all three. A tablet is the tempting near-twin, but its keyboard is an optional accessory and it usually runs mobile apps; a workstation runs the software but stays on a desk; a smartphone is portable but has neither the keyboard nor desktop applications.

1. Note the three requirements: portable, built-in keyboard and touchpad, desktop applications.
2. Remove the device that is not portable (workstation).
3. Compare the portable devices: only the laptop has the keyboard and touchpad built in and runs a full desktop OS.
4. Choose the laptop.

Exam tip: Portable plus built-in keyboard and touchpad plus full desktop apps describes a laptop, not a tablet.

A workstation is a high-end computer used by a single person for demanding professional tasks.

The clues are a powerful computer, a single user and demanding creative work at a desk. That is the definition of a workstation. A server can be just as powerful, but it exists to serve many clients over a network. A gaming console has a strong GPU but runs only games, and a laptop is the portable option the stem did not ask for.

1. Identify who uses the computer: one person at her own desk.
2. Identify the workload: demanding rendering that needs a strong CPU, GPU and RAM.
3. Separate a workstation (powerful, one user) from a server (powerful, serves many clients).
4. Choose the workstation.

Exam tip: Powerful computer + one user + demanding work = workstation; powerful computer + many clients = server.

Augmented reality overlays digital content on the user's real-world view; virtual reality replaces that view entirely.

The system keeps the real world in view and adds digital objects to it. Adding to the real view is augmented reality. Virtual reality is the tempting near-twin, but it shuts out the real world and shows only a simulated one. Screen mirroring and video conferencing are real technologies that do different jobs.

1. Ask whether the user still sees the real world: yes, it is a live view.
2. Ask whether digital content is added on top of it: yes, digital objects.
3. Real world plus added digital content is augmented reality.
4. Choose augmented reality.

Exam tip: Augmented reality adds to the real view; virtual reality replaces it.

Virtual reality immerses the user in a fully simulated environment through a headset, shutting out the real surroundings.

The requirement is a headset that completely replaces what the trainee sees. That full immersion is virtual reality. Augmented reality is the near-twin, but it keeps the real world visible and adds to it. A gaming console or a workstation can drive content on a screen, but neither is the immersive system itself.

1. Find the deciding phrase: the view of the room is completely replaced.
2. Recall that virtual reality replaces the real view and augmented reality only adds to it.
3. Rule out devices that show content on a screen rather than immersing the user.
4. Choose virtual reality.

Exam tip: If the real world disappears and a simulated one takes its place, it is virtual reality.

Smart-home IoT devices each do one job: a video doorbell provides remote two-way video at the door.

Seeing and talking to a visitor remotely needs a camera, a microphone, a speaker and an internet connection at the door, which is exactly what a video doorbell provides. A smart door lock is the closest distractor, because it is also controlled from a phone at the front door, but it only locks and unlocks. A home assistant and a smart thermostat are other smart-home devices with different jobs.

1. List what is needed: video and two-way audio at the door, from a remote phone.
2. Match each smart-home device to its job: lock/unlock, voice commands, temperature, door video.
3. Pick the device with a camera, microphone and speaker at the door.
4. Choose the video doorbell.

Exam tip: Remote video and two-way talk at the front door = video doorbell; remote lock/unlock = smart lock.

A smart thermostat is an IoT device that controls heating and cooling automatically and remotely.

The family wants the heating controlled automatically and from a phone. The device that controls a heating system is a thermostat, and a smart (networked) thermostat adds schedules, away detection and app control. A home assistant is the tempting distractor because it can talk to a thermostat, but without one it has nothing to control. A video doorbell and a smart lighting hub are smart-home devices with different jobs.

1. Identify the system being controlled: heating.
2. Recall which device controls heating: a thermostat.
3. Note that a home assistant only relays commands to other devices.
4. Choose the smart thermostat.

Exam tip: Heating controlled from a phone or by schedule = smart thermostat; a home assistant only relays commands to it.