Module 2

CompTIA A+ Core 1: Mobile Device Accessories & Network Connectivity

Mobile device accessories, ports, and connectivity features allow for a variety of different
connections as well as the enabling of additional mobile device features. As an IT industry
professional, you will be called upon to configure those accessories and network connections, as well
as provide application support in various situations. In this course, discover how to set up and
configure Universal Serial Bus (USB). Explore key features of lightning and serial connectors, as well
as near-field communication, Bluetooth, and hotspot connectivity options. Examine how global
positioning system (GPS) services and cellular location services work. Lastly, explore the benefits of
implementing mobile device management (MDM) and mobile application management (MAM)
solutions. After completing this course, you will be able to set up and configure network connections
and mobile device accessories. This course will prepare learners for the CompTIA A+ Core 1 (220-
1101) certification exam.

Table of Contents

1. Video: Course Overview (it_csap121_02_enus_01)

2. Video: Universal Serial Bus (USB) (it_csap121_02_enus_02)

3. Video: Lightning Connections (it_csap121_02_enus_03)

4. Video: Serial Interface Types (it_csap121_02_enus_04)

5. Video: Near-field Communication, Bluetooth, and Hotspots (it_csap121_02_enus_05)

6. Video: Mobile Device Accessories (it_csap121_02_enus_06)

7. Video: Docking Stations and Port Replicators (it_csap121_02_enus_07)

8. Video: Wireless and Cellular Data Networks (it_csap121_02_enus_08)

9. Video: Bluetooth Connectivity (it_csap121_02_enus_09)

10. Video: Location Services (it_csap121_02_enus_10)

11. Video: Mobile Device Management (it_csap121_02_enus_11)

12. Video: Mobile Device Synchronization (it_csap121_02_enus_12)

13. Video: Course Summary (it_csap121_02_enus_13)

1. Video: Course Overview (it_csap121_02_enus_01)

[Video description begins] Topic title: Course Overview. [Video description ends]

Hi, I'm Aaron Sampson, and I've been a professional in the IT industry since 1995. [Video description
begins] Your host for this session is Aaron Sampson. He is an IT Trainer/Consultant. [Video description
ends] With a primary focus on technical training, I can be found most of the time producing and
delivering learning content centered around network infrastructure and services.

I've also been involved with extensive practical implementations in a variety of operational
capacities, including architecture and design, deployment and implementation, administration and
management, and various other technology-based roles. In this course, I'll explore various mobile
device accessories and network connectivity methods, beginning with how to set up and configure
universal serial bus or USB connections, along with the various types of USB interfaces.

Then you'll discover key features of lightning and serial connectors, as well as near-field
communication, Bluetooth and hotspots. You'll also discover key features of wireless and cellular
data networks, and explore how global positioning system, or GPS services, and cellular location
services work.

Lastly, I'll examine the key benefits of implementing mobile device management or MDM, and
mobile application management, or MAM solutions. This course will help to prepare learners for the
CompTIA A+ Core 1 or 220-1101 certification exam.

2. Video: Universal Serial Bus (USB) (it_csap121_02_enus_02)

Upon completion of this video, you will be able to recognize how to set up and configure USB
connections including USB-C, microUSB, and miniUSB.

 recognize how to set up and configure USB connections including USB-C, microUSB, and
miniUSB

[Video description begins] Topic title: Universal Serial Bus (USB). Your host for this session is Aaron
Sampson. [Video description ends]

For our first presentation of this course, we'll begin by examining the primary characteristics of the
Universal Serial Bus, or USB, which has become the standard interface for almost any type of external
or peripheral device, including webcams, external storage devices, your mouse and keyboard,
printers, and many, many others.

In the early days of my career in IT, almost all of the common peripheral devices had their own
unique type of interface. So, when USB came along and standardized virtually all of them, it was
certainly a very welcome improvement. We didn't have to worry anymore as to whether any given
computer had the appropriate type of interface for any given type of device.

If it was USB, as long as you had an available port, you could add the device. And even if you didn't
have an available port, from its inception, USB supported the use of hubs so that a single port could
host all of the devices attached to the hub.

Now, like any technological advance, USB developed over time with different versions and iterations,
each one improving over the last, but its first release was version 1.1, which offered 2 speeds: a low
speed version, which could only handle a maximum of 1.5 megabits per second over a distance of 3
meters or approximately 10 feet, and a high speed version, which could handle up to 12 megabits
per second over a distance of 5 meters or a little over 16 feet.

Now, by today's standards, neither of those are particularly fast, but USB 1.1 was originally released
in the late 1990s. And also bear in mind, that for devices such as mice and keyboards and for small
print jobs, the speed is almost irrelevant, since there's hardly any data being transferred between the
device and the host computer.

But for devices such as flash drives or external hard drives where a lot of data is being transferred,
the higher speed version would definitely be required and the 12-megabits speed was certainly
adequate at that time. From that point, USB 2.0 was released in the year 2000 and offered
significantly improved performance, up to 480 megabits per second, which is 40 times faster than its
predecessor, but still over a length of 5 meters, which was the same as it was for the high speed
version of 1.1.

Now, just as a quick side note, the speed increase of USB 2 was largely in response to the
introduction of FireWire, which was released quite a bit earlier than USB 2. But FireWire was
essentially a proprietary architecture of Apple, so USB 2 allowed for PCs to keep up with the times, so
to speak. As for the physical connectors for USB, for versions 1.1 and 2.0, there was the Standard-A
Plug, which was the end that was inserted into your computer and the Standard-B Plug, which was
inserted into the peripheral device.

The B Plug is perhaps most commonly found on printers. The Mini and Micro-B Plug was also
available, but as its name indicates, it was commonly used for smaller devices where space was
limited. One of the more common examples at that time was a digital camera. The micro end was
typically inserted into your computer and the mini end into the device. Since both connectors were
physically quite different, there was never any issue with inserting the wrong connector into the
wrong device.

It simply wouldn't fit. USB 3 was introduced in late 2008 and continued to improve performance wise
with yet another significant jump in speed, up to 5 gigabits per second, but only over a distance of 3
meters.

And the available connectors still included the Standard-A and B Plugs which physically weren't any
different than the 1.1 and the 2.0 versions, but the interior plastic lining was blue so that you could
distinguish a 3.0 connector from its predecessors. They were, however, backward compatible with
the earlier versions. In other words, you could still plug a USB 1.1 device into a USB 3 interface, and it
would still work just fine, but only at the speeds of the earlier version.

USB 3 also introduced the 3.0 version of the micro-B plug, which was a physically different shape
than its predecessor, so this cable was not compatible with devices of the earlier version because it
simply wouldn't fit. 2013 saw the release of USB 3.1, which was nicknamed Superspeed +, supporting
speeds of up to 10 Gbps per second and used either a Type A connector or the most recent
connector type known as USB-C, which we'll get into in just a moment.

Then USB 3.2 was released in 2017 for the most recent devices and supported speeds of either 10 or
20 Gbps per second, effectively indicating that it was backward compatible with 3.1. In other words,
the speed was dependent on the version of the device, but version 3.2 uses only the USB-C
connector. So, finishing up with the USB-C connector, I first want to clarify that the term USB-C does,
in fact, refer to only the connector type.

But that said, in day-to-day conversation, I would say that it's unlikely that you will hear anyone refer
to USB 3.1 or 3.2. USB-C is simply easier to say, so that's the name you're likely to hear. But for official
purposes, it does only refer to the connector.

So, with respect to the connector itself, it actually addresses some things that could be considered to
be complaints, if you will, with respect to some of the earlier connectors, most notably the Standard-
A Plug. If you've been working with USB devices for a while, how many times have you tried to plug
in a USB A Plug and subsequently discovered that you had it upside down? Let me guess. Almost
every time, perhaps?

So, to address that, the USB-C plug uses 24 pins, double-sided or 12 on each side, and with this
configuration, you'll never have to worry about an upside down plug again because it doesn't matter.
It can be plugged in either way, and it will still work. In addition, it uses the same connector on both
the host and the device ends, so that doesn't matter, either.

Now, all of that said, despite the fact that most people will refer to the overall architecture simply as
USB-C, it should be clarified that if you see a USB-C connector, it doesn't necessarily mean that it
provides USB 3.1 or 3.2 specifications. A very common example these days is the lightning cable for
iPhones.

The connector on the end that plugs into the charging cube is a USB-C connector, but lightning cables
are proprietary to Apple and don't necessarily adhere to USB 3.1 or 3.2 specifications. That said, USB-
C comes as close as possible to fulfilling the promise of the term universal in USB by supporting a
wide range of devices and offering very high performance as well, while addressing some of the
issues of earlier connectors.

But as with any type of cable or connector, you should always make sure that your computer has the
appropriate interface for the device you want to connect, particularly before you buy something
new.

3. Video: Lightning Connections (it_csap121_02_enus_03)

Upon completion of this video, you will be able to describe features of the Lightning connector type.
  describe features of the lightning connection type

[Video description begins] Topic title: Lightning Connections. Your host for this session is Aaron
Sampson. [Video description ends]

In this video, we'll take a look at the characteristics of the lightning cable, which is a cable proprietary
to Apple products such as iPhones, iPads and iPods. It was introduced in 2012 and is used for both
charging and data transfer. And it also superseded all earlier forms of cables for those devices.

But it was incompatible with those older devices, so there was no option to just swap out the cable.
In terms of features, it's a very small connector that contains 8 pins or contacts per side on the
device connection end, and like USB-C, it can be inserted face up or face down without issue. It will
work either way, which is certainly a nice feature. The opposite end of the cable is, in fact, the USB-C
connector on the latest version, but it does not necessarily adhere to USB 3.1 or 3.2 specifications,
but it will fit and function in any USB-C receptacle.

Now, I say the latest version because there is an earlier version that has a standard USB A connector
on the host end, allowing it to be plugged into any older USB interface for lack of a better word, such
as one on your computer. The lightning cable has several advantages over a cable such as Micro-USB,
which is used to charge some other similar non-Apple devices, including being able to deliver higher
levels of power, which results in much faster charging compared to its predecessors.

The connectors are more durable because there is no outer border piece or shell, so to speak, which
on a Micro-USB cable could sometimes get pinched together or become bent, preventing it from
being inserted. And again, due to its design, it's simpler to connect because both ends can be
inserted either face up or face down, so orientation doesn't matter at all.

Another feature of the lightning cable is device authentication. Now, this doesn't have anything to do
with your user identity or signing in to the device. Rather, the cable has a built-in microchip which
authenticates that the device being used is a genuine and approved Apple product. In other words, a
lightning cable is only compatible with Apple devices. This also means that only a lightning cable can
be used with those devices.

Now, that said, this was the case when the lightning cable was first released, but since then, other
manufacturers have reverse engineered their own non-Apple lightning cables, which should work.
But they might not be of the same quality, and I'm only speculating on this for your own purposes,
but it could be possible that the device might register the fact that it was used with a non-Apple
cable, which could in turn void something like the AppleCare warranty.

So personally, I would recommend that you stick with the genuine product. Now, that all said, once
non-Apple lightning cables started to become more common, Apple introduced what's known as MFI
certification, which allowed the cables of other manufacturers to be supported for use with genuine
Apple products, provided they were certified to meet the stringent specifications of Apple.

MFI itself simply stands for made for iPhone, iPad or iPod. But once a cable is MFI certified, then it is
deemed to be safe and acceptable to be used with Apple products. So, if you are going to purchase a
non-Apple cable, you should look for the MFI certification. These days, there are a lot of cheap
knockoffs available, and prolonged use of them could even damage the device. So again, try to stick
with the genuine product as much as possible, or at least something that is MFI certified.
Lastly, there are other devices that can be used in conjunction with a lightning cable, but they would
require an adapter to connect appropriately. And once again, if an adapter is required, your best bet
is to use one that is either a genuine Apple product or one that is MFI certified.

But adapters are available for several types of interfaces, including the 30-pin Apple connector, which
can adapt the older iPhone iPad charging cables to a lightning cable. Lightning to USB, HDMI, VGA
and SD card readers and many others, are also available. But again, try to stick with genuine Apple
adapters as well, to ensure the safest and most reliable connections.

4. Video: Serial Interface Types (it_csap121_02_enus_04)

In this video, learn how to differentiate between serial connectors including DA-15, DB-25, DC-37,
DD-50, and DE9.

 differentiate between serial connectors including DA-15, DB-25, DC-37, DD-50, and DE9

[Video description begins] Topic title: Serial Interface Types. Your host for this session is Aaron
Sampson. [Video description ends] In this presentation, we'll examine some of the characteristics of
the D-subminiature serial connector, which is often contracted to D-sub, which was introduced in
1952.

So, they've actually been in use for longer than personal computers have, and they draw the name D-
sub from the fact that the outer metal shell of the connector, if turned vertically or upright,
somewhat resembles an uppercase letter D. And subminiature is simply due to its comparatively
small size. These connectors were typically used for RS-232 communications, which in practical terms
refers to comm or communications ports. Or another way to put that is serial communications, which
means that data transmission occurs one bit at a time in series.

As such, comm ports were used for relatively simple devices, such as mice and keyboards, perhaps
some early external modem connections, an early PDA or a personal digital assistant synchronization.
Most D-sub connectors contained two or more rows of pins or sockets, along with screws on either
side of the shell, which made for a very tight and secure connection.

But at the risk of dating myself, comm ports were still very common when I started in IT, but I don't
think I've seen a device using this specific implementation of the D-sub connector in almost 20 years,
so it's highly unlikely that you would encounter one today. Now, while you might not see any D-sub
connections on personal computers anymore, they might still be in use for some types of special use
equipment.

And in fact, the way any given connector is named reveals most of its characteristics and what type
of device it would support. So, on that note, as you might imagine, all D-sub connectors begin with
the letter D, again simply due to its shape. But they do come in different sizes for different devices.
So, the next letter in the name would denote the size of the shell ranging from A through E.

And they did increase sequentially from A through D, but E was in fact the smallest of them all. The
number after the dash indicated how many pins or sockets were in the connector, and the letter at
the end was either P for pins, which denoted the male end of the connector, or S for sockets, which
denoted the female end. So in our example on this slide, DE-9P translates to a D-sub connector of
size E, again, the smallest, with 9 pins.

So then, looking at a few specific examples, the DA-15 Connector, as its name indicates, had 15 pins
or sockets arranged in two rows, one of 8 and one of 7, and was used perhaps most commonly for
gaming controllers, but also for some early network connections and some video outputs, although
almost all of these would be defunct these days. Modern counterparts would include USB for gaming
controllers, RJ45 or an Ethernet connection for network, and HDMI for video.

Now on the topic of video, I do also want to point out that there is a DE-15 Connector, so it still has
15 pins or sockets, but it was the E size shell, which was the smallest, and the pins or sockets were
arranged in 3 rows of 5 instead of 8 by 7, so it was a different physical size.

That particular connector was almost always used for VGA video connections and is still in use today.
Even though it has been superseded by connectors such as HDMI, I wouldn't be surprised if your
monitor still has this connector for backward compatibility. Another common example was the DB-25
Connector, which was also a communications port, but mostly used for printer connections, but also
some audio connections, and even some broadcast video equipment.

Like other D connectors that we've covered so far, almost all of them have been superseded by
connectors such as USB. The DC-37 Connector would be less common to see on personal computers,
but might still be in use for specific industry equipment such as those used in aerospace, various
industrial instruments such as monitors and scanners, defense, and healthcare. But again, these
would be specific to the device and likely not found as a standard option on any given computer.

The DD-50 Connector uses three rows arranged in a 17 by 16 by 17 configuration, and was most
commonly used for devices that needed much faster data transfer rates than those of a serial port.
Most notably, any kind of SCSI equipment, which, by the way, stands for small computer system
interface, which in the early days of personal computers supported some of the highest data transfer
rates.

Some examples might include high volume printers, or high resolution scanners, such as those used
for large scale blueprints and schematic diagrams. In terms of a standard personal computer,
however, it would have been unlikely that a DD-50 connector would be available by default. So,
typically you had to purchase the SCSI interface card, which could be installed into one of the
available slots on your motherboard.

Then the back of the card would have the appropriate connector for the device. Lastly, the DE9
Connector. Now, in practical conversation, and in fact, as sold by most manufacturers at the time,
you'll most likely hear this connector referred to as a DB-9 despite the official size difference.

Quite literally, some manufacturers weren't aware of the fact that the letter denoted the shell size
and opted instead to use B. It was also a communications or comm port, as was the DB-25, so the
name stuck, if you will. Some other implementations using this connector included token ring
network interfaces and even some very old video connections. But the most common use back in
and around the 1990s, at least as far as personal computers were concerned, was the standard
mouse connection.

As far as all D-sub connectors are concerned these days, almost all of them are defunct in terms of
personal computers, with the notable exception of the DE-15 for video, but as mentioned, you may
still see them being used for specific equipment, or on legacy devices, so you may still encounter
them depending on your environment.

5. Video: Near-field Communication, Bluetooth, and Hotspots (it_csap121_02_enus_05)

Upon completion of this video, you will be able to describe features of the near-field communication
(NFC), Bluetooth, and hotspot connection types.

 describe features of the near-field communication (NFC), Bluetooth, and hotspots connection
types

[Video description begins] Topic title: Near-field Communication, Bluetooth, and Hotspots. Your host
for this session is Aaron Sampson. [Video description ends]

In this presentation, we'll discuss some common types of wireless communications for mobile
devices, including near-field communications or NFC, Bluetooth, and mobile hotspots. Each one has
their specific use, but most mobile devices these days likely support all of them.

So beginning with near-field communications, this is a means of sharing and exchanging data
between devices over very short distances, hence, the name near-field. And in terms of what very
short means in this context, it really is only a matter of inches. The communication itself uses a radio-
frequency identification, or RFID, which is used in other types of communication that might have a
greater range.

But the very short range of NFC is actually one of its key characteristics, but we'll come to that in a
moment. But on the topic of key features, it's a very simple and convenient method of
communication because there is no device discovery required, nor do the communicating devices
need to be paired with each other before they can exchange data.

Once each device is placed within close enough proximity to the other, they can communicate
instantly. Now, for anyone who has a relatively new mobile phone, you are likely very familiar with
NFC, even if you've never actually heard of the term. Because one of the most common
implementations of NFC for mobile devices, is payment applications. Most devices will allow you to
store credit card and debit card information in the device itself.

Then, if the point-of-sale terminal itself supports NFC, all you have to do is hold your phone in close
proximity to the terminal, and the payment card information will be picked up automatically by the
terminal, so there's no PIN, nor a signature required. You may have to enter some kind of
confirmation on the device itself to allow the communication, depending on the make and model,
but it would likely be no more than a tap or a button press, or something similar, to acknowledge the
payment.

Now, while the transaction is somewhat inherently secure due to the very limited range, in other
words, an intruder who might be attempting to pick up on stray signals, would have to be right on
top of you to pick up the transmission. NFC also supports the use of access tokens and encryption so
that the data being exchanged between your mobile device and the terminal is secured. There are
other implementations of NFC, of course.

For example, you might store a public transit pass within the device, a membership card to a library,
or a gym. It can be used to exchange contacts or other data between devices, or it might be used to
gain access to a secured facility. Regardless of the implementation, NFC is fast, easy and secure. Now
that said, just as a quick side note on the topic of security, because NFC devices will exchange data
automatically as soon as they're within range of each other, it is possible for an attacker to obtain
information from NFC-capable devices.

For example, if they have an NFC reader similar to the payment terminal at a point of sale, and they
were able to place that device close enough to your mobile device without your knowledge, for
example, on a crowded subway, they might be able to read the data stored on that device.

That said, as mentioned, most mobile devices won't just immediately transmit the data without
some kind of confirmation from you, such as tapping a button or similar. But while your mobile
device might require that confirmation, your physical payment cards, such as credit cards, obviously
do not. So, just be mindful of that, especially when you are in a very crowded situation where
someone could easily read your card data without your knowledge.

Bluetooth has become virtually ubiquitous in terms of mobile device communication, and most
notably because it supports almost any type of electronic device that uses any form of
communication, including smartphones, portable or wireless speakers, our cars, smartwatches,
headsets, health monitors, and many, many others. Unlike NFC, though, Bluetooth devices must
discover each other first and must be paired before any data will be exchanged.

Similar to NFC, it also uses RFID, but it has a much greater range, comparatively speaking, in most
cases, carrying around 30 feet. Now, that's still very short compared to some implementations of
RFID, but this short range is intentional to help ensure that the information being exchanged
between devices is not detectable over large distances, and that communication amongst other
devices relatively close to you don't interfere with your devices.

A hotspot connection refers to a Wi-Fi network that is available to be used, most often in public
places such as airports, hotels or restaurants. In most cases, as long as you are within range of the
wireless access point, you're able to use the network. Now, as mentioned, in most cases, anyone in
the general public will have access to the Wi-Fi, often without needing any kind of password or login.

Although some may require you to enter an email address and agree to the terms of service, but for
a purely public Wi-Fi network such as those found in coffee shops or restaurants, as long as you can
pick up on the signal, you can connect to and use the network. In those cases, however, be mindful
that virtually all traffic is visible to everyone on that network.

So, if there is a skilled attacker on the network, they could possibly compromise your system or gain
access to personal data. Now, that's not to suggest that all data is just wide open for anyone to see. It
depends on the application. For example, if you're placing an order through a legitimate online
retailer that has a public certificate, then those communications are still encrypted.

But a skilled intruder could compromise your computer itself first and install malware, such as a key
logger, to capture your keystrokes, which could then be retrieved by the attacker. In short, it's best
not to use public hotspots for any kind of secure data transfer. That said, there can also be private or
secured hotspots, which are intended for only specific users, and they will require some kind of
authentication to connect, such as a password.

Very much like what you probably have at home. And once connected, security protocols are used to
protect the data being exchanged between your mobile device and the access point. But another
common example would be in something like a hotel, whereby only guests of the hotel would be
given the password. So, an attacker sitting in the lobby, for example, hoping to pick up on stray
signals, would also need to determine the password before they could connect.

Now, it should still be pointed out that even though the network itself requires a password and uses
secure protocols, in this example, once you're connected you are still passing data over a network
filled with many other unknown users, so it's not out of the question that a skilled attacker could
possibly compromise your device, if they are guests of the same hotel.

But secured hotspots are far safer than their unsecured public counterparts. Lastly, a mobile hotspot
takes advantage of your smartphone's connection to the Internet using standard cellular
connections, which can then be shared with other devices, such as a laptop, in a process known as
tethering.

You typically just have to physically connect your smartphone to your laptop with the standard
charging and data cable, then enable the feature in the settings for the smartphone. Now, depending
on the make and model of the phone and the capabilities of your laptop, you may also be able to
tether the two using Bluetooth, or even if you are using the cable to tether, your smartphone may be
connecting to the Internet over an available Wi-Fi hotspot instead of its cellular data connection.

And the device to which you're tethering simply doesn't have Wi-Fi capabilities, such as an older
model laptop. But in either case, you can secure the tethered connection by setting a password so
that other devices nearby, or those on the same Wi-Fi network, can't gain access to the tethered
device through your mobile device or connect to the tether themselves using something like
Bluetooth.

Again, these days, almost all of these wireless mobile connectivity methods are being used by many
of us, and they have all made it much easier and much more convenient to enable connectivity, to
exchange data. But you should always be mindful of the security concerns when it comes to all of
these wireless connectivity types, because ultimately, even though you can implement security
measures, the data being exchanged is being done so over the air, which makes it inherently easier
for attackers to eavesdrop on those communications.

6. Video: Mobile Device Accessories (it_csap121_02_enus_06)

 provide an overview of mobile device accessories including touch pens, headsets, speakers,
webcams, and drawing pads

[Video description begins] Topic title: Mobile Device Accessories. Your host for this session is Aaron
Sampson. [Video description ends]

In this video, we'll take a look at several mobile device accessories that can be used to enhance the
user experience, particularly with respect to audio and video applications. So on that note, we'll
begin with headsets, which can be used not just for listening to music, but also to enable hands-free
audio when a call comes in and to use as an input device for applications that support dictation.
Headsets are available in both wired and wireless models, with the wireless almost certainly using
Bluetooth to connect.

The wireless is certainly a little more convenient, but bear in mind that since it's wireless, it will need
its own source of power, so they will likely have a charging cradle or perhaps a USB connector for
recharging. Wired models would draw the power directly from the mobile device itself, so no
independent power is required.

Now, if you're shopping for a headset, be mindful of the audio jack connection, which in fact
indicates the capabilities because some headsets are in fact just headphones. In other words, there is
no microphone built in. Now, this would be obvious, of course, on most models, but some types that
just use small earbuds have the microphone built-into a small volume controller that is present at
some point along the wire; usually about eight to ten inches below your chin so that it can pick up
your voice easily.

But it might not be all that recognizable as a microphone. But as mentioned, if the connector is a
standard mini audio jack, the metal shaft of the connector uses what's known as a tip ring sleeve
configuration. The tip is at the very end, of course, the sleeve at the base, and the rings in the
middle, and there are dividers between each section to separate the functionality of the headset.

If you are using only headphones, then there is only a single ring on the connector, whereby if there
is a microphone as well, the connector will have two rings: one for headphones and one for the
microphone. Now again, this will be quite obvious on most models, but just be sure that you have
the correct type of connector.

Most mobile devices will come with their own integrated speakers, but on phones and tablets
especially they don't produce very good quality, at least for the purposes of listening to music. So,
you can also attach external speakers, which may come in various forms, but common examples
these days include battery powered or rechargeable models that connect with your smartphone or
tablet using Bluetooth. These can provide fairly high quality stereo sound at much higher volumes
than the built-in speakers.

And I should also mention that as long as your mobile device has the correct type of connection,
such as an audio jack, or at least an appropriate adapter, if you have powered speakers such as those
connected to a desktop PC, these could also be used. And depending on the quality, they might
provide even higher quality and volume than their Bluetooth counterparts. Now, webcams typically
aren't devices that you would use in conjunction with something like your smartphone or tablet,
because almost all of those have high quality cameras built in.

But laptops are still mobile devices, and while many newer model laptops likely also have a built-in
webcam, it might not offer particularly high quality, or you may simply have an older model that does
not have one built in. So in either case, you can certainly install an external webcam using a standard
USB connection.

Webcams in this context are likely being used most often for applications such as video conferencing,
but they can also be used to capture still images or record videos, and depending on what you're
trying to do, many applications will facilitate streaming live video direct to the Internet. Or, of course,
you could just be saving your content locally if, for example, you're creating home videos.

Other mobile device accessories include payment card readers, which essentially turn your mobile
device into a point of sale terminal, which can be very convenient for people who provide services at
remote sites. The devices and their associated applications support and use digital signatures to
encrypt data transmissions to ensure security, and they can return immediate approvals just like
standard retail point-of-sale systems, meaning you get paid right away.

Touch pens, also commonly known as stylus pens, as their name indicates, are pen-sized and shaped
instruments with specially manufactured tips designed to deliver much more accurate input to your
mobile device for applications such as drawing or sketching, while not scratching or damaging the
screen. Now, there are two main types of stylus pens: conductive and resistive. And you might also
hear the terms active and passive.

But the conductive type has built-in electronic components that can communicate with the mobile
device to perform a wider array of activities. For example, you could draw a line on a sketch pad,
then perhaps press and hold a button on the stylus itself, which would then allow you to erase that
line. They may also be sensitive to pressure, and even store information, such as the last several
movements or gestures that were made, allowing you to undo and redo certain operations.

As you might imagine, a conductive pen would require power, so it would likely come with some kind
of charging cable, or perhaps there is a built-in cradle on the device that charges it. The resistive or
passive model would not have these extra capabilities and would rely on the application on the
device itself for different functionality. But of course, it would not require any power. Both types,
however, do allow for much more accurate input as compared to using your finger. Finally, a drawing
pad is, of course, exactly as it sounds.

It could be in the form of an application on a standard tablet, or it could be a dedicated device. But in
either case, it gives you an electronic drawing surface used in conjunction with a specialized drawing
pen, allowing the user to draw, sketch, write, or design, without having to carry around a paper
notebook.

Now, you might think yourself that carrying around a drawing pad isn't much different than carrying
a paper notebook, but the drawing pad will allow you to store a tremendous amount of drawings
depending on the storage capacity of the unit, and organize them into directories, for easy access
and they could also transfer your stored files to other media types, such as SD cards or cloud storage,
to create backups. Some models may also have several function keys for quick and easy access to
common operations, such as starting a new drawing, saving an existing one, or accessing a color
palette.

And most models are light and small, making them a very convenient choice for when you're
traveling or performing remote work. Drawing pads can be ideal for artists or composers, architects,
engineers, or anyone who may have traditionally or just frequently relied on pen and paper. So, for
whatever types of enhanced capabilities you might want for your mobile devices, there is likely an
accessory to enable that functionality. So, just be sure that your device is compatible with the
accessory you're looking to add, before you buy.

7. Video: Docking Stations and Port Replicators (it_csap121_02_enus_07)

After completing this video, you will be able to recognize key features of docking stations and port
replicators.

 recognize key features of docking stations and port replicators

[Video description begins] Topic title: Docking Stations and Port Replicators. Your host for this session
is Aaron Sampson. [Video description ends]

In this video, we'll examine docking stations and port replicators, both of which can make it much
easier to connect and use multiple peripheral devices in conjunction with your laptop computer.
Now, the reason for both of these components is because laptops are designed to be portable, and
most users want their laptops to be as light as possible, which is great for portability.

But in terms of overall functionality, those two characteristics are inherently at odds with each other.
Greater functionality means more ports, more connectors, more interfaces, which simply takes away
from portability. So, the more you have of one, the less you're going to have of the other. But to give
you a better sense of that, the laptop that I'm using right now certainly has enough built-in
functionality so that I can take just the laptop on its own whenever I have to go somewhere, and
likely complete whatever task I need to perform.

Of course, it has a built-in keyboard and a touchpad, it has speakers and a microphone, a webcam,
built-in Wi-Fi and, of course, a battery. But here at home, where I do most of my work, I also have an
external monitor for increased viewing space, a standard mouse and keyboard, a multifunction
printer scanner, wired Ethernet, two external hard drives, a combination headset microphone, and
an external webcam.
So, there just aren't enough connections on my laptop itself to support all of those devices. Plus,
even if it did, it would be rather bothersome to have to connect and reconnect all of them every time
I wanted to take the laptop with me. The same sort of situation would apply to someone who uses
their laptop at work, but then takes it home with them each night.

Having to reconnect all of the devices they might have in the office every day, would certainly be a
bother, especially if they're in and out of the office frequently with the laptop. So, the key feature of
the docking station, then, is that it is a single and dedicated unit that has all of those extra
connections of various types, including USB, HDMI or VGA, Ethernet, audio, power and several
others.

And the peripheral devices can stay connected to the docking station permanently. The laptop then,
simply makes a single connection to the docking station, and all of the associated devices become
available. In short, you trade many connections for one. Now, the primary concern with respect to
docking stations is compatibility, and this is because many docking stations are manufacturer specific,
meaning that only the manufacturer of the laptop offers the associated docking station for that
laptop.

And in most cases, the two connect to each other using a proprietary port. On the laptop itself the
port is most commonly found on the bottom or sometimes along the back edge. But since it is a
proprietary connection, this usually translates into a reliable and consistent user experience because
quite literally, the two are built for each other.

That said, you may still be able to find a universal docking station that is compatible with your laptop,
but it may not offer as much functionality or operate as reliably. In terms of video and audio features,
the docking station itself doesn't provide any inherent video or audio. It essentially just acts as a
relay, if you will, for the data signals, so, any external monitor that you might connect will not display
quality any better than what the laptop's video output can produce.

But you do get the expanded viewing space. But with this in mind, before you go out and spend a lot
of money on the newest, latest and greatest monitor, expecting to have greatly improved video, you
need to make sure that your integrated video output can actually produce that level of quality.

Otherwise, the monitor will simply function at a lower level. And the same applies to audio, in that
external speakers will only reproduce what the built-in sound card of the laptop can send. But if you
have good quality external speakers, they will greatly outperform the internal speakers of the laptop
itself, especially for listening to music or watching movies.

Other key features when assessing a docking station might include the number and the types of
available ports, for example, how many USB ports there are, whether the docking station itself has a
primarily vertical or horizontal design, and simply how large it is; certainly a consideration if your
desk space is limited, and how easy it is to install and use. Now, that said, installation really is just
placing the unit and connecting all of the devices.

If it is a proprietary unit, there shouldn't be any software or drivers required, although that might be
the case with some models. But in terms of ease of use, that involves how easily it can be connected
and disconnected from the laptop. And I have encountered some that have somewhat cumbersome
clips that are sometimes difficult to release.

But it also involves what's referred to as the docking state capabilities, of which there are three
options: cold docking, warm docking, and hot docking. And this refers to what state the laptop must
be in to recognize changes, such as adding or removing a new device to the station. Cold docking
means that you must power down entirely and reboot before the new device will be recognized.

Warm means that you must go into at least a sleep or a hibernation mode, and hot means that it will
be detected automatically, even when fully powered up and operating. Plug and play, if you will.
Most units these days would support hot docking, but it can also depend on the device, for example,
it's quite likely that any device using a USB interface would support hot docking, but something like
an external monitor might not.

So, it's not always a function of just the docking station itself. Another option is the port replicator,
which is very similar to a docking station in that it provides enhanced functionality for your laptop by
increasing the available ports. But they're almost always smaller, lighter, and themselves more
portable than a docking station. But the primary difference is that port replicators are far more
universal.

The port replicator itself simply connects to the laptop using one of its inherent connections, such as
over a parallel or a serial connection, USB, or even SCSI. Although these days, almost every model
would be using USB. So, as long as your laptop has even a single USB port available, all other devices
can be connected to the port replicator, and they become available to the laptop as soon as you
connect the two.

As a point of fact, I'm actually using a port replicator for all of my peripherals, not a docking station,
and my particular model is only about 12 inches long, an inch or two high, and about three to four
inches deep, which is much smaller than most docking stations. So, even if I needed several
peripherals when I'm away from home, the port replicator itself fits easily in my laptop case. Many
port replicators also provide the ability to convert certain types of connections to others,

For example, micro-DVI to regular DVI, so they can function as adapters. But before purchasing, it's
always best to take note of all peripheral devices you want to connect and verify their associated
connectors, so that you can ensure that the unit you purchase will support the devices you have.

8. Video: Wireless and Cellular Data Networks (it_csap121_02_enus_08)

Upon completion of this video, you will be able to describe how wireless and cellular data networks
function.

 describe how wireless and cellular data networks work

[Video description begins] Topic title: Wireless and Cellular Data Networks. Your host for this session
is Aaron Sampson. [Video description ends]

In this video, we'll examine several aspects of the wireless and cellular data networks available for
your mobile devices, beginning with the GSM or Global System for Mobile communications, which is
in essence a network of gateways which allow access to the network, and repeaters and relays which
boost signal strength and pass communications along the network.

Now, all of that said, in more practical terms, with respect to how you and I might describe this, all of
these devices are simply accessible from a cellphone tower, and the communications range of any
given tower is, of course, limited, and that particular coverage range is referred to as a cell. Hence,
the term cellular networks. So, there must be another tower within range of the first tower whose
cells overlap.

And this just keeps going and going until the full coverage area of that provider can be fully serviced
by the collection of all towers. In terms of functionality, of course, this enables us to make voice calls
and to transfer data anywhere on the network, as long as we're within range of a tower.

And it should also be pointed out that many providers will have partner agreements in place with
each other so that any given client can use the towers of a different provider typically with an
associated charge, of course, but this is the process known as roaming, which allows us to make calls
and transfer data as long as we're within the range of almost any tower.

The types of communications provided by cellular networks include what's known as 3G, 4G, which
some providers also refer to as LTE, and most recently, 5G. Now, there are differences, of course, in
each of these methods, but the G simply stands for generation. And as the number increased, the
signal quality and possibly the range would increase, but most notably, the data speeds increased
significantly.

For example, 3G was only capable of supporting about two megabits per second, whereas 5G can
handle up to one gigabit per second. Although we might not be seeing that kind of speed just yet in
day-to-day communications, at the time of this recording, 5G is still relatively new and reports an
average speed of anywhere from 60 megabits per second, up to one gigabits per second. 4G was
certainly much faster than its predecessor, averaging about 30 megabits per second.

So if you aren't picking up on 5G yet where you live, 4G should still be more than adequate for the
needs of most mobile users. Now, one of the significant issues with accessing a cellular network is
the fact that so many of us are trying to use the network at the same time. So, a process known as
Code Division Multiple Access, or CDMA, is used to provide multiple devices access to the network
simultaneously.

This is also what's known as multiplexing. But in essence, the process assigns a unique code to the
transmissions of any given device so that signals from all devices can be distinguished from each
other, thereby allowing numerous signals to use the same transmission channel without interfering
with each other.

A key component to using the GSM for your device is the Subscriber Identity Module, or more
commonly known as the SIM card, which is a small chip that is inserted into the mobile device and
used to establish connectivity between the mobile device and the appropriate GSM provider. Once
connected, it identifies your particular device on the network so that your calls and data can be
metered for billing purposes.

In most mobile devices, the SIM card can be removed and swapped into a new device when you
upgrade. But there is likely some kind of breakpoint, if you will, whereby the SIM card used for any
given older model simply isn't compatible with the newer model device. But a new SIM can be
purchased for maybe an extra 25 or 30 dollars, and your specific information can be transferred. As
long as the SIM is compatible, though, it can just be ejected and inserted into the new device and
you're ready to go.

Airplane mode is a standard feature on almost all mobile devices and is named after the fact that
most airlines require you to disable all transmitting features of your device to prevent any possible
interference or disruption in communication between the aircraft and air traffic control. Hence,
airplane mode is usually just a single on off feature that disables all types of connectivity, including
your standard GSM service, Wi-Fi, and possibly GPS, depending on the make and model.

Most devices will still allow Bluetooth communications while in airplane mode. For example, while
you're on a plane, many users might have Bluetooth headphones for listening to music or watching a
movie on their device. And the reason that Bluetooth is usually allowed is due to the fact that
Bluetooth can only carry about 30 feet, so it doesn't typically interfere with aircraft communications.

Another option for mobile device connectivity is known as the mobile hotspot or personal hotspot,
depending on the model, which is the process of attaching a non-connected device, such as a laptop
or even a desktop, to a mobile device to enable the network connection for the non-connected
device. This is also typically referred to as tethering. For example, often when I'm traveling,

I might find myself working on my laptop in an area that does not have any Wi-Fi, but I do have
standard cellular service on my phone, which of course allows me to access the Internet. So, to
tether my laptop, I simply connect the laptop to my phone using the standard USB or charging cable,
then enable the hotspot feature on the mobile device, which is usually in the settings, and then as
soon as it's enabled, the laptop will recognize the mobile device as a modem, in turn allowing the
laptop to also gain access to the Internet through the mobile device.

Now, bear in mind that once you start tethering, you're using cellular data, so be mindful of any
limits that you might have on your account. Plus, whenever you connect your mobile device to your
laptop, the mobile device starts charging as well. This isn't going to be an issue if your laptop is
plugged in, but if you're running the laptop on battery, it will also drain the laptop battery more
quickly.

But in most cases, tethering can be a very convenient way to gain access to the Internet when there
simply isn't any Wi-Fi available. That all said, public Wi-Fi hotspots are much more common than
they used to be, so tethering probably isn't used as often these days, but there are still plenty of
situations where you can't get Wi-Fi, such as a long trip in a car, or on a bus, or a train, camping, or
perhaps in more rural areas, where Wi-Fi simply isn't as commonly used.

Now, depending on the make and model of your mobile device, the hotspot feature may not just be
a personal hotspot. Some models, in fact, allow your smartphone to act as a wireless router, which in
turn allows multiple users to connect to the hotspot being hosted by your device. This typically has
to be enabled in addition to enabling the hotspot feature. In other words, enabling just the hotspot
feature by default allows connectivity for only the device to which it is tethered.

But if enabled, other devices can connect to your device using Bluetooth, or a localized or private Wi-
Fi network that might not have access to the Internet, such as in a classroom or a meeting room. And
then all connected devices can share the Internet connection of the primary mobile device. Now
again, be very mindful of your data limits if you enable this, because now you have multiple users all
accessing the Internet using your data plan.

So the charges could add up rather quickly if you exceed the limits of your plan. Now, PRL, or
Preferred Roaming List Updates, is a process that ensures that any given mobile device is aware of
any changes that have been made to the provider network, such as adding a new tower or
decommissioning an old one. But in short, it helps to ensure that your device is connecting to the
correct tower at any given time.

These updates are released by the provider themselves and sent to your device over-the-air, so you
might simply receive a notice from time to time that you need to accept the update. This is normal,
but PRL updates generally don't occur all that often for most providers. Finally, the IMEI and IMSI are
values that you should be aware of, particularly if you have to manage many mobile devices within
your environment, or if you work for a telecommunications provider. IMEI stands for International
Mobile Equipment Identity and IMSI stands for International Mobile Subscriber Identity.

Now, both provide a unique identity, but the IMEI value is uniquely assigned to the device itself and
can be used to allow or disallow access to the provider network. For example, if you discover that a
device has been compromised or possibly jailbroken, as the provider, you could block that device
from accessing the network, based on its IMEI value, regardless of which user currently owns that
device. The IMSI is another unique identifier, but it's assigned to you as the subscriber, not the
device.

This value is stored in the SIM card, which was discussed earlier, and is therefore portable among
different devices. But this allows the provider to still allow you to access their network, even when
you change to a new device.

9. Video: Bluetooth Connectivity (it_csap121_02_enus_09)

Upon completion of this video, you will be able to enable, pair, find, and test Bluetooth connectivity.

 recognize how to enable, pair, find, and test Bluetooth connectivity

[Video description begins] Topic title: Bluetooth Connectivity. Your host for this session is Aaron
Sampson. [Video description ends]

In this presentation, we'll take a look at using Bluetooth connectivity for mobile devices, which is a
wireless data transmission standard but used only for very short range communications; generally
around 30 feet on average, so that you can create and use a wireless personal area network or PAN,
by connecting various devices to your mobile device, such as a mouse, keyboard, wireless headset or
speakers, smartwatches or health monitors, GPS devices, and of course, other mobile devices.

Once you enable Bluetooth on the initial device, it can discover other devices that are within range,
and once paired, which we'll come to in a moment, those devices will automatically connect to each
other every time they're within range, and, of course, disconnect when out of range. The Bluetooth
protocol itself, however, has to be enabled on any given device, and for a device such as a
smartphone it's usually an option within the settings for the device, both for Apple and Android.
But many laptops these days also support Bluetooth, so it would have to be enabled on the laptop as
well if you want to be able to pair it with any other devices, such as your smartphone. On a Windows
10 laptop, it can be enabled in the Settings app under Devices, and on a Mac it can be found in
System Preferences, Bluetooth. Now, as mentioned earlier, for any two Bluetooth-enabled devices to
communicate, they must first be paired with each other.

To do so, just ensure that Bluetooth is enabled on each device, which sets the device status to
discoverable. From that point, you should see a list of all other discoverable devices that are nearby,
or effectively within range. Simply select the desired device, and in most cases, you'll be prompted to
enter a pin, which will be provided for you.

Once entered, the two devices will pair and synchronize and can now exchange data with each other.
For the most part, those devices will remain paired so that you don't have to keep pairing the same
devices over and over again, each time you're within range. But from time to time, the pairing may
be lost or the communication itself might fail. In those cases, you can troubleshoot by first ensuring
that Bluetooth itself is enabled on each device.

It may have been turned off accidentally, or maybe you turned it off intentionally to conserve battery
power, but then forgot to turn it back on. Certainly, make sure the devices are within range of each
other; recall that Bluetooth only carries around 30 feet on average. And you can always try rebooting
each device to perform the pairing process again, which might also involve forcibly unpairing,
typically, an option called forget this device, which will reset the devices back into discoverable
mode, and then you can just pair them again.

And if you suspect it might be the Bluetooth feature itself on any given device, try connecting either
one or both to any other device that you know is working, to at least rule out a failed Bluetooth
transmitter.

That said, due to its relative simplicity, I think you'll find overall that Bluetooth connections do tend
to be quite reliable, and its wireless architecture has certainly made inter-device communication
much easier and far more convenient, as compared to requiring the multitude of wired connections
that were prevalent in the past.

10. Video: Location Services (it_csap121_02_enus_10)

In this video, learn how to define global positioning system (GPS) services and cellular location
services.

 define global positioning system (GPS) services and cellular location services

[Video description begins] Topic title: Location Services. Your host for this session is Aaron
Sampson. [Video description ends]
In this video, we'll take a look at the Global Positioning System, or GPS, and how it works in
conjunction with location services, which is an option used with many apps on most mobile devices.
So, to begin, GPS uses standard radio transmissions that are received by your mobile device from
several satellites that can allow your device to determine its geolocation.

Now, it's important to note that I mentioned how signals are received from those satellites, which
indicates that GPS on your mobile device does not have to transmit anything back. And of course, it
really couldn't, even if it tried. The satellites themselves are in very high orbit, which of course, is
well beyond the transmission range of your device. But that incoming data includes location and
time-based information, allowing your device to determine its location.

In terms of functionality, the satellites themselves contain atomic clocks to achieve highly accurate
location-based data, and if I might geek out here for a moment, this is actually required due to the
time dilation effect of Albert Einstein's theory of relativity. I mentioned a moment ago that the
satellites are in a very high orbit, over 20,000 kilometers, in fact, which means that they are traveling
very fast; up to 14,000 kilometers per hour.

That kind of speed, compared to us being relatively stationary on the ground, is in fact fast enough to
cause the passage of time to slow down from the perspective of the satellite. So whenever
something is traveling, if its time is off, so is its location information. So, GPS satellites literally have to
compensate for the time dilation effect, in order to provide accurate location information.

OK, so enough geeking out. So again, each time-stamped signal is then transmitted down to the
surface of the Earth with the time and the coordinates of whichever area the satellite is covering at
that moment. And the receiver chip in your mobile device will pick up on those signals and gather
the information from those that have the strongest signal.

From that point, the GPS receiver on your smartphone will use standard triangulation to determine
your precise location and time, usually within an accuracy of about a meter or two, or about three to
six feet. Now, despite the term triangulation, in order for GPS to work, in fact, you must be able to
pick up on four satellites. And this is because, in fact, GPS does work in four dimensions.

Left right, back forth, and even up and down, because GPS can also determine your altitude. You may
have noticed this if you've ever used a fitness app on a walk or a run or a bike ride. Your path will in
fact show the altitude changes and of course then, one dimension of time. Now, as for location
services on your mobile device, this refers to its ability to actively calculate your current location
even as you're actively moving around and is primarily determined using the GPS satellite data.

But location information can be enhanced by using what's known as A-GPS or assisted GPS, which
can also use your Internet connection, as well as cellular data, to more accurately pinpoint your
location. For instance, in order for your smartphone to place and or receive calls reliably, your device
periodically does what's called pinging off the towers, which determines the closest tower for you to
use.

But of course, a byproduct of this, is that the service provider can also effectively determine your
location, because your signal will likely ping off multiple towers to determine which one is the
closest. So, once again, standard triangulation can be used to determine your precise location. That
information is then aggregated with the GPS data to determine your location as accurately as
possible.

From that point, the location services feature of your mobile device can be used by the operating
system itself, or more commonly by the apps you have installed, to indicate precisely where you are.
Examples of this include checking into a location on a social media app, logging real-time movements
such as the example I mentioned earlier of using a fitness app to track your path, using any kind of
mapping service and also determining the correct date and time, for example, automatically
adjusting the time for daylight savings or adjusting the date to compensate for a leap year.

There are many other examples as well, but it will be dependent on which apps and services you use
on your device. But another common example is the fact that when you take a picture with your
smartphone on most devices it will indicate where it was taken, which can then be used to help sort
or organize your pictures. Now, this service then certainly comes with some considerations, most
notably with whom that information is shared.

Now, in almost every case this will depend on the app that is being used, and I should mention that,
of course, location services itself can be entirely disabled if you prefer. But within any given app, you
can likely also specify with whom any location information can be shared. For example, on a social
media app, your privacy settings would likely allow you to restrict who could see that information.

And on something like a friend finder app, you can be very specific and only share with the people
you have added as friends. Those types of apps, however, can also be very useful for allowing adults
and their children to know each other's location. For example, in a large and crowded theme park, if
a child is lost, you could use the location information to find them, or if parents are out and the
children are left with a sitter, they could see the location of their parents.

Similar apps and services can be used to indicate when you're home. For example, if you have a pet
sitter, they can be informed when you leave so they know when they should arrive at your home. In
addition, almost every GPS application allows you to mark where your home is. So whenever you
travel to an unfamiliar location, you can always get back by simply telling the app to go home.

You can also share location information in real time for tracking purposes, as well as allowing the
application to discern standard patterns of movement, so that deviations from what is considered to
be normal can be determined.

These options would be particularly useful for courier and delivery services, whereby you can find
out the location of any given driver at any given time, and you could be alerted if drivers deviate
from their prescribed routes, allowing you to possibly determine if they're using company vehicles
for personal use.

So again, there are a lot of very useful applications with respect to location services, but at the same
time, there can be privacy concerns, so it usually comes down to the type of app and its features,
and simply whether you want to enable and use those features.

11. Video: Mobile Device Management (it_csap121_02_enus_11)

 provide an overview of mobile device management features

[Video description begins] Topic title: Mobile Device Management. Your host for this session is Aaron
Sampson. [Video description ends] In this presentation, we'll discuss a process known as Mobile
Device Management, or MDM. Now, for starters, this process is effectively exclusive to business or
corporate environments.

While it would be technically possible to implement for regular or individual users, it just isn't
necessary, because MDM is about optimizing the functionality and security of all mobile devices that
are being used within an organization, so that you can help to protect both the corporate network
and the users themselves with respect to any confidential data that may reside on their mobile
device.

Essentially, the idea is to ensure that all users, or at least several subsets of users, have consistent
settings, required apps and services, and the appropriate security configuration to ensure that they
are able to perform their job while ensuring the security of your overall environment.

If you're considering implementing a mobile device management strategy, most major device
platforms are supported, including smartphones and tablets running iOS or Android, all types of
Windows 10 devices, including phones, tablets, laptops and hybrid devices, macOS computers, and
even some Internet-of-things, or IoT, devices.

But device support will depend on the management platform you're using. And on that note, there
are several different management platforms available from which to choose, but in almost every
case, it's done using some kind of service or application, that allows administrators to install an MDM
agent, which is the service that runs on the client device, which conscripts it into the management
service and directs that device to report to a particular MDM server.

The server is where administration would specify the exact configuration they want for the devices
they support, by deploying one or more policy configurations. Once the policies have been defined
on the server, the agent requests that policy, downloads it, and implements the specified
configuration.

Then regularly reports back to the server with information about its configuration, which can then be
used to determine if the device has fallen out of compliance with the policy, and how to correct that
problem. For example, the policy might define that your device be running a certain minimum
version of its operating system. But if a device is turned off and misses an update, it may no longer
be considered up to date.

So, a remediation policy can also be configured to inform the device as to where it can obtain the
missing update when it powers back up. So the device can apply the update, which then brings it
back into compliance with the corporate policy. In addition, the MDM server can be used as a means
to deploy the line of business applications that your users need, so they don't have to go to an app
store on their own to install applications.

This ensures that all users have the applications they need, and similarly, you can ensure that they
only install approved applications by only allowing them to install those that have been approved by
administration. Other features of mobile device management include overall device configuration.
For example, if you want a specific set of features to be enabled while others are disabled, it can all
be configured in a policy. Then that policy can be distributed to all appropriate devices, and they will
all implement the exact same configuration. And you can have as many policies as you need to meet
the varying requirements of your users. If a device is lost or stolen, you can issue a remote wipe
command so that no one will be able to obtain any data from that device. You can enforce the use of
passwords on the devices you support and specify characteristics, such as the minimum number of
characters and the validity period of the password.

You can enable device tracking so that you can always know where the device is, which, of course,
could be very useful if the device was lost. You can implement device encryption to further enhance
the security of any data stored locally on the device, and configure various allow or blocklists that
could apply to acceptable websites or perhaps the Wi-Fi networks that user can or can't use.

A related component of MDM is MAM or Mobile Application Management. Now, of course, apps are
a component of the device, so at the end of the day, you're still managing the device. But mobile
application management is just a specific subset that overlaps with managing the device itself.

But it can be managed using a separate set of policies and configurations, to allow application
administrators to focus on just the apps themselves and how they're configured and used, including
managing the complete lifecycle of an app from its initial development and deployment, through to
its eventual retirement, which involves installation, updating or patching, and ultimately deleting it
from your devices.

In addition, you can manage licenses to ensure that only those users who need the app are able to
run it and control their permissions with respect to what they can do and access while using the app.
Plus, you can set all the appropriate configuration settings so that users simply never need to worry
about how the app should be set up. In most cases, this is also done through a collection of policies
just like device configuration policies, but you can usually be a little more specific with app policies.

For example, a device configuration policy that requires a password to be used on the device might
be applicable to every user in your organization. But the apps used by specific users in specific
departments could vary widely, and even within a departmental app, some users might have
different permissions or abilities within that app than others.

Lastly, some other features of mobile application management include configuring a self-service
portal, where users can access and install the apps they need on their own or perform various
configuration changes based on what administration deems to be acceptable. For example, users can
often reset their passwords if they've forgotten it, without having to go through administration. Apps
can also be distributed automatically if administration does not want to leave it to the users, which
typically offers seamless installation, updates and deleting of apps with no user action required.

You can ensure that certain apps are blocked from installation, and you can configure what's known
as policy-based access, whereby if any given app does not meet the requirements of the policy, that
device can be blocked from accessing the corporate network. Ultimately, both MDM and MAM give
administrators a very high degree of control over the mobile devices that are in use and can greatly
ease the amount of administration that must be performed on any given device, while also reducing
the amount of support and helpdesk calls by your users.

Because all devices that are being managed will be in the correct state and with the correct
applications. There are several platforms available, though, many of them cloud based, which can
make for even easier access and management since cloud services are available on any device from
anywhere. But you should certainly evaluate each platform to ensure that it supports your devices
and provides the services you need.

12. Video: Mobile Device Synchronization (it_csap121_02_enus_12)

Upon completion of this video, you will be able to list features of mobile device synchronization
including data caps, ActiveSync, calendars, contacts, and commercial mail applications.

 list features of mobile device synchronization including data caps, ActiveSync, calendars,
contacts, and commercial mail applications

[Video description begins] Topic title: Mobile Device Synchronization. Your host for this session is
Aaron Sampson. [Video description ends]

In our final video for this course, we'll examine mobile device synchronization, which is a feature that
allows a user with multiple devices to have the same data, apps and settings across all of their
devices, so that, regardless of the device they're using, their experience is always consistent.

For example, if a user goes to a client site and adds a new contact on their mobile phone, that
contact can synchronize to their laptop, or their tablet, or both, so that those devices are consistent
with the phone. This ensures that a user can access the same information anytime, anywhere, on any
device. And synchronized contacts would only be one example. Synchronization is capable of
managing many different types of data, including meetings, appointments, or other calendar-based
information, email, documents, pictures, bookmarks or favorites, or application settings.

Now, the method of synchronization will depend on the platform or the operating system of your
devices, so we'll take a look at a few different methods, beginning with ActiveSync, which is a
proprietary protocol of Microsoft that supports the synchronization of data between devices such as
your smartphone and a laptop, or even a desktop. But as a Microsoft product, it wouldn't likely be
used if you're working with only iOS or Android devices.

And even in a purely Microsoft environment, I would say that ActiveSync is starting to become
outdated simply because there are better options available these days, but it is still in use. But it also
isn't something that you would use for just your own personal synchronization, such as syncing
between your personal mobile phone and your laptop.

ActiveSync is managed by Microsoft Exchange servers, which is the enterprise email platform for
Microsoft Environments. So, it's used only in corporate environments. That said, it is able to
synchronize more than just email between devices. For example, it can also sync your entire contacts
lists, your calendar, notes and to-do list, and it can also manage file transfers and perform data
backups, as well as managing application installation and removal.
With respect to some of those better options that I mentioned just a moment ago, if you are in a
Microsoft corporate environment, then it's likely that cloud-based mobile device management
services such as Microsoft 365 and or Microsoft Endpoint Manager; which is the successor to a
service known as Intune, are now being used in favor of ActiveSync.

Another option that is rapidly becoming the standard for many users and corporate environments, is
to synchronize to the cloud. This makes the synchronization process much more accessible because
any device anywhere can perform synchronization at any time, as long as it has access to the
Internet. Whereas if you're only performing local synchronization between devices such as your
personal phone to your laptop, you couldn't do it until you had both devices in front of you.

Now again, depending on your platform, the process and the options will vary. For example, coming
back to a corporate Microsoft environment, the synchronization process might be integrated into
your mail system, which again, for Microsoft Environments, uses Exchange servers and Microsoft
Outlook on the clients.

But for services such as Microsoft 365, all data resides in the cloud, so, regardless of the device
you're using, once you sign into your account, you will always see the same data. For example, the
mail in your inbox, because that mail always resides on the mailbox of the server, not on any given
individual device.

But you might still configure settings that can synchronize across devices, but again, you don't need
to be sitting in front of each device to do so, nor do you need any kind of physical cable connection.
Simply implement the change on one device. Then, when you sign in from any other device, that
setting will automatically synchronize.

For more of a personal scenario or a non-corporate user, cloud-based synchronization can still be
done for all platforms. In Microsoft, it can be done using outlook.com and services such as OneDrive
for data storage. For Android users, synchronization is managed by your Google account. Like other
services, you can simply sign in using your Gmail address. Then anything that has changed or
uploaded from one device will be synchronized and available to any other device you might use, as
long as you sign in with the same account.

Similarly, iOS users can use their iCloud account for synchronization. Just as a simple example of this,
I might take a picture using my iPhone, but if it's enabled for iCloud, then when I sign into my iPad
later on that same picture will be available on the iPad due to synchronization.

If you aren't using cloud services, synchronization can still be done to a local desktop system or a
laptop. But there are some requirements, most notably having the appropriate software to manage
the device and handle the synchronization process.

For example, iOS users can install iTunes on their local computer, then synchronize by physically
connecting their iPhone or iPad to the computer, using a standard data and charging cable. Now,
while this isn't particularly demanding on the devices in terms of memory or processing, it can have
a significant storage requirement. For example, if you add ten gigabytes of music to either your
computer or your phone, then attempt to synchronize from one to the other, if either one is very low
on storage, then you could run out of space.

So be mindful of your storage usage on each device to ensure that you don't max them out. And I
should also quickly mention that if you are synchronizing to a cloud-based service, then there could
be a limit on the storage there as well. So you need to be mindful of the caps that might be on your
service with respect to storage, to ensure that synchronization does not max out any of those
services.

These days, it's quite common to synchronize mobile device data with our cars as well, for example,
our contact list for making calls, or a playlist for playing music. But to enable this, both devices must
either support Bluetooth or have a USB connection.

And some common synchronization applications include CarPlay for iOS users and Android Auto for
Android users. But some cars may still support generic synchronization of data such as contacts,
without requiring a specific platform application. Finally, the synchronization methods that are
supported among local devices include USB wired connections, 802.11 or Wi-Fi, provided both
devices are connected to the same Wi-Fi network, and Bluetooth, provided the devices have been
paired with each other and are within range.

Now, I say local devices in this context because if you're using any type of cloud synchronization, then
all that is required is for any given device to have a connection to the Internet. Regardless of the
method or the type of synchronization being used, in today's environments it's becoming more and
more common for users to have multiple devices, so synchronization can greatly improve your
overall user experience by ensuring consistency across all devices.

And it should also be pointed out that as long as the data of one device is synchronized to any other
device or cloud service; and I should also point out that as long as the data of any one device is
synchronized to any other device or to cloud storage, then you also inherently have a backup of that
data. So, if your phone was lost or stolen, for example, but everything was synchronized to your
desktop or to the cloud, you can simply replace the phone, synchronize, and all of your data is
restored. So, not only is it more convenient, it helps to protect your data as well.

13. Video: Course Summary (it_csap121_02_enus_13)

In this video, we will summarize the key concepts covered in this course.

 summarize the key concepts covered in this course

[Video description begins] Topic title: Course Summary. [Video description ends]

So in this course, we've examined how to recognize, setup, and configure mobile device accessories
and network connectivity. We did this by exploring USB and lightning connections and serial interface
types, NFC, Bluetooth, and hotspot connections, mobile device accessories and docking stations, and
port replicators, wireless and cellular data networks, Bluetooth connectivity, GPS and location
services, and mobile device management and synchronization.

In our next course, we'll move on to explore networking fundamentals, including how to work with
ports, protocols, and common networking hardware.