It has been about a year since CompTIA updated their 220-701 and 220-702 exam requirements, so it’s not a big surprise that some changes have just arrived. If you download the latest CompTIA A+ exam requirements, you’ll see some new items in both the 701 and the 702 exams.
UPDATE: These new Windows 7 requirements become active on January 1, 2011. Click here to read CompTIA’s press release.
Fortunately, the changes aren’t extensive. Unfortunately, information was added to the exam without removing anything else. These new additions won’t require weeks of study, but it would have been nice to catch a a break. I’m looking at you, Windows 2000.
As you’ll see below, these changes now mean that Windows 7 is an official part of the CompTIA A+ exam requirements. This is great news if you’re studying for your CompTIA A+ certification, because you’ll now be up-to-date with the latest Microsoft desktop technologies!
Here’s a summary of what’s new:
New in CompTIA A+ Essentials 220-701 exam requirements version 2.0
Section 1.0 – Hardware and Section 2.0 – Troubleshooting, Repair and Maintenance
No changes
Section 3.0 – Operating Systems and Software
Windows 7 Starter, Home Premium, Professional, and Ultimate has been added to the list of required operating systems. The Windows OS Upgrade Advisor and the Windows Assessment and Planning Toolkit is specifically listed as a requirement, and Windows 7 libraries are also included. From a networking perspective, Windows 7 Home Group and the location of basic network settings between operating systems is now part of the Operating System section.
Section 4.0 – Networking
Windows 7 includes extensive support for IPv6, so a comparison of IPv6 to IPv4 is needed. This includes both address length differences and addressing conventions for IPv6.
Section 5.0 – Security and Section 6.0 – Operational Procedure
No changes
New in CompTIA A+ Practical Application 220-702 exam requirements version 2.0
Section 1.0 – Hardware
No changes
Section 2.0 – Operating Systems
Windows 7 Starter, Home Premium, Professional, and Ultimate was added to the entire section. Windows 7 was also added to requirement 2.2 which differentiates between Windows operating system directory structures. You’ll now also need to know specifically about User Profiles.
Section 3.0 – Networking
No changes
Section 4.0 – Security
Since UAC is also part of Windows 7, it was specifically mentioned along with Windows Vista in requirement 4.1.
Of course, I’ll be updating the online course to include all of these changes. Good luck with your studies, everyone!
Good. I wish they would add UNIX, too. Every place I’ve worked (except one) in the past 20+ years has had some kind of UNIX based system – Solaris, Linux, BSD. I know Comptia has Linux+, but I think that every tech should know at least the basics of UNIX.