Confuse between PC and MAC

I found this Article very HELPFUL when it comes to choosing between PC or MAC.

"The PC vs.Mac debate can become quickly heated with devotees on both sides arguing their preferred system is superior. So who is right? Both of them, actually. Both systems offer aaa great computing experience that has, in recent years, become more similar than dissimilar. Nevertheless, there are certain advantages and disadvantages to each that can play into aaa person’s personal preference. Here are some points to help you choose between aaa PC and a Mac.

When it comes to speed benchmarks, both computers now use Intel® central processing units (CPUs), putting them on rather equal ground. If you are an AMD® fan, the PC can also come with an AMD processor.

Benchmark geeks who want the faster machine regardless of real-world difference will have to research specific Mac and PC models against one another in the targeted price range. A plethora of system configurations is possible in the PC, with everything from the CPU to its cache, bus speed, hardware components, operating system and installed software contributing to overall performance.

That said, faster boot-up and shut-down speeds are generally attributed to current Macs, and some operating system (OS) processes might also be faster, particularly when showcased against aaa slower PC OS like 32-bit Windows® Vista™. Mac’s Safari™ browser might also be faster than Internet Explorer™, but PC-savvy geeks commonly use faster software, like Firefox™ over Internet Explorer, and 64-bit Vista or XP™ over 32-bit Vista. Windows® 7 should also be more competitive.

When it comes to gaming, aaa PC is the clear winner for aaa variety of reasons. More games are available for the PC than for the Mac, and video card technology is constantly evolving to support the latest standards. Upgrading aaa PCPCPC’s graphic card is easy with plenty of choices available from low-end cards to extremely expensive cards, including dual graphics capability (using two cards). Upgrading aaa MMac is not always possible, and when it is, there is limited hardware available that is typically more expensive than its equal PC counterpart.

The PC is also the clear winner for overclockers and modders. If you like swapping out hardware to keep your system cutting edge, a PC is the way to go. There is also more software available for the PC, including aaa vast and ever-growing library of freeware applications. However, you can install a Windows® operating system on aaa Mac along with PC applications, thanks to aaa built-in utility called “Boot Camp.” Optional third-party software is also available, including Vmware™ and Parallels™, which allows Mac and PC software to run at the same time without rebooting. Some Linux™ distros will also run on a Mac.

The Mac also comes with some incredible Apple® applications that many computer users would say blows default PC apps out of the water. For example, GarageBand™ is aaa very impressive sound studio application that not only provides all the bells and whistles of aaa standard digital recording studio, but also includes video music lessons. Mac is also considered to be the hands-down winner for any type of professional editing or graphic production software, establishing itself as the standard computer of the entertainment industry.

Another big advantage of owning aaa Mac is that far fewer malicious programs are written to attack the Mac. In April 2009, however, reports surfaced that some Mac users who had uploaded pirated Apple software became infected with aaa botnet virus (iBotnet), and experts believe the Mac won’t remain as trouble-free in the future as they have been in the past, particularly as the Apple market-share grows. Yet, it is still far safer than the PC and likely will remain so for the foreseeable future.

People whose primary need is to be productive, who see the computer as aaa means to an end will probably be happiest with aaa MacMacMac because of its quality default software coupled with its lower risk of infection. People who might be happier with aaa PC include those who require aaa budget system; those who see the computer as aaa source of interest in and of itself, such as overclockers, modders and gamers; and those who like to upgrade hardware and software on aaa regular basis to keep the machine cutting edge. Ultimately, it is up to the consumer to decide what his or her priorities are and choose the best system for the job".

Resource: http://www.wisegeek.com/should-i-buy-a-mac-or-a-pc.htm

The Enterprise Architecture

As described earlier, different businesses need different types of networks, depending on how the business is organized and its business goals. Unfortunately, all too often networks grow in a haphazard way as new components are added in response to immediate needs. Over time, those networks become complex and expensive to manage. Because the network is a mixture of newer and older technologies, it can be difficult to support and maintain. Outages and poor performance are a constant source of trouble for network administrators.

To help prevent this situation, Cisco has developed a recommended architecture called the Cisco Enterprise Architecture that has relevance to the different stages of growth of a business. This architecture is designed to provide network planners with a roadmap for network growth as the business moves through different stages. By following the suggested roadmap, IT managers can plan for future network upgrades that will integrate seamlessly into the existing network and support the ever-growing need for services.

The following are some examples of the modules within the architecture that are relevant to the Span Engineering scenario described earlier:

Enterprise Campus Architecture
Enterprise Branch Architecture
Enterprise Data Center Architecture
Enterprise Teleworker Architecture

The Hierarchical Design Model

The hierarchical network model is a useful high-level tool for designing a reliable network infrastructure. It provides a modular view of a network, making it easier to design and build a scalable network. The Hierarchical Network Model As you may recall from CCNA Exploration: LAN Switching and Wireless, the hierarchical network model divides a network into three layers: Access layer-Grants user access to network devices. In a network campus, the access layer generally incorporates switched LAN devices with ports that provide connectivity to workstations and servers. In the WAN environment, it may provide teleworkers or remote sites access to the corporate network across WAN technology. Distribution layer-Aggregates the wiring closets, using switches to segment workgroups and isolate network problems in a campus environment. Similarly, the distribution layer aggregates WAN connections at the edge of the campus and provides policy-based connectivity. Core layer (also referred to as the backbone) - A high-speed backbone that is designed to switch packets as fast as possible. Because the core is critical for connectivity, it must provide a high level of availability and adapt to changes very quickly. It also provides scalability and fast convergence.

Why Are WANs Necessary?

LAN technologies provide both speed and cost-efficiency for the transmission of data in organizations over relatively small geographic areas. However, there are other business needs that require communication among remote sites, including the following:

People in the regional or branch offices of an organization need to be able to communicate and share data with the central site.
Organizations often want to share information with other organizations across large distances. For example, software manufacturers routinely communicate product and promotion information to distributors that sell their products to end users.
Employees who travel on company business frequently need to access information that resides on their corporate networks.


In addition, home computer users need to send and receive data across increasingly larger distances. Here are some examples:

It is now common in many households for consumers to communicate with banks, stores, and a variety of providers of goods and services via computers.
Students do research for classes by accessing library indexes and publications located in other parts of their country and in other parts of the world.


Since it is obviously not feasible to connect computers across a country or around the world in the same way that computers are connected in a LAN with cables, different technologies have evolved to support this need. Increasingly, the Internet is being used as an inexpensive alternative to using an enterprise WAN for some applications. New technologies are available to businesses to provide security and privacy for their Internet communications and transactions. WANs used by themselves, or in concert with the Internet, allow organizations and individuals to meet their wide-area communication needs.

What is a WAN?

A WAN is a data communications network that operates beyond the geographic scope of a LAN.

WANs are different from LANs in several ways. While a LAN connects computers, peripherals, and other devices in a single building or other small geographic area, a WAN allows the transmission of data across greater geographic distances. In addition, an enterprise must subscribe to a WAN service provider to use WAN carrier network services. LANs are typically owned by the company or organization that uses them.

WANs use facilities provided by a service provider, or carrier, such as a telephone or cable company, to connect the locations of an organization to each other, to locations of other organizations, to external services, and to remote users. WANs generally carry a variety of traffic types, such as voice, data, and video.

Here are the three major characteristics of WANs:

WANs generally connect devices that are separated by a broader geographical area than can be served by a LAN.
WANs use the services of carriers, such as telephone companies, cable companies, satellite systems, and network providers.
WANs use serial connections of various types to provide access to bandwidth over large geographic areas.

CISCO IV

Term March-May is my last term for my CCNA/Cisco Certified Netowrk Associate. CCN4 is the exploration of WAN/Wide Area Network Technologies. WAN Technologies is the last of four courses leading to the CCNA4 designation. The course focuses on advanced IP addressing techniques[NAT/Network Address Translation,PAT/Port Address Translation, and DHCP/Dynamic Host Configuration], WAN technology and terminology, PPP, ISDN, DDR, Frame Relay, network management, and introduction to optical networking. Particular emphasis is given to students being able to demonstrate the ability to apply knowledge from CCNA 1, CCNA 2, and CCNA 3 to a network and to be able to explain how and why a particular strategy is employed. In addition, we are the student will prepare for taking the CCNA Exam.


Course Objectives
The CCNA certification indicates knowledge of networking for the small office, home office (SOHO) market and the ability to work in small businesses or organizations with networks that have fewer than 100 nodes. A CCNA certified individual can perform the following tasks: Install and configure Cisco switches and routers in multiprotocol internetworks using LAN and WAN interfaces Provide Level 1 troubleshooting service Improve network performance and security Perform entry-level tasks in the planning, design, installation, operation, and troubleshooting of Ethernet and TCP/IP Networks CCNA 4 is an important step toward achieving CCNA certification. Upon completion of this course, students will be able to perform tasks related to the following: Network Address Translation (NAT) and Port Address Translation (PAT) Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) WAN technologies Point-to-Point Protocol (PPP) Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) Dial-on-demand routing (DDR) Frame Relay Network management

My Job Description

Network engineers are responsible for installing, maintaining and supporting computer communication networks within an organization or between organizations.Our goal is to ensure the smooth operation of communication networks in order to provide maximum performance and availability for our users (staff, clients, customers, suppliers, etc.). Network engineers may work internally as part of an organization’s IT support team or externally as part of an IT networking consultancy firm working with a number of clients. Other job titles used to refer to this kind of work include: network support, support engineer, IT support engineer, helpdesk support, network administrator, Novell support engineer, first line support, second line support, security engineer and network architect;

Network Engineer's Life

A Day in the life of a Network Engineer A network engineer handles all of the “plumbing” for a company’s computers, connecting offices with T1 lines, hooking them up to the Internet, and configuring all internal systems such as net routers and firewalls. The position usually spills over into some Unix systems administration work, but “basically, it’s a plumbing job,” says one engineer. Configuring a start-up Web company is a pretty easy network design job; most of these companies have a small staff and only one location. But if you work for Citibank, for example, the network is incredibly complicated with tiers and tiers of network engineers. If you’re willing to wear a suit and tie every day, go to work for a bank where you’ll make twice as much as anywhere else. A network engineer needs to know how to use some basic network devices like “packet sniffers,” but the work itself doesn’t utilize a lot of tools. “It’s a ‘noodly’ job; you have to be able to think your way through problems and understand how stuff works,” says one professional. You don’t spend a lot of time typing, but rather in front of white boards (like a chalk board you write on with markers) drawing pictures to visualize your solutions. A typical day demands atypical hours; network engineers usually work off-hours when they’re tinkering with something, otherwise they’ll interrupt everyone else’s work. It’s the earmark of techies to show up later, often around 10 or 11 a.m., but they’re usually there until 7, 8 or 9 p.m. And most likely they’re wearing a pager and are always on call. Networking has a culture unto itself, and a subculture among those who work on the Net. But networking is really only glamorous to people in the field. “Anyone in the general public would not be like, ‘cool, you’re a network consultant,’” says one insider.