Within the onslaught of new technology, the computer specialist's view has become clouded. The logic on which a computer network is built has been buried under decades of hardware and software marketing and an assault of facts that apply only to specific areas. As the amount of detail that pertains to a network in any given facility increases, individuals are expected to master the network, and assembly and retention of all detail becomes a seemingly impossible task.

Before embarking on a career in information technology or following a technical certification path, you need to obtain the...