Test your basic knowledge |

ACSP: Apple Certified Support Professional Os X Support

Subjects : certifications, it-skills, apple

Instructions:

Answer 50 questions in 15 minutes.
If you are not ready to take this test, you can study here.
Match each statement with the correct term.
Don't refresh. All questions and answers are randomly picked and ordered every time you load a test.

This is a study tool. The 3 wrong answers for each question are randomly chosen from answers to other questions. So, you might find at times the answers obvious, but you will see it re-enforces your understanding as you take the test each time.

1. What is the relationship between a network service and a network port?
The network service operates or broadcasts on a network port.
Apple Menu>> Force Quit - Activity Monitor - Dock contextual menu
They're used to combine complex items into individual folders. Packages appear as a single item.
Standard - Admin - Guest - Sharing-Only - Root

2. What is target disk mode and how is it engaged?
cp - mv - rm
Hold down T on boot - allows the mac to be turned into a very large - and expensive - external hard drive or disc drive.
It will allow any user to search any attached non-system volume if ownership is ignored.
Users don't traditionally need access to them - and if they do - they can use Terminal.

3. 6 Reasons to use the CLI
Users' public folders
Your Mac provides network routing NAT - DHCP - and DNS forwarding services for any device connected. When sharing AirPort - you can specify and SSID - channel - and WEP settings.
It starts with a full copy of the system and then it records any changes made to the system and only copies those changes. It creates a simulation of the entire system using hard links for files that didn't change.
More options than GUI - bypass finder restrictions - root access - remote ssh is invisible to users - automation easy with scripting - easy combining with ARD

4. How does resetting the master filevault password affect existing filevault user accounts?
Any Mac OS X Extended volume including volumes from disk images stored on an AFP share on OS X Server.
The user's loginwindow process does the following: Request that all user applications quit - quits any user backgroun processes - runs any logout scripts - records the logout to the man system.log - resets device permissions and preferences to defaul
If a known master password is reset - existing accounts are not negatively affected. If the master is reset because it was lost - however - preexisting accounts cannot be reset by the new password until the old FileVault passwords are reset.
It starts with a full copy of the system and then it records any changes made to the system and only copies those changes. It creates a simulation of the entire system using hard links for files that didn't change.

5. Four prep steps before installing
Check for firmware updates - verify app compatibility - back up files - document critical settings
Every home folder has the public folder and dropbox folder whereas all other home folders are protected.
Info pane in Network Utility
AFP - SMB - FTP - NFS - WebDAV

6. Path
Defines the directions to a specific item in the filesystem
Screen sharing - remote login - remote management - remote apple events - and Xgrid sharing
iSync allows you to sync personal info between Mac OS X apps and peripherals like Palm PDAs - and Bluetooth enabled cell phones.
The client uses the subnet mask to decide if the client is on the LAN. If it's not on the LAN - then it sends the data to the IP address of the local router. Traffic continues through routers until it reaches the destination.

7. Five types of accounts in 10.6
Code signed items include a digital signature that the system can use to verify the authenticity and integrity of the application or process and its resources.
command - options - arguments
It's a special permission used to define a folder as an append-only destination (only the creator can delete the file he creates)
Standard - Admin - Guest - Sharing-Only - Root

8. What is a device driver? What three primary types of device drivers are there?
A driver is a piece of software designed to facilitate the communication between Mac OS X and the peripheral. There are kernel extensions - framework plug-ins - or stand-alone applications.
Launch Services maintains a database of associated file types and applications.
Automator is a workflow based application whereas AppleScript is an english-like scripting language
Nothing.

9. How do permissions in the Finder appear different than those in the terminal?
Get Info from Finder or System Profiler
Finder shows only 4 different permissions options: read/write - read-only - write-only - and no access. Terminal can show you any possible combination.
iSync allows you to sync personal info between Mac OS X apps and peripherals like Palm PDAs - and Bluetooth enabled cell phones.
Bonjour and NetBios & WINS

10. Default install packages
Check for firmware updates - verify app compatibility - back up files - document critical settings
Internet traffic goes through the primary interface.
Disk drive is the hardware itself - partitions are logical divisions of a drive's storage - and volumes are stored inside partitions and define how data is stored to the storage
Core system files - fonts - X11 - nearby & local printers - language translations

11. Default 9 home folder folders?
Documents - Movies - Music - Pictures - Library - Downloads - Desktop - Public - Sites
cp - mv - rm
May cause data corruption
Core system files - fonts - X11 - nearby & local printers - language translations

12. How does Time Machine maintain a backup history of the system?

13. How does Mac OS X use dynamic network discovery protocols to access network services?
Securely stores passwords - form-fills - etc.
It will not load any third party KEXTs - third-party LaunchAgents - LaunchDaemons - StartupItems - fonts - any user login items - or any user specific LaunchAgents.
Common flags include locked and hidden - Common extended attributes include an items color - spotlight comments - etc.
Devices providing network services broadcast their existence and Mac OS X picks up on these broadcasts and provides a list of services.

14. What are the visual or audible cues for each system initialization stage?
Find the third-party resource causing the problem. Start in verbose mode and see where the startup fails.
If a known master password is reset - existing accounts are not negatively affected. If the master is reset because it was lost - however - preexisting accounts cannot be reset by the new password until the old FileVault passwords are reset.
firmware - startup chim or bright flash of power-on light and light gray screen booter - dark gray apple logo on primary display kernel - small gray spinning gear system launchd - bright blue screen
1.) User accounts not tied to individual Macs 2.) Same user account for multiple services 3.) Kerberos SSO 4.) Define user/comp settings in a single location

15. What is a Kerberos Ticket and KDC?

16. How does the default organization of the filesystem allow users to safely share local files and folder?
Every home folder has the public folder and dropbox folder whereas all other home folders are protected.
Used to make the filesystem appear less complex. Data forks and resource forks are combined to appear as a single item. They have fallen out because they're not compatible with non Mac-OS volumes and are not extensible.
ls
Common flags include locked and hidden - Common extended attributes include an items color - spotlight comments - etc.

17. What are the device classes used by Mac OS X to categorize peripherals? What are some examples of each class?
firmware - startup chim or bright flash of power-on light and light gray screen booter - dark gray apple logo on primary display kernel - small gray spinning gear system launchd - bright blue screen
human input devices (HIDs) like keyboards and mice - storage devices like hard drives - printers - scanners - digital cameras - video devices including both input and output - and audio devices.
To run commands as the root user
They're stored at the root of every volume in a /.Spotlight-V100 folder. A fileVault user's database is stored in his vault in his home user. Mail is in ~/Library/Mail/Mail Envelope. Spotlight plugins can be in any library folder in a folder called S

18. How does the IP transfer messages between computers on a WAN?

19. What client-sharing services can Mac OS X provide?
Code signed items include a digital signature that the system can use to verify the authenticity and integrity of the application or process and its resources.
Screen sharing - remote login - remote management - remote apple events - and Xgrid sharing
This ignores any ownership rules and will grant any logged-on user unlimited access to the contents of the volume.
May cause data corruption

20. How does network service order affect network connectivity?
Internet traffic goes through the primary interface.
Absolute always start at the root of the filesystem - whereas relative paths start where the user is current at
The spotlight search service creates index databases of file system metadata so that it can perform normally time-intensive searches nearly instantly.
Common UNIX Printing System (CUPS) manages all printing and faxing for the system.

21. In the network preferences - how can you tell which interface is currently being used for network activities?
It does a 7-pass erase.
Check for firmware updates - verify app compatibility - back up files - document critical settings
Screen sharing - remote login - remote management - remote apple events - and Xgrid sharing
The status indicator lights - Green - yellow - red.

22. What are the min sys req for BootCamp?
1.) Try another account 2.) Reset the account password 3.) Verify directory service connectivity 4) Verify kerberos authentication & config 5.) Check directory service log files
Intel - directly attached input devices - 10.5 or later - all new firmware updates - 10.5 or greater install disc - 10 gigs of free space - 2 GB or more of RAM
It addresses the outgoing packets based on the destination device's MAC address
Clear-text - encrypted - Kerberos

23. What are some known issues that arise when connecting to network file services?
It monitors all incoming connections and requests. Connections are allowed on a per-application basis. Advanced options include signing options - stealth mode - and more.
Devices providing network services broadcast their existence and Mac OS X picks up on these broadcasts and provides a list of services.
Launch daemons and startup items are launched during system initialization by the system launchd process on behalf of root. Launch agents and login items are opened during the initialization of the GUI environment by the user's launchd process.
Forked files may cause issues for NFS and WebDAV. Also avoid AFP 2 on Windows file servers.

24. Why might a previously backed-up item no longer be available in Time Machine?
Standard - Admin - Guest - Sharing-Only - Root
Automator is a workflow based application whereas AppleScript is an english-like scripting language
If the backup volume became full and removed the older item(s).
If the DHCP request goes unanswered - it'll get a self-assigned IP in the 169.254 range.

25. What is the sticky bit?

26. What is Rosetta and what types of items are not supported by Rosetta?
Apple Menu>> Force Quit - Activity Monitor - Dock contextual menu
Run PPC based apps on newer Intel macs. It does not support pre-OS X apps - the Classic environment - PPC screen-savers - PPC preference panes - G5 specific apps - PPC kernel extensions - some Java apps
Root has unlimited access - Admin can change system files & settings - guest can dump tons of files
The firmware initializes the Mac's hardware and and locates the booter file on the system volume. The Power-On Self Test (POST) checks for basic hardware functionality.

27. What does iSync do?
Nothing.
GUID partition table for intel-based macs - Apple-Partition-Map for PPC macs
IP addresses identify the location of a specific network device. Subnet masks are used by network devices to identify their local network range. IPv4 addresses are a 32-bit number represented in 4 groups of four octets separated by periods. 0-255.
iSync allows you to sync personal info between Mac OS X apps and peripherals like Palm PDAs - and Bluetooth enabled cell phones.

28. How does the spotlight search service use metadata?
Option key - Startup Disk preference pane in OS X - or the BootCamp utility in Windows.
It's a special permission used to define a folder as an append-only destination (only the creator can delete the file he creates)
Finder shows only 4 different permissions options: read/write - read-only - write-only - and no access. Terminal can show you any possible combination.
The spotlight search service creates index databases of file system metadata so that it can perform normally time-intensive searches nearly instantly.

29. What are the two primary automation technologies for the GUI?
Automator is a workflow based application whereas AppleScript is an english-like scripting language
extensions - tied to the kernel to provide hardware support - frameworks - shared code libraries - fonts - preference files - configuration info - Launch Agents and Launch Daemons - used by launchd to provide auto-starting services - logs - contain d
command - options - arguments
Single partition drives are easier to setup initially - but aren't as flexible for admin/maintenance. Multiple can segregate data

30. How does Boot Camp work?
Firmware - booter - kernel - and system launchd. Primary user environment stages are loginwindow - user launchd - and user environment.
Standard - Admin - Guest - Sharing-Only - Root
It allows Windows XP SP2+ - Vista - and 7 to run natively on the Mac by running a separate partition.
Users don't traditionally need access to them - and if they do - they can use Terminal.

31. What is authentication and authorization?
Authentication is who am I?Authorization is what can I do?
Core system files - fonts - X11 - nearby & local printers - language translations
Local - BSD Flat File and NIS - LDAPv3 - AD
Internet traffic goes through the primary interface.

32. What interfaces and protocols are supported by default in in Mac OS X?
Too many to list. Hehe.
A database of information that in some cases can be shared to the network. Account information is the most commonly accessed directory resource.
It stores the home folder as an encrypted sparse-bundle disk image
cat - less

33. 3 Main components of a typical command
command - options - arguments
Too many to list. Hehe.
Resource contention general - an item another user has running. Document contention for document another user has open. Peripheral contention for peripheral in use by another user. Application contention for when an app is designed to be open only on
It has to copy the entire thing over again on each change.

34. What are PPD files responsible for?
If the DHCP request goes unanswered - it'll get a self-assigned IP in the 169.254 range.
Single partition drives are easier to setup initially - but aren't as flexible for admin/maintenance. Multiple can segregate data
Run PPC based apps on newer Intel macs. It does not support pre-OS X apps - the Classic environment - PPC screen-savers - PPC preference panes - G5 specific apps - PPC kernel extensions - some Java apps
PostScript Printer Description (PPD) files are printer driver files that instruct the CUPS system on how to communicate with specific printer models.

35. What are the three primary steps for setting up bootcamp?
It enacts itself any time an App crashes or hangs indefinitely. It send an error report and any comments to Apple.
It stores the home folder as an encrypted sparse-bundle disk image
Run the assistant - install windows - install drivers.
computer hostname - working directory - user account

36. Advantages/disadvantages of single/multiple partition drives in OS X

37. How can you limit a user account?
The system keeps applications from interfering with one another by segregating their memory using protected memory. 64 bit memory addressing allows apps to directly access more than 4 GB of ram.
Parental controls
cp - mv - rm
Screen sharing - remote login - remote management - remote apple events - and Xgrid sharing

38. What are some security concerns with spotlight?
Individual pieces of information used to define a user such as user ID - UUID - home directory - etc.
The loginwindow process logs all users out and then tells the kernel to quit all remaining system processes.
Documents - Movies - Music - Pictures - Library - Downloads - Desktop - Public - Sites
It will allow any user to search any attached non-system volume if ownership is ignored.

39. What is the purpose of IP addresses and subnet masks? What is their format?
Get Info from Finder or System Profiler
Common flags include locked and hidden - Common extended attributes include an items color - spotlight comments - etc.
IP addresses identify the location of a specific network device. Subnet masks are used by network devices to identify their local network range. IPv4 addresses are a 32-bit number represented in 4 groups of four octets separated by periods. 0-255.
The Dock process starts the DashboardClient process. All widgets run inside one of the two DashboardClient processes.

40. Different between absolute and relative path
Absolute always start at the root of the filesystem - whereas relative paths start where the user is current at
Launch Services maintains a database of associated file types and applications.
Hold down shift on startup
Find the third-party resource causing the problem. Start in verbose mode and see where the startup fails.

41. What are five common directory services and authentication services troubleshooting techniques?
computer hostname - working directory - user account
Launch Services maintains a database of associated file types and applications.
1.) Try another account 2.) Reset the account password 3.) Verify directory service connectivity 4) Verify kerberos authentication & config 5.) Check directory service log files
Nothing.

42. Account attributes
The system keeps applications from interfering with one another by segregating their memory using protected memory. 64 bit memory addressing allows apps to directly access more than 4 GB of ram.
Launch Services maintains a database of associated file types and applications.
Individual pieces of information used to define a user such as user ID - UUID - home directory - etc.
Too many to list. Hehe.

43. What are four common issues that can interrupt network services on a Mac OS X computer?
Access is based on the local filesystem. They'll start in their home folder but can traverse anywhere they have permission to do so.
Local - BSD Flat File and NIS - LDAPv3 - AD
Disconnected cable - nonfunctioning port - DHCP issue - DNS issue
Apple Menu>> Force Quit - Activity Monitor - Dock contextual menu

44. How do Mac OS X computers acquire and use link-local TCP/IP addresses?

45. What role does loginwindow serve in system start-up?
Disk drive is the hardware itself - partitions are logical divisions of a drive's storage - and volumes are stored inside partitions and define how data is stored to the storage
loginwindow displays the login window and then sets up and manages the GUI user environment.
About this mac or system profiler. System is general release number - build is specific - and serial number represents the machine.
Local accounts are just for that Mac - network accounts are available anywhere on the network - and Mobile accounts create a cached local copy of a network account for offline access.

46. Min hardware requirements for 10.6
1 GB of RAM - 5 GB of disk space - DVD drive - display
To run commands as the root user
Option key - Startup Disk preference pane in OS X - or the BootCamp utility in Windows.
AFP - SMB - FTP - NFS - WebDAV

47. What are five application environments supported by Mac OS X and what are they used for?
Find the third-party resource causing the problem. Start in verbose mode and see where the startup fails.
Cocoa - Carbon - BSD (CLI) - X11 - Java (Cocoa is native - Carbon is based on OS 9 but still provides OS X performance - X11 is a unix windowing environment)
Every home folder has the public folder and dropbox folder whereas all other home folders are protected.
Get Info from Finder or System Profiler

48. What is a directory as it relates to directory services?
Safe boot refers to when the system is starting up - safe mode is when the system is actually running - and safe login is when the system starts up the user session.
Root has unlimited access - Admin can change system files & settings - guest can dump tons of files
System Profiler - Disk Utility - Reset Password Utility - Firmware Password - Restore from Time Machine Backup - Startup Disk - Terminal - Network Utility
A database of information that in some cases can be shared to the network. Account information is the most commonly accessed directory resource.

49. How does the Finder's secure empty trash work?
Cocoa - Carbon - BSD (CLI) - X11 - Java (Cocoa is native - Carbon is based on OS 9 but still provides OS X performance - X11 is a unix windowing environment)
It does a 7-pass erase.
Universal Access - items for the seeing or hearing impaired - keyboard and mouse difficulties - and are stored in ~/Library/Preferences
Internet traffic goes through the primary interface.

50. How can you identify the MAC Addresses for all of the Mac's network interfaces?
Code signed items include a digital signature that the system can use to verify the authenticity and integrity of the application or process and its resources.
Info pane in Network Utility
The loginwindow process logs all users out and then tells the kernel to quit all remaining system processes.
Hold down shift on startup