Exam objective

Core 1 2.0: Network Services and Hosts

A+ Topic

Network Services and Hosts for A+

This A+ topic covers recognition-level knowledge of common network services and host roles listed in CompTIA A+ Core 1 objective 2.3. The focus is: what each named service or host does, common support symptoms that point to it, and how to pick the correct role in short scenarios.

Start first lesson

7 lessons in this topic

1

DNS Name Resolution Service

Recognize DNS as the service that resolves names and identify support symptoms that point to name-resolution failure.

2

DHCP Address Assignment Service

Recognize DHCP as the service that provides automatic IP configuration and spot automatic-addressing failure symptoms.

3

Common Server Roles

Identify fileshare, print, web, mail, and database server roles by function and support scenario.

4

Legacy, Embedded, SCADA, and IoT Hosts

Recognize legacy systems, embedded systems, SCADA, and IoT devices as specialized networked hosts.

5

Syslog, NTP, and AAA Services

Recognize syslog, NTP, and AAA as infrastructure services for logs, time synchronization, and access-control functions.

6

Internet Appliances and Traffic Services

Recognize spam gateways, UTM, load balancers, and proxy servers by function and support scenario.

7

Selecting the Right Network Service or Host

Choose the right service, host role, or internet appliance from a short support scenario.

Common mistakes to avoid

1

Students often pick DHCP for network problems. DHCP assigns IPs and related settings; it does not resolve names. Other confusion: assuming the web server is the cause when name resolution hides the server address.

2

Technicians sometimes blame DNS for name failures when the device actually lacks a valid IP because DHCP failed. Also, DHCP provides DNS server addresses to clients but does not perform name resolution itself.

3

Learners often pick a visible endpoint (printer hardware, local app) instead of the role (print server, database server). Also confusing DNS with web-server issues when names fail but content is served from a specific host.

4

Students may assume a device is replaceable or treat it like a normal PC. Interfering without vendor guidance or proper change control can cause operational failure or safety risks.