DNS –

Domain Name System (DNS) is a hierarchical naming system for computers,

services, or any
resource connected to the Internet or a private network. It associates various
information with
domain names assigned to each of the participants. Most importantly, it
translates domain names
meaningful to humans into the numerical (binary) identifiers associated with
networking equipment
for the purpose of locating and addressing these devices worldwide.

DNS Zones
A DNS zone is a portion of the global Domain Name System (DNS) namespace
for which
administrative responsibility has been delegated.

The DNS Zone file

The DNS Zone file is the representation of the DNS Zone – it is the actual file, which
contains all the records for a specific domain. In a DNS Zone file, each line can hold only
one record, and each DNS Zone file must start with the TTL (Time to Live), which specifies
for how long the records should be kept in the DNS Server's cache. The other mandatory
record for a DNS Zone file is the SOA (Start of Authority) record – it specifies the
primary authoritative name server for the DNS Zone.

After these two records are specified, additional records, such as A or NS records, can be
added. When adding a record for a hostname, the hostname must end with a period (.).
Hostnames, which do not end with a period, are considered relative to the main domain
name, for which the DNS Zone was created. For example, when specifying the "www"
record, there is no need to place a period after it.

Active Directory
A central component of the Windows platform, Active Directory directory service
provides the
means to manage the identities and relationships that make up network
environments. Windows
Server 2003 makes Active Directory simpler to manage, easing migration and
deployment.

Port
a port is an application-specific or process-specific software construct serving as
a communications
endpoint used by Transport Layer protocols of the Internet Protocol Suite, such
as Transmission
Control Protocol (TCP) and User Datagram Protocol (UDP). A specific port is
identified by its
number, commonly known as the port number, the IP address it is associated
with, and the protocol
used for communication.

Port Number Description

1TCP Port Service Multiplexer (TCPMUX)
5Remote Job Entry (RJE)
7ECHO
18Message Send Protocol (MSP)
20FTP -- Data
21FTP -- Control
22SSH Remote Login Protocol
23Telnet
25Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP)
29MSG ICP
37Time
42Host Name Server (Nameserv)
43WhoIs
49Login Host Protocol (Login)
53Domain Name System (DNS)
69Trivial File Transfer Protocol (TFTP)
70Gopher Services
79Finger
80HTTP
103X.400 Standard
108SNA Gateway Access Server
109POP2
110POP3
115Simple File Transfer Protocol (SFTP)
118SQL Services
119Newsgroup (NNTP)
137NetBIOS Name Service
139NetBIOS Datagram Service
143Interim Mail Access Protocol (IMAP)
150NetBIOS Session Service
156SQL Server
161SNMP
179Border Gateway Protocol (BGP)
190Gateway Access Control Protocol (GACP)
194Internet Relay Chat (IRC)
197Directory Location Service (DLS)
389Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP)
396Novell Netware over IP
443HTTPS
444Simple Network Paging Protocol (SNPP)
445Microsoft-DS
458Apple QuickTime
546DHCP Client
 547DHCP Server
563SNEWS
569MSN
1080Socks

A network switch is a computer networking device that connects network

segments.

A multilayer switch (MLS) is a computer networking device that switches on

OSI layer 2 like an
ordinary network switch and provides extra functions on higher OSI layers.

What is a network switch and what is a router? The two pieces of equipment look similar and
perform some similar functions, but each has its own distinct function to perform on a network.

What is a Network Switch?

To understand basic networking, you first need to answer the question, "What is a network
switch?"

Most business networks today use switches to connect computers, printers and servers within a
building or campus. A switch serves as a controller, enabling networked devices to talk to each
other efficiently. Through information sharing and resource allocation, switches save businesses
money and increase employee productivity.

What is a Network Switch: Unmanaged Switches

An unmanaged switch works right out of the box. It's not designed to be configured, so you don't
have to worry about installing or setting it up correctly. Unmanaged switches have less network
capacity than managed switches. You'll usually find unmanaged switches in home networking
equipment.

What is a Network Switch: Managed Switches

A managed network switch is configurable, offering greater flexibility and capacity than an
unmanaged switch. You can monitor and adjust a managed switch locally or remotely, to give
you greater network control.

What is a Network Switch versus a Router?

Switches create a network. Routers connect networks. A router links computers to the Internet,
so users can share the connection. A router acts as a dispatcher, choosing the best path for
information to travel so it's received quickly.
OS

An operating system (OS) is an interface between hardware and user which is

responsible for the management and coordination of activities and the sharing of
the resources of the computer that acts as a host for computing applications run on
the machine.

Virus

A computer virus is a computer program that can copy itself and infect a
computer.

Boot Process

1. When the computer's power is first turned on, the CPU initializes itself, which is
triggered by a series of clock ticks generated by the system clock.

2. Part of the CPU's initialization is to look to the system's ROM BIOS for its first
instruction in the startup program (POST).

3. POST begins by checking the BIOS chip and then tests CMOS RAM. If the POST
does not detect a battery failure, it then continues to initialize the CPU, checking the
inventoried hardware devices (such as the video card), secondary storage devices,
such as hard drives and floppy drives, ports and other hardware devices, such as
the keyboard and mouse, to ensure they are functioning properly.

4. Once the POST has determined that all components are functioning properly and
the CPU has successfully initialized, the BIOS looks for an OS to load.

5. The BIOS typically looks to the CMOS chip to tell it where to find the OS

6. The order of drives that the CMOS looks to in order to locate the OS is called the
boot sequence. Looking to the appropriate boot drive, the BIOS will first encounter
the boot record, which tells it where to find the beginning of the OS and the
subsequent program file that will initialize the OS.

7. Once the OS initializes, the BIOS copies its files into memory and the OS basically
takes over control of the boot process. Now in control, the OS performs another
inventory of the system's memory and memory availability (which the BIOS already
checked) and loads the device drivers that it needs to control the peripheral
devices, such as a printer, scanner, optical drive, mouse and keyboard.

Win2k vs winxp
1. The Luna interface.
2. Integrated zip functionality.
3. Remote Assistance.
4. Integrated CD burning.
5. Hyperthreading support
6. User-mode driver framework (created after XP was released, and never
backported).
7. Windows Movie Maker
8. Fast User Switching
9. The option to run tasks as an "Administrator" while logged in as an unprivileged
account (pity this isn't done more often).

Leased Line

A leased line is a symmetric telecommunications line connecting two locations. It is sometimes

known as a 'Private Circuit' or 'Data Line' in the UK. Unlike traditional PSTN lines it does not
have a telephone number, each side of the line being permanently connected to the other. Leased
lines can be used for telephone, data or Internet services. Some are ringdown services, and some
connect two PBXes.

A permanent telephone connection between two points set up by a telecommunications common

carrier. Typically, leased lines are used by businesses to connect geographically distant offices.
Unlike dial-up connections, a leased line is always active. The fee for the connection is a fixed
monthly rate. The primary factors affecting the monthly fee are distance between end points and
the speed of the circuit. Because the connection doesn't carry anybody else's communications,
the carrier can assure a given level of quality.

NTLDR

NTLDR (abbreviation of NT Loader) is the boot loader for all releases of Microsoft's
Windows NT operating system up to and including Windows XP and Windows Server
2003. NTLDR is typically run from the primary hard disk drive, but it can also run
from portable storage devices such as a CD-ROM, USB flash drive, or floppy disk.
NTLDR can also load a non NT-based operating system given the appropriate boot
sector in a file.

Kernel
The 'kernel' is the central component of most computer operating systems; it can
be thought of as the bridge between application and the actual data processing
done at the hardware level. The kernel's responsibilities include managing the
system's resources (the communication between hardware and software
components).[1] Usually as a basic component of an operating system, a kernel can
provide the lowest-level abstraction layer for the resources (especially memory,
processors and I/O devices) that application software must control to perform its
function. It typically makes these facilities available to application processes
through inter-process communication mechanisms and system calls.

NTDetcet.com
Ntdetect.com is a component of Microsoft Windows NT-based operating systems
that operate on the x86 architecture. It is used during the Windows NT startup
process, and is responsible for detecting basic hardware that will be required to
start the operating system.

Windows Vista & Windows XP

1. Bitlocker Option available Windows XP has . No Bitlocker option

- Bitlocker drive encryption,
Bitlocker on volume
Prevents hard drive from hackers

2. Windows Vista has Windows Defender tool Windows XP has No Windows

Defender tool available
- prevents from spyware & unwanted
S/W installing on computer

3. Windows Vista has Parental control Feature Windows XP has No Parental control
Feature
- This option enables parents to restrict
Children’s which sites, games .software
to use & not

Group Policy
Group Policy is a feature of the Microsoft Windows NT family of operating systems.
Group Policy is a set of rules which control the working environment of user
accounts and computer accounts. Group policy provides the centralized
management and configuration of operating systems, applications and users'
settings in an Active Directory environment. In other words, group policy in part
controls what users can and can't do on a computer system. Although group policy
is more often seen in use in enterprise environments, it is also common in schools,
smaller businesses and other kinds of smaller organizations. Group policy is often
used to restrict certain actions that may pose potential security risks, for example:
to block access to the Task Manager, restrict access to certain folders, disable the
downloading of executable files and so on.

DHCP

DHCP uses the same two ports assigned by IANA for BOOTP: 67/udp for the server side, and
68/udp for the client side.

DHCP operations fall into four basic phases: IP discovery, IP lease offer, IP request, and IP lease
acknowledgment.

A denial-of-service attack (DoS attack) or distributed denial-of-service

attack (DDoS attack) is an attempt to make a computer resource unavailable to
its intended users. Although the means to carry out, motives for, and targets of a
DoS attack may vary, it generally consists of the concerted efforts of a person or
people to prevent an Internet site or service from functioning efficiently or at all,
temporarily or indefinitely. Perpetrators of DoS attacks typically target sites or
services hosted on high-profile web servers such as banks, credit card payment
gateways, and even root nameservers.

IPSec
Internet Protocol Security (IPsec) is a protocol suite for securing Internet
Protocol (IP) communications by authenticating and encrypting each IP packet of a
data stream.

IPsec is a dual mode, end-to-end, security scheme operating at the Internet Layer of
the Internet Protocol Suite or OSI model Layer 3. Some other Internet security
systems in widespread use, such as Secure Sockets Layer (SSL), Transport Layer
Security (TLS) and Secure Shell (SSH), operate in the upper layers of these models.

Virtual LAN
A virtual LAN, commonly known as a VLAN, is a group of hosts with a common set
of requirements that communicate as if they were attached to the Broadcast
domain, regardless of their physical location. A VLAN has the same attributes as a
physical LAN, but it allows for end stations to be grouped together even if they are
not located on the same network switch. Network reconfiguration can be done
through software instead of physically relocating devices.

Types of backup

The Backup utility supports five methods of backing up data on your computer or network.

Copy backup
A copy backup copies all the files you select, but does not mark each file as having been backed
up (in other words, the archive attribute is not cleared). Copying is useful if you want to back up
files between normal and incremental backups because copying does not affect these other
backup operations.

Daily backup

A daily backup copies all the files that you select that have been modified on the day the daily
backup is performed. The backed-up files are not marked as having been backed up (in other
words, the archive attribute is not cleared).

Differential backup

A differential backup copies files that have been created or changed since the last normal or
incremental backup. It does not mark files as having been backed up (in other words, the archive
attribute is not cleared). If you are performing a combination of normal and differential backups,
restoring files and folders requires that you have the last normal as well as the last differential
backup.

Incremental backup

An incremental backup backs up only those files that have been created or changed since the last
normal or incremental backup. It marks files as having been backed up (in other words, the
archive attribute is cleared). If you use a combination of normal and incremental backups, you
will need to have the last normal backup set as well as all incremental backup sets to restore your
data.

Normal backup

A normal backup copies all the files you select and marks each file as having been backed up (in
other words, the archive attribute is cleared). With normal backups, you only need the most
recent copy of the backup file or tape to restore all of the files. You usually perform a normal
backup the first time you create a backup set.

Backing up your data using a combination of normal backups and incremental backups requires
the least amount of storage space and is the quickest backup method. However, recovering files
can be time-consuming and difficult because the backup set might be stored on several disks or
tapes.

Backing up your data using a combination of normal backups and differential backups is more
time-consuming, especially if your data changes frequently, but it is easier to restore the data
because the backup set is usually stored on only a few disks or tapes.

Shadow copy
Shadow Copy (also called Volume Snapshot Service or VSS), is a technology included in
Microsoft Windows that allows taking manual or automatic backup copies or snapshots of data,
even if it has a lock, on a specific volume at a specific point in time over regular intervals

What is difference between windows 2000 server and windows 2003

server

1) When installing terminal services for win2000 u r prompted to select application server
functions or administrative functions sets can be installed sequently on one server but it performs
only one function at one time. But in 2003 still distinguishes between application and
administrative services but installation and management are now consolidated.

2) In Win 2000 server we can apply 620 group policies but in 2003 we can apply nearly 720 so
Win2003 server is more secure than win 2000 server.

3) In 2000 we cannot rename domain whereas in 2003 we can rename Domain.

4) In 2000 it supports of 8 processors and 64 GB RAM (In 2000 Advance Server) whereas in
2003 supports up to 64 Processors and max of 512GB RAM.

5) 2000 Supports IIS 5.0 and 2003 Supports IIS6.0

6) 2000 doesn’t support Dot net whereas 2003 Supports

Microsoft .NET 2.0

7) 2000 has Server and Advance Server editions whereas

2003 has Standard, Enterprise, Datacenter and Web server
Editions.

8) 2000 doesn’t have any 64 bit server operating

system whereas 2003 has 64 bit server operating systems
(Windows Server 2003 X64 Std and Enterprise Edition)

9) 2000 has basic concept of DFS (Distributed File systems) with defined roots whereas 2003
has Enhanced DFS support with multiple roots.

10) In 2000 there is complexality in administering Complex networks whereas 2003 is easy
administration in all & Complex networks.

11) In 2000 we can create 1 million users and in 2003 we can create 1 billion users.

12) In 2003 we have concept of Volume shadow copy service which is used to create hard disk
snap shot which is used in Disaster recovery and 2000 doesn’t have this service.

13) In 2000 we don’t have end user policy management, whereas in 2003 we have a End user
policy management which is done in GPMC (Group policy management console).
14) In 2000 we have cross domain trust relation ship and 2003 we have Cross forest trust
relationship.

15) 2000 Supports 4-node clustering and 2003 supports 8-node clustering.

16) 2003 has High HCL Support (Hardware Compatibility List) issued by Microsoft.

17) Code name of 2000 is Win NT 5.0 and Code name of 2003 is Win NT 5.1

18) 2003 has service called ADFS (Active Directory Federation Services) which is used to
communicate between branches with safe authentication.

19) In 2003 their is improved storage management using service File Server Resource Manager
(FSRM).

20) 2003 has service called Windows Share point Services (It is an integrated portfolio of
collaboration and communication services designed to connect people, information, processes,
and systems both within and beyond the organizational firewall).

21) 2003 has Improved Print management compared to 2000 server.

22) 2003 has telnet sessions available.

23) 2000 supports IPV4 whereas 2003 supports IPV4 and

IPV6.

DHCP default lease time - 24 hours

Default group policy refresh time – 90 minutes
SQL Database files extension - .sql

traceroute is a computer network tool used to determine the route taken by

packets across an IP network.

1. Describe how the DHCP lease is obtained. It’s a four-step process

consisting of (a) IP request, (b) IP offer, © IP selection and (d)
acknowledgement.

2. I can’t seem to access the Internet, don’t have any access to the
corporate network and on ipconfig my address is 169.254.*.*.
What happened? The 169.254.*.* netmask is assigned to Windows
machines running 98/2000/XP if the DHCP server is not available. The
name for the technology is APIPA (Automatic Private Internet Protocol
Addressing).
3. We’ve installed a new Windows-based DHCP server, however, the
users do not seem to be getting DHCP leases off of it. The server
must be authorized first with the Active Directory.

4. How can you force the client to give up the dhcp lease if you have
access to the client PC? ipconfig /release

5. What authentication options do Windows 2000 Servers have for

remote clients? PAP, SPAP, CHAP, MS-CHAP and EAP.

6. What are the networking protocol options for the Windows clients
if for some reason you do not want to use TCP/IP? NWLink (Novell),
NetBEUI, AppleTalk (Apple).

7. What is data link layer in the OSI reference model responsible

for? Data link layer is located above the physical layer, but below
the network layer. Taking raw data bits and packaging them into
frames. The network layer will be responsible for addressing the frames,
while the physical layer is reponsible for retrieving and sending raw data
bits.

8. What is binding order? The order by which the network protocols are
used for client-server communications. The most frequently used
protocols should be at the top.

9. How do cryptography-based keys ensure the validity of data

transferred across the network? Each IP packet is assigned a
checksum, so if the checksums do not match on both receiving and
transmitting ends, the data was modified or corrupted.

10.Should we deploy IPSEC-based security or certificate-based

security? They are really two different technologies. IPSec secures the
TCP/IP communication and protects the integrity of the packets.
Certificate-based security ensures the validity of authenticated clients and
servers.

11.What is LMHOSTS file? It’s a file stored on a host machine that is used
to resolve NetBIOS to specific IP addresses.

12.What’s the difference between forward lookup and reverse lookup

in DNS? Forward lookup is name-to-address, the reverse lookup is
address-to-name.

13.How can you recover a file encrypted using EFS? Use the domain
recovery agent.