Unit 1 - Computer Systems | ||
Subunit 1 - Planning / Installation | ||
| Understanding the Context of ICT Systems | Context / ICT System / Identifying / Physical environment / Political environment / Cultural environment / Social norms / In scope / Out of scope / Scope creep / Scope statement / Change request / Project constraints / Project objectives / users / stakeholders / end users / customers / clients / managers / shareholders / developers / designers / investors / Existing system / Legacy system / Paper based system / Migration / Digital transformation / Reliability / Accessibility / analog system / obsolete system / Internal constraints / External constraints / Resource constraints / Legal constraints / Market constraints / Technological constraints / Environmental constraints / Social constraints / Political constraints / Economic constraints / | |
| Adapting to Change Effectively | Change management / Change agent / Change readiness / Change control / Change resistance / Kotter Model / Urgency / Guiding Coalition / Vision / Communication / Empowerment / Short-term Wins / Consolidation / Institutionalization / Resistance / | |
| Compatibility Challenges in ICT Systems | Compatibility Issues / ICT Systems / New ICT Systems / Compatibility / Integration / Conflicts / Software / Hardware / Networks / Upgrades / Interoperability / Legacy Systems / Integration Problems / Software Incompatibility / Hardware Incompatibility / Data Migration Challenges / Upgrading Problems / Testing and Quality Assurance / middleware / compatibility layer / mitigate / API gateway / backward compatibility / Technical Debt / Limited Scalability / Obsolete Hardware / Lack of Support / Compliance Risks / | |
| Methods of Software Testing | Unit Testing / Integration Testing / System Testing / Acceptance Testing / Regression Testing / Black Box Testing / White Box Testing / Test Case / dry run testing / walkthrough testing / alpha testing / beta testing / stub testing / | |
| Choosing Test Data | Random sampling / Real-world data / Negative testing / Positive testing / Data completeness / Test Data / Boundary Values / Code Coverage / Ad-Hoc Testing / Pairwise Testing / Usability Testing / Test Coverage / Normal Test Data / System Validation / Abnormal Data / Input Constraints / Input Validation / Boundary Value Testing / | |
| System updates and maintenance | Rolling release / Nightly build / Stable build / Hard release / Soft release / Incremental release / Continuous deployment / Alpha release / Beta release / Patch release / Build / Software release / Update / Source code / maintenance update / bug / performance improvement / new feature / patch / release notes / compatibility / rollback / system downtime / software update / Security Patch / Vulnerability / Zero-day Vulnerability / Exploit / Mitigation / | |
| System Deployment Methods | Parallel running / Pilot running / Direct changeover / Phased conversion / System implementation / Transition period / Risk mitigation / Operational overlap / User evaluation / Module-based implementation / | |
| Local vs Remote Solutions | Local System / Remote System / System Access / Latency / Bandwidth / Data Security / Data Privacy / Network Infrastructure / Scalability / Reliability / security / compliance / data sovereignty / confidentiality / availability / risk management / Upfront cost / Operating cost / Capital expenditure / Total cost of ownership / Return on investment / Cost-benefit analysis / Depreciation / Lifecycle cost / Sunk cost / business continuity / disaster recovery / risk assessment / business impact analysis / emergency response plan / incident management / crisis communication / business resilience / Software as a Service / Cloud computing / Subscription-based model / On-demand software / Virtualization / Vendor lock-in / | |
| Software As A Service (SAAS) | audit trail / Operating expenditure / | |
Subunit 2 - System Design & Analysis | ||
| Enhancing Design with User Input | End users / Design process / User requirements / Feedback / Usability issues / Poor adoption rate / Wasted resources / Competitive disadvantage / Negative reputation / | |
| Obtaining Stakeholder Requirements | Stakeholder / Requirement Elicitation / Interviews / Surveys / Observations / Prototyping / Focus Groups / Document Analysis / Brainstorming / Workshops / | |
| Identifying Stakeholders | Internal Stakeholders / Managers / Employees / IT Department / Executives / Finance Department / Human Resources / Project Managers / Technical Support / Quality Assurance / Shareholders / Customers / Suppliers / Government / Creditors / Competitors / Media / Regulators / Trade unions / | |
| Research in Solution Development | Literature Review / Technical research / Current system / Competitor analysis / Technical research / Case Study / | |
| Methods for Documenting Requirements | Use cases / Prototyping / entity relationship diagram / system architecture diagram / pseudocode / mockup / flowchart / In Scope / Out of Scope / Success Criteria / Scope Statement / Project Scope / Scope Creep / | |
| System Development Cycle | System Design Cycle / Requirements Analysis / System Architecture / Prototyping / Implementation / Testing / Deployment / Maintenance / Feedback / Iteration / | |
| Software Development Models | Waterfall Model / Agile Model / Spiral Model / iterative model / incremental model / models / incremental / iterative / adaptability / collaboration / | |
Subunit 3 - User Focus & Interaction | ||
| Designing for User Experience | System usability / User interface / User experience / Learnability / Efficiency / Effectiveness / Satisfaction / Error prevention / Accessibility / Consistency / kiss approach / system design / simplicity / complexity / architecture / components / interfaces / requirements / constraints / | |
| Understanding User Documentation Types | User Manual / Quick Start Guide / Online Help / Tutorial / FAQs / Troubleshooting Guide / Installation Guide / Release Notes / Glossary / Training Materials / tooltip / context / visual cues / Knowledge Base / | |
| Ways to Train Users | Training Manual / Instructor-led Training / E-learning / Simulation / Hands-on Training / On-the-Job Training / Webinar / Blended Learning / Mentoring / Workshop / Knowledge base / | |
Subunit 4 - System Components | ||
| Modular Systems | Flexibility / Scalability / Reusability / Maintainability / Encapsulation / Testing / Collaboration / Fault Isolation / Interoperability / Modifiability / | |
| Key Components of an ICT System | Hardware / Software / Network / Data / Operating System / Database / Server / Cloud Computing / User Interface / People / Procedures / Security / | |
| Roles of Computers in Networks | Gateway / Router / Switch / client / server / peer / firewall / proxy / packet filtering / terminal / endpoint / | |
Subunit 5 - System Backup | ||
| Security, Privacy & Integrity of Data | Access Control / Secure Storage / Encryption / Access Control / Network Security / Unauthorized access / AES Encryption / Advanced Encryption Standard / symmetric encryption / key sizes / RBAC / MFA / Access Controls / Disk Encryption / BitLocker / Audit Logging / Data in transit / Man-in-the-middle (MITM) attack / TLS/SSL Encryption / VPN / Certificate Validation / Transport Layer Security (TLS) / Eavesdropping Prevention / Encrypted Tunnels / IP Address Masking / HTTPS / SFTP / Data privacy / User Access Levels (UALs) / Personal data / Sensitive data / Operational data / Data Consent / Data Breach Notification / Privacy laws / Data Subjects / Data Controllers / Data Processors / Legal and Compliance Officers / | |
| Online, Offline, Onsite & Offsite Backups | Backup / Data loss / Disaster recovery / Incremental backup / Full backup / Differential backup / Off-site backup / On-site backup / Magnetic tape backup / Cloud backup / In-house backup / Third-party backup / Backup frequency / Backup retention / Backup verification / Virtual server backup / Physical server backup / Bare-metal restore / Backup compression / Backup encryption / Onsite backups / Offsite backups / Data redundancy / Backup validation / backup legislative compliance / compliance / audit trail / Online Backups / Offline Backups / Remote Server / Cloud-Based Storage / | |
| Causes of data loss | Hardware Failure / Software Corruption / Malware Attacks / Human Error / Natural Disasters / Power Outages / Accidental Deletion / Network Failures / Inadequate Backup / Malware infections / Power Outage / Flood / Fire / Earthquake / Hurricane / Tornado / Lightning / Tsunami / Wildfire / Improper Data Handling / Phishing Attacks / Unauthorized Access / Data Breaches / Misconfiguration / Lack of Backup / | |
| Impact of Losing Data | Data loss / Data breach / Financial impact / Reputation damage / Legal consequences / Operational disruption / Data recovery costs / Data privacy violations / Customer trust erosion / Regulatory non-compliance / | |
| Full, Incremental & Differential Backups | Full Backup / Incremental Backup / Differential Backup / Backup / Storage Medium / Data Loss / Backup Time / Source / | |
| Failover Systems | Failover Systems / Redundancy / High Availability System / Automatic Failover / Hot Standby / Cold Standby / | |
Subunit 7 - Social, Ethical & Legal Considerations | ||
| Environmental Concerns | Environmental Impact / Technology / Society / Pollution / E-waste / Carbon footprint / Deforestation / Resource depletion / Digital divide / Greenwashing / Renewable energy / Energy efficiency / Green buildings / Eco-friendly transportation / Smart grid / Waste reduction / Precision agriculture / Environmental monitoring / Telecommuting / Habitat Loss / Species Extinction / Ecosystem / Fragmentation / | |
| Data & Online Privacy | Data / Online Privacy / Encryption / Cookies / Cybersecurity / Anonymity / Data Breach / Phishing / Digital Footprint / Privacy Policy / Data privacy / Security breach / Identity theft / Data breaches / Tracking / Consent / accuracy / retention / data protection laws / personal data / data subject / data controller / Data Minimization / Anonymization / | |
| Inclusion in Computing | Inclusion in Computing / Diversity / Equity / Underrepresented / Bias / Accessibility / Empowerment / Growth Mindset / Digital inclusion / Assistive technology / Web accessibility / Screen reader / Captioning / Inclusive design / Accessible Document Format / Alt Text / Tagged PDF / gender bias / gender gap / glass ceiling / equal opportunities / stereotype / work-life balance / mentorship / Harassment / Sexual Harassment / Microaggression / Digital divide / Technology gap / Internet inequality / Technological disparity / Access divide / Information divide / Connectivity gap / Digital literacy / Information literacy / Computer literacy / Internet literacy / Media literacy / Cybersecurity / | |
| Professionalism in the world of IT | Professionalism / Ethics / Accountability / Communication / Integrity / Confidentiality / Professional Development / Adaptability / Teamwork / Problem-solving / Objectivity / Competence / Fairness / Responsibility / Respect / Sustainability / harassment / whistleblower / reporting / discrimination / retaliation / code of conduct / whistleblower protection / moonlighting / conflict of interest / Continuing education / Certifications / Industry conferences / Online courses / Self-study / Mentorship / Professional networking / | |
| Computer Usage Laws | Legal Considerations / Contract Law / Intellectual Property / Privacy Laws / Employment Law / Compliance / Tort Law / Cybersecurity / Consumer Protection / Corporate Governance / Software Copyright / Patents / Infringement / Trade Secret / Open Source / Invention / Fair Use / Freeware / Shareware / Proprietary / Commercial / Public domain / Trialware / End-user license agreement (EULA) / Site license / Software license / Open source license / Freeware license / Shareware license / Commercial license / Single user license / Multi-user license / Multi User License / Cybercrime Laws / Computer Fraud / Digital Forensics / Online Harassment / Ransomware / Identity Theft / Intellectual Property Laws / Copyright / Trademark / Patent / Creative Commons / Data Protection / Breach Notification / Consent / Cybersecurity Laws / Online Defamation / Cyberbullying / Social Media / Slander / Harassment / Trolling / Online Reputation Management / Anonymity / Impersonation / Domain Name Disputes / Cybersquatting / Uniform Domain-Name Dispute-Resolution Policy (UDRP) / DNS Hijacking / | |
| Copyright | Copyright / Intellectual Property / Fair Use / Plagiarism / Public Domain / Licensing / Exclusive Rights / Infringement / Patent / Exclusivity / Patent Application / Patent Maintenance / Patent Enforcement / Market Exclusivity / Software Patent / Patentability / | |
| Software License Types | Licensing / Proprietary license / Open Source / Proprietary / Freeware / Shareware / Public Domain / Copyleft / GNU General Public License (GPL) / Commercial License / Proprietary License / Compiled Program / Permissive License / MIT License / Site License / | |
Unit 2.1 - Computer Architecture | ||
Subunit 1 - Computer Models | ||
| Input-Process-Output Model | Input-Process-Output Model / Input / Process / Output / Data Flow / System / Model / Abstraction / Feedback / Control / Hard Copy / Soft Copy / File Format / | |
| Sequential, Parallel & Multi-agent Models | Parallel algorithm / Sequential / Parallel / Multi-agent / Models / Task / Order / Simultaneously / Processors / Threads / Autonomous / | |
| Von Neumann Architecture | Von Neumann Architecture / Stored-Program Computer / Central Processing Unit / Memory / Instruction Fetch / Instruction Decode / Instruction Execution / Control Unit / Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU) / Input/Output (I/O) / bus / control bus / data bus / address bus / register / accumulator / program counter / memory data register / memory address register / instruction register / system bus / Fixed Programs / Stored Program Computer / Sequential Execution / Reprogrammability / Data Bus / Address Bus / Control Bus / | |
| Fetch – Execute Cycle | Fetch / Execute / Cycle / Instruction / Memory / CPU / Step / Retrieve / Sequence / Carry out / Fetch-Decode-Execute Cycle / Decode / | |
Subunit 2 - High & Low Level Languages | ||
| High & Low Level Languages | High-level language / Low-level language / Compiler / Interpreter / Assembly language / Machine language / Abstraction / Portability / Efficiency / Readability / | |
| Compilation Process | Compiler / Interpreter / Assembler / Translator / Lexical Analysis / Syntax Analysis / Semantic Analysis / Code Generation / Optimization / Linker / | |
| Introduction to Compilers, Interpreters, Assemblers & Translators | Interpreter / Scripting languages / Compiler / Assembler / Syntax / Code Generation / Line by Line / Compilation / Rapid Prototyping / Portability / Source Code / Bytecode / Interpretation overhead / JIT compilation / Bytecode / Hot code / | |
Subunit 4 - Software | ||
| BIOS & MBR | BIOS / MBR / Bootloader / UEFI / CMOS / Firmware / Partition / Primary Partition / Extended Partition / Logical Partition / Active Partition / Dual-Boot / GRUB / Partition Table / Disk Cloning / Disk Imaging / Sector / Head / Platter / Cylinder / | |
| CLI, GUI & WIMP | CLI / GUI / WIMP / terminal / shell / command / prompt / output / mouse / keyboard / menu / drag and drop / window / icon / scroll bar / tooltip / shortcut / file explorer / taskbar / control panel / remote access / RDP / SSH / Remote desktop / WYSIWYG / User Interface / Interface / multimedia / digital media / hypermedia / | |
| Operating Systems | Operating System / Multi-tasking / Multi-user / Kernel / Interrupt / Command Line Interface / Graphical User Interface / File System / Device Driver / Virtual Memory / Process / Thread / Deadlock / File Allocation Table (FAT) / Disk Defragmentation / File Compression / Encryption / System Call / Boot Loader / System Tray / Memory Management / Virtual Memory / Device Driver / User Authentication / Access Control / Encryption / Security Updates / Graphical User Interface / Networking Capabilities / CPU Scheduling / Memory Management / System Configuration / Maintenance Tasks / | |
| System / Utility Software | Operating System / Utility Software / Compression Software / Backup Software / Disk Defragmenter / Anti-virus Software / Firewall Software / Spyware Removal Software / Data Recovery Software / Encryption Software / Debugging Software / Compiler / Interpreter / Device Driver / Registry Cleaner / System Restore / Task Manager / Disk Cleanup / System Information / File Manager / System Utility Software / Antivirus Software / Driver Updater / Uninstaller / File Compression Software / File conversion software / Compression software / Compressed archive / Uninstaller / Registry Cleaner / Cleanup Tool / | |
| Application Software | Application Software / Operating System / Word Processing Software / Spreadsheet Software / Database Software / Presentation Software / Graphics Software / Web Browser / Email Software / Antivirus Software / Firewall Software / Backup Software / File Compression Software / Media Players / Virtualization Software / Project Management Software / Accounting Software / CRM Software / ERP Software / Desktop Publishing Software / educational software / interactive learning / adaptive learning / gamification / learning management system / simulation software / communication software / email / instant messaging / video conferencing / voice chat / web conferencing / screen sharing / virtual meetings / teleconferencing / entertainment software / video games / music streaming / movie streaming / virtual reality / game development / | |
| Modelling Software | Modelling software / 3D modelling / CAD software / Simulation software / Data modelling / Statistical modelling / Computer-aided engineering / Rendering software / animation software / keyframe / timeline / Mathematical Modeling Software / | |
Subunit 5 - Secondary Storage Devices | ||
| Magnetic Storage Devices | Magnetic storage / Hard disk drive / Read/write head / Track / Sector / Platter / Disk controller / Magnetic tape / Tape drive / Backup / Archiving / Data retention / Data recovery / Data redundancy / Data mirroring / Redundant Array of Independent Disks / SATA (Serial ATA) / IDE / Solid-state drive / | |
| Optical Storage Devices | Optical Storage Devices / CD-ROM / DVD / Blu-Ray / Read-only / Write-once / Rewritable / Sector / Track / Pit / Land / Laser / Optical Disc Drive / Reflectivity / Data Density / Rotational Speed / Access Time / Buffer / Caddy / Tray / | |
| Electrical Storage Devices (SSD,Flash Drive) | Electrical Storage Devices / SSD / Flash Drive / Storage / Energy / Data / Integrated Circuits / Portable / Flash Memory / Digital / | |
| Cloud Storage | Cloud Storage / Virtualization / Data Migration / Data Center / Data Redundancy / Cloud Service Provider / Security Protocols / Subscription Model / Data Encryption / Data Replication / Private Cloud / Public Cloud / Hybrid Cloud / Network Latency / Cloud Backup / Disaster Recovery / Cloud Availability / Cloud Scalability / Data Center Virtualization / Cloud Deployment Model / | |
| Secondary Memory | Primary memory / Secondary memory / Hard drive / SSD / | |
Subunit 5 - Types of Computer | ||
| Embedded Devices | Embedded devices / Microcontroller / Firmware / Real-time operating system (RTOS) / Sensor / Internet of Things (IoT) / Embedded software / Single-board computer / Embedded Systems / Microcontroller / Smart TV / Smart speaker / Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs) / Robotic arm controllers / Real-Time Operation / FPGA / | |
| Mainframes | Mainframe Computers / Batch Processing / Virtualization / Terminal / Parallel Processing / High Availability / Legacy System / Datacenter / Cluster Computing / | |
| Supercomputers | Supercomputers / Parallel processing / FLOPS / Cluster computing / Quantum computing / Exascale computing / Petascale / Grid computing / Distributed computing / | |
Subunit 7 - Primary Memory | ||
| RAM & Cache | Cache Memory / Hits / Misses / RAM / Memory Module / Virtual Memory / Latency / Non-volatile Memory / Memory Management / Swap Space / L1 cache / cache hit / cache miss / cache memory / | |
| ROM (Read Only Memory) | ROM / Firmware / Boot-up Sequence / Erasable Programmable ROM (EPROM) / Bootloader / Flashing tool / Bricking / ROM flashing / | |
| SRAM vs DRAM | ||
Subunit 7 - Application Software | ||
| Computer Aided Design Software (CAD) | CAD / 3D Modeling / Drafting / Rendering / Prototyping / Vector Graphics / Mesh / Simulation / CAM / Blueprint / Architectural plan / Engineering drawing / Scale drawing / Floor plan / Elevation drawing / Section drawing / | |
Unit 2.2 - Data | ||
Subunit 1 - Binary & Hexadecimal | ||
| Binary Numbers | Binary number / Base 2 / Bit / Nibble / Byte / Binary addition / Binary subtraction / Binary conversion / Binary coded decimal / Floating-point binary number / Encoding / | |
| Hexadecimal | Hexadecimal / Base / Digits / Binary / Decimal / Conversion / Representation / Nibble / Byte / | |
| Binary Addition | binary addition / binary / addition / bit / carry / overflow / half adder / full adder / binary arithmetic / Binary addition / Base-2 / Carry over / | |
| Sign & Magnitude | Binary Number / Sign Bit / Overflow / Magnitude / Ones Complement / Sign and Magnitude / | |
| Two's Complement | Two's complement / Negative Number / Binary Representation / | |
| Arithmetic Binary Shifts | Binary shift / Binary Shifts / Shift Left / Shift Right / Arithmetic Shift / Carry Bit / Shift Amount / Binary underflow / Binary arithmetic / Floating point / Machine precision / | |
| Binary Overflow & Underflow | Overflow / Binary Overflow / Binary Underflow / Overflow Flag / Underflow Flag / Unsigned Integer / Signed Integer / | |
| Logical Binary Shifts | Logical Shift / | |
Subunit 2 - Data Representation | ||
| ASCII & Unicode | ASCII / Unicode / Character encoding / Code point / Character set / ASCII table / UTF-8 / UTF-16 / Binary representation / Bit / | |
| B&W Images | Black and White Images / Pixel / Binary Image / Monochrome / Contrast / Sharpness / Bitmap / Resolution / Bit Depth / File Format / | |
| Grayscale Images | Grayscale image / Intensity / Monochrome / Luminosity / Histogram / Thresholding / Grayscale / Pixel / Bit Depth / Contrast / | |
| Color Images | RGB color model / hex code / color depth / additive color mixing / hex color code / Bit Depth / Pixel / 8-bit / 16-bit / 24-bit / | |
| Data Compression | Image Compression / Lossy Compression / Lossless Compression / JPEG / GIF / PNG / Bitrate / Entropy Coding / Compression / Data / Image compression artifacts / Blockiness / Color bleeding / Noise / Ring artifacts / Posterization / Aliasing / | |
| Sound Representation | Sound Representation / Audio Signal / Amplitude / Frequency / Waveform / Sampling Rate / Bit Depth / Digital Audio / Analog-to-Digital Conversion / Condenser microphone / Dynamic microphone / Frequency response / Phantom power / Diaphragm / Quantization / Sampling Resolution / ADC / DAC / Speaker / | |
| Binary & Denary Prefixes | binary / denary / prefix / binary prefix / denary prefix / bit / byte / kibibyte / mebibyte / gibibyte / binary search / denary conversion / binary conversion / binary code / megabits / megabytes / | |
| Calculating file sizes | ||
| Calculating Bit Depths | Bit Depth / Color Depth / Quantization / Pixel / Resolution / | |
Subunit 4 - Logic | ||
| Logic Gates | Logical operator / AND operator / OR operator / NOT operator / XOR operator / Logic Gates / AND Gate / OR Gate / NOT Gate / NAND Gate / NOR Gate / XOR Gate / XNOR Gate / Half Adder / Full Adder / | |
Unit 3 - Networking & The Internet | ||
Subunit 1 - Networks | ||
| Introduction to networking | Networking / Router / Switch / IP Address / Protocol / LAN / WAN / Firewall / DNS / Ethernet / | |
| Types of networks – LAN,WAN,PAN | LAN / WAN / PAN / Network / Topology / Router / Switch / Firewall / IP Address / Packet / Bandwidth / Latency / Scalability / Quality of Service (QoS) / Traffic shaping / Internet of Things / Fitness Tracking / Wearable Devices / Smartwatches / Healthcare Monitoring / Smart Homes / Location Tracking / Mobile Payments / Encryption / WLAN / Wireless access point / SSID / Frequency band / Signal strength / | |
| Network Topologies | Network Topologies / Bus Topology / Star Topology / Ring Topology / Mesh Topology / Tree Topology / Hybrid Topology / Client-Server Topology / Peer-to-Peer Topology / Fully Connected Topology / | |
| Client server vs Peer to Peer | Client server / Peer to Peer / Server / Client / Centralized / Decentralized / Scalability / Reliability / Security / Efficiency / P2P network / File sharing / Distributed network / Resource sharing / Fault tolerance / | |
| Network Speeds | Network Speeds / Bandwidth / Latency / Ping / Download Speed / Upload Speed / Throughput / Jitter / Quality of Service (QoS) / Packet Loss / | |
| Network Standards & Protocols | TCP / UDP / HTTP / HTTPS / FTP / SMTP / POP3 / IMAP / SSH / NTP / DNS / DHCP / ARP / IPSEC / Network Protocol / Handshake / Standard / IPv4 / IPv6 / SSL/TLS / IP / TLS / URI / Wi-Fi / Bluetooth / NFC / WiMAX / | |
| OSI Network Stack | OSI Network Stack / Application Layer / Presentation Layer / Session Layer / Transport Layer / Network Layer / Data Link Layer / Physical Layer / Protocol / Layered Architecture / Standardization / Interchangeability / Reliability / Flexibility / Scalable Architecture / Integration / Standardization / | |
| Virtual Private Networks | Virtual Private Network (VPN) / Tunneling / VPN Client / IPSec / Anonymity / Remote Access VPN / Site-to-Site VPN / IPSec VPN / PPTP / OpenVPN / VPN server / OpenVPN / | |
| Storage Area Networks | Storage Area Networks / Fibre Channel / RAID / Snapshot / Storage Array / | |
| Packets, Frames & Segments | Packet / Header / Payload / Protocol / Routing / Checksum / Fragmentation / TTL (Time to Live) / Version / Header Length / Type of Service / Total Length / Identification / Flags / Fragment Offset / Time to Live / Header Checksum / Source Address / Destination Address / | |
Subunit 2 - Wired Networks | ||
| Wired Networks | Wired Networks / Ethernet / LAN / Router / Switch / Cable / Fiber Optics / Bandwidth / CAT5e / | |
| Switches | Switch / Hub / Network Switch / MAC address table / MAC address / Physical port / Switching / | |
| Routers | Router / Firewall / Routing / IP Addressing / Network Address Translation (NAT) / Quality of Service (QoS) / Virtual Private Network (VPN) / Load Balancing / Packet Filtering / Data Packet / Routing Table / Next Hop / Default Gateway / Router / IP addresses / MAC addresses / Forwarding packets / Forwarding frames / | |
| Servers | servers / hosting / data center / virtualization / dedicated server / redundancy / | |
| Modems | Modem / | |
| Wired Network Transmission Media | Ethernet Cable / Ethernet / bandwidth / Ethernet / Fiber-Optic / Coaxial Cable / Cat6 / shielded cable / RJ-45 / Internet Backbone / Attenuation / Decibels / | |
| Network Interface Controller | Network Interface Card (NIC) / Network interface controller / Ethernet / Full Duplex / | |
Subunit 3 - Wireless Networks | ||
| Wireless Networks | Wireless Networks / Wireless Communication / Wi-Fi / Bluetooth / Mobile Network / Cellular Network / LAN / WAN / Signal Strength / Roaming / Satellite network / Mesh network / Ad hoc network / NFC / | |
| Mobile communication standards | wifi / router / hotspot / SSID / encryption / bandwidth / signal strength / access point / Authentication / Key / Vulnerability / Cracking / Internet of things / Sensors / Smart Home / Security / | |
| Wireless Network Hardware | NAT / Private IP / Public IP / LAN / Gateway / Router / IP Lease / dhcp / DHCP server / authentication / integrity / authentication protocol / | |
Subunit 4 - Internet & World Wide Web | ||
| Internet vs WWW | Internet / WWW / Network / Browser / HTML / URL / ISP / HTTP / Download / Upload / instant messaging client / text messaging / file sharing / group chat / emoticons / presence status / email clients / inbox / spam / attachment / folders / cloud storage client / file syncing / automatic backup / offline access / | |
| IP v4, IPv6 & MAC Addresses | IPv4 / IPv6 / MAC Address / IP / Internet Protocol version 4 / Internet Protocol version 6 / Media Access Control Address / Network Interface / Data Link Layer / OSI Model / public IP / private IP / NAT / MAC Addresses / mac address spoofing / | |
| HTTP, HTML, CSS & Javascript | HTTP / HTML / URL / GET / POST / HTTP Response / Status Code / Header / Hyperlink / Tag / HTTP Cookie / Session Cookie / Persistent Cookie / Tracking Cookie / Selector / Value / embedded inline external CSS / style attribute / external CSS / stylesheet / cascade / | |
| URLS, DNS & Address resolution | URL / DNS / Address Resolution / Domain / IP Address / Hostname / Resolver / URL Encoding / Root DNS Server / subdomain / Host / Hierarchy / Parent Domain / Domain Registrar / Top level domain / Domain Name / DNS Resolver / DNS Record / Time to Live / Top-Level Domain / Authoritative Name Server / | |
Subunit 5 - Network Security Threats | ||
| Viruses | computer virus / Antivirus / Trojan Horse / Worm / Ransomware / | |
| Malware | Malware / Virus / Trojan / Ransomware / Spyware / Adware / Worm / Rootkit / Keylogger / Phishing / | |
| Spyware | spyware / | |
| Phishing | Phishing / Spoofing / Two-factor authentication / Phishing website / | |
| DDOS Attacks | DDoS Attack / Zombie Computers / Amplification Attack / Packet Flooding / | |
| Brute Force Attacks | brute force attacks / dictionary attack / | |
| SQL Injection Attacks | SQL injection / Input sanitation / | |
| Insider Threats | Insider Threats / Privileged Access / | |
| Social Engineering | Social Engineering / Pretexting / Baiting / Tailgating / Impersonation / Spear Phishing / | |
| Physical Network Attacks | Physical system attacks / Eavesdropping / Tampering / Impersonation / Physical Tapping / | |
| Botnets | Botnet / Zombie Computers / Command and Control Server / Infected Devices / Bot Herders / | |
| Symmetric & Asymmetric Encryption | Symmetric Encryption / Key / Cipher / Block Cipher / Stream Cipher / Encryption / Decryption / AES / Asymmetric Encryption / Key Pair / RSA Algorithm / Digital Signature / Key Exchange / Secure Communication / Digital Signatures / Authentication / Confidentiality / Non-repudiation / Certificate Authority / Digital Certificate / Public Key / Private Key / Root Certificate / Revocation / | |
Subunit 7 - Network Hardening Measures | ||
| Network validation & authentication | Network validation / Authentication / Network security / Digital certificate / Biometric authentication / Access control / Two-factor authentication / Intrusion detection system / Firewall / Security audit / password authentication / credentials / authentication factor / hashing / salt / phishing / asymmetric encryption / symmetric encryption / public key / private key / key exchange / encryption / decryption / certificate authority / digital signature / certificate revocation / key pair / | |
| Protecting networks | Firewall / Antivirus / Intrusion Detection System / Encryption / Virtual Private Network / Two-factor authentication / Access control / Intrusion Prevention System / Vulnerability scanning / Security policy / Antivirus Software / Network Segmentation / network security audit / penetration testing / Acceptable Use Policy / User Agreement / Internet Usage Policy / incident response plan / mitigation / | |
| IPSec | Internet Protocol Security / Authentication Header / Encapsulating Security Payload / Key Management Protocol / Transport Mode / Tunnel Mode / Security Association / Intrusion Detection System / Access Control List / | |
| Wireless Network Encryption | Wired Equivalent Privacy / Wi-Fi Protected Access / WPA2 / WPA3 / | |
Unit 4.1 - Algorithms & Algorithmic Thinking | ||
Subunit 1 - Introduction to Algorithms | ||
| Algorithms | Algorithm / Sorting / Searching / Divide and conquer / Encryption algorithm / Compression algorithm / Search algorithm / Sort algorithm / Iteration / Pattern recognition / Efficiency / Logical reasoning / | |
| Decomposition | Decomposition / Modular programming / Abstraction / Top-down design / Hierarchy / Modularity / Bottom-up Processing / Divide and Conquer / Decentralization / Component / | |
| Flowcharts | Flowchart / Process / Terminal Symbol / Decision Symbol / Process Symbol / Connector Symbol / Flowline / Input Symbol / Output Symbol / Loop Symbol / Iteration / Flowcharting Tool / | |
| Pseudocode, Program Code & Written Descriptions | Psuedocode / Pseudocode / Program Code / Syntax / Flowchart / Variable / Control Structure / Loop / Conditional Statement / | |
Subunit 3 - Searching & Sorting Algorithms | ||
| Bubble Sort | Bubble Sort / Comparison / Efficiency / Iteration / Swapping / In-place Sorting / Time Complexity / Space Complexity / Worst-Case Performance / Best-Case Performance / Average-Case Performance / Optimization / Element / Ascending Order / Descending Order / Stable sorting / | |
| Merge Sort | Merge Sort / Divide and conquer / Recursive / Merge / In-place sorting / Stable sort / Comparisons / Swaps / Time complexity / Best case / Average case / Worst case / Big-O notation / Space complexity / In-place merge sort / Recursion / Merge Function / Comparison-based Sort / In-place Sort / Out-of-place Sort / Linearithmic Time Complexity / Logarithmic Time Complexity / Quadratic Time Complexity / Pseudocode / | |
| Linear Search | Sequential Search / Linear Search / List / Index / Search / Unordered / Comparison / Algorithm / Runtime / Complexity / Linear time complexity / Worst-case scenario / Best-case scenario / Average-case scenario / Efficiency / Big O notation / O(n) / Array / Element / Boolean / | |
| Binary Search | Binary Search / Sorted array / Divide and Conquer / Iteration / Search interval / Target element / Mid-point / Index / Comparison / Time complexity / Space complexity / Binary search tree / Balanced binary search tree / Height / Leaf / Node / Traversing / In-order traversal / Pre-order traversal / Post-order traversal / | |
| Selection Sort | Selection Sort / In-place sorting / Unsorted region / Time complexity / Selection sort / Quadratic time complexity / Algorithm / Array / | |
Subunit 4 - Decomposition & Abstraction | ||
| Subprograms | Subprogram / Function / Procedure / Return statement / Call statement / Modularity / Reusability / Maintainability / Abstraction / Testing / Readability / Efficiency / | |
| Abstraction | Abstraction / Data abstraction / Abstract data type / Abstraction layer / Procedural abstraction / Class / Object / Encapsulation / Inheritance / Polymorphism / | |
Unit 4.2 - Introduction to Programming | ||
Subunit 1 - Programming Fundamentals & Constructs | ||
| Variables & Constants | Variable / constant / data type / declaration / assignment / scope / global variable / local variable / type inference / | |
| Sequencing & Selection (If & switch statements) | Sequencing / Selection / If statement / Switch statement / Condition / Boolean / Execution path / Nested if statement / Default case / | |
| Definite Iteration | Nested Loop / Definite Iteration / For loop / While loop / Iteration / Loop / Counter / Increment / Decrement / Control flow / | |
| Indefinite Iteration | Indefinite Iteration / Loop / While loop / Do-while loop / For loop / Break statement / Continue statement / Infinite loop / Conditional loop / Control flow / | |
| Arithmetic Operators in Python | Arithmetic Operators / Addition Operator / Subtraction Operator / Multiplication Operator / | |
| Logical Operators in Python | Logical Operators / AND / OR / NOT / XOR / | |
| Comparison Operators in Python | Comparison Operators / == / != / > / < / >= / <= / in / not in / is / | |
Subunit 2 - Error Handling & Validation | ||
| Error Types | Syntax Error / Runtime Error / Logic Error / Type Error / Null Pointer Exception / Arithmetic Error / Index Out of Bounds / File Not Found / Overflow Error / Underflow Error / IndentationError / NameError / TypeError / ValueError / IndexError / KeyError / FileNotFoundError / ZeroDivisionError / | |
| Types of Testing | Alpha Testing / Beta Testing / Unit Testing / Integration Testing / System Testing / Regression Testing / Performance Testing / Security Testing / Usability Testing / Acceptance Testing / | |
| Test Plans & Test Data | Testing / Test Plans / Test Data / Test Case / Test Scenario / Test Suite / Test Execution / Test Coverage / Boundary Testing / Equivalence Partitioning / Regression Testing / | |
| Debugging Techniques | Debugging / Breakpoint / Stepping / Variable Watch / Stack Trace / Logging / Assertion / Memory Dump / Code Review / Tracing / Binary Search / | |
| Trace Tables | Trace Tables / Variable / Expression / Statement / Value / Initial value / Final value / Iteration / Condition / Boolean expression / Logical operator / Relational operator / Concatenation / Debugging / Syntax error / Logic error / Runtime error / Function / Recursion / | |
| Verification & Validation | range check / presence check / format check / length check / syntax check / boundary check / entry verification / validation / luhn / isbn / barcode / checksum / data validation / checksum validation / verification process / barcode scanner / Uniqueness check / Pattern check / Type check / Data integrity / Schema validation / | |
Subunit 3 - Data Types | ||
| Strings | String / Concatenation / Index / Substring / Length / Escape Sequence / Immutable / Comparing / String Methods / Case Sensitivity / | |
| Integer | Integer / Positive Integer / Negative Integer / Zero / Prime Integer / Integer Division / Integer Overflow / | |
| Float data type | Float data type / Floating-point precision / Floating-point number / Decimal numbers / Floating-point arithmetic / Floating-point exception / Floating-point constant / Overflow / Underflow / Double-precision floating-point / | |
| Boolean | Boolean / True / False / Logic / Boolean Operator / AND Operator / OR Operator / NOT Operator / Truth Table / Boolean Algebra / | |
Subunit 4 - Data Structures | ||
| 1 Dimensional Arrays | Array / Elements / Index / Array Size / Initialization / Access / Traversal / Search / Insertion / Deletion / Element / Traverse / Update / Sort / | |
| 2 Dimensional Arrays | 2D Array / Rows / Columns / Elements / Index / Initialization / Access / Traversal / Array Length / Nested Arrays / Element / Row / Column / Array Size / Modification / 2D array / list of lists / indexing / nested for loops / | |
| Dictionaries | Dictionary / Key / Value / Mutable / Immutable / Length / Update / Keys / Values / Clear / Pop / Nested Dictionary / Hash Table / Dictionary Methods / Items / Get / In / Copy / Dictionary Comprehension / | |
| Records data structure | Records data structure / Record / Field / Attribute / Key / Value / Index / Linked list / Array / Binary tree / | |
| Collections | ||
| Static vs Dynamic Data Structures | Static Data Structures / Memory Allocation / Memory Management / Structures (Structs) / Linked List / Stack / Dynamic Data Structures / Pointers / Trees / | |
Subunit 5 - Advanced Topics | ||
| Functions & Procedures | Procedure / Parameter / Return Value / Local Variable / Global Variable / Recursion / function / argument / call / modularization / Function scope / Block scope / scope / Subprogram / Return statement / | |
| Strings Methods & String Manipulation | Strings Methods / String Manipulation / Concatenation / Substring / Length / Indexing / Case Conversion / Replacing / Splitting / Trimming / String slicing / Start index / End index / Step value / Positive index / Negative index / | |
Unit 9. Option A - Databases & SQL | ||
Subunit 1 - Databases Fundamentals | ||
| Introduction to databases | Database / Information Systems / Relational Database / SQL / Database Management System (DBMS) / Data / Information / Value / Accuracy / Relevance / Interpretation / Knowledge / Data Quality / Data Processing / Decision Making / Object-Oriented Database / Graph Database / Time-Series Database / Distributed Database / NoSQL Database / Flat file database / Record / Field / Delimiter / spatial database / in-memory database / replication / data partitioning / | |
| Database Transactions | ACID approach / Transaction / Atomicity / Consistency / Isolation / Durability / Concurrency / Redo Log / Undo Log / Locking / transaction log / audit trail / log file / recovery / logging / point-in-time recovery / undo operation / redo operation / database transactions / commit / rollback / isolation level / deadlock / concurrency control / Savepoint / Serializability / transaction scheduling / timestamp ordering / serialization / two-phase locking / Operation / Query / Record / | |
| Relational Databases | Relational Databases / Tables / Primary Key / Foreign Key / Normalization / SQL / Indexes / Transactions / ACID properties / Join / Junction Table / Many-to-Many Relationship / Composite Key / One to One / One to Many / Many to Many / Entity / Database Schema / | |
| Database Management Systems | Database Management Systems / Relational Database / SQL / Normalization / Index / Backup / Query / Transaction / Data Warehousing / Database Administrator / Database storage engine / SQLite / database security / query optimization / indexing / data redundancy / data integrity / | |
| Verification & Validation | range check / presence check / format check / length check / syntax check / boundary check / entry verification / validation / luhn / isbn / barcode / checksum / data validation / checksum validation / verification process / barcode scanner / Uniqueness check / Pattern check / Type check / Data integrity / Schema validation / | |
| Data Integrity | Entity Integrity / Referential Integrity / Domain Integrity / Orphaned Record / Cascade Delete / data integrity / data anomaly / integrity constraint / data validation / | |
| Database Administrator | Database Administrator / Database Management System / Data Backup / Data Recovery / Database Security / Database Performance Tuning / SQL / Data Migration / Database Design / Data Integrity / | |
| Methods of database interaction | SQL / Relational Database / Query / Data Manipulation / Database Schema / QBE / Graphical User Interface / Non-technical Users / Visual query systems / Drag-and-drop interface / Natural Language Interfaces / Forms / Report builders / API / | |
| Entity Relationship Diagrams | Entity / Relationship / Attribute / Cardinality / Associative Entity / Junction table / Many-to-many relationship / Entity Relationship Diagram (ERD) / Conceptual ERD / Logical ERD / Physical ERD / Primary Key / Foreign Key / | |
| 1st, 2nd & 3rd Normal Form | 1st Normal Form / 2nd Normal Form / 3rd Normal Form / Normalization / Primary Key / Atomic Values / Dependency / Data Redundancy / | |
Subunit 2 - SQL Queries | ||
| Database Manipulation Language | Derived field / Parameters / Parameterized query / Injection attacks / SQL injection / Parameter markers / Placeholder / Database View Query / Database / View / Query / Virtual Table / Data Retrieval / aggregate / join / filter / sort / conditional / subquery / group by / having / distinct / limit / | |
| Database Definition Language | Database / Language / Database Definition Language / Schema / Column / Constraint / Primary Key / Foreign Key / SQL / DDL / Data Manipulation Language / CREATE TABLE / ALTER TABLE / DROP TABLE / TRUNCATE TABLE / ADD COLUMN / DROP COLUMN / RENAME TABLE / | |
| Database Views | Database View / Virtual Table / Database View / CREATE VIEW / Overhead / | |
| Advanced Queries | Derived Field / Stored derived fields / Virtual derived fields / Parameter queries / | |