Cisco Certified Support Technician (CCST) IT Support (100-140) Cert Prep by Pearson
18h 10mBeginner2026-08-26
Authors
Pearson
Course details
Prepare to earn your Cisco Certified Support Technician (CCST) IT Support certification in this focused exam prep course. Learn the core responsibilities of an IT support technician, from managing help desk roles to documenting customer engagements. Explore how to troubleshoot hardware, connectivity, and resource access issues, and navigate both Windows and macOS to manage applications, updates, and backups. Along the way, discover cybersecurity essentials and remote management tools that strengthen your support skills. Whether you're entering the IT field or advancing an existing career, this course prepares you to pass the exam and excel in real-world IT support roles.
Learning objectives
Describe the key job tasks and responsibilities of an IT support technician.
Troubleshoot common hardware, connectivity, and resource access problems.
Manage applications, updates, and backups across Windows and macOS.
Apply cybersecurity fundamentals to identify threats and protect data.
Use remote management tools to deliver effective IT support.
Learning objectives
Describe the key job tasks and responsibilities of an IT support technician.
Troubleshoot common hardware, connectivity, and resource access problems.
Manage applications, updates, and backups across Windows and macOS.
Apply cybersecurity fundamentals to identify threats and protect data.
Use remote management tools to deliver effective IT support.
Concepts
Introduction
- Welcome to the course
Introduction to CCST IT Support Technician and Where to Begin
- Module 1 - Roles and responsibilities of IT support
- Learning objectives
- What is an IT support technician and is this attainable
- How to leverage your current experience
- What s in IT for me
Understanding Key Help Desk Job Tasks and Responsibilities
- Learning objectives
- Importance of proper ticket queue management
- Applying time management mechanisms
- Ticketing systems and their associated best practices
- Why service-level agreements (SLA) are so critical
- Following and meeting key performance indicators (KPIs)
How to Build Relevant Documentation to Support Customer Engagements
- Learning objectives
- Create clear documentation that adds business value
- Document issues for future customer support interactions
Understanding and Creating Your Own Troubleshooting Workflow
- Module 2 - Troubleshooting and safety fundamentals
- Learning objectives
- Document troubleshooting changes and outcomes
- Before, during, and after a customer engagement
- Typical troubleshooting and diagnostic procedures
Personal Safety Considerations
- Learning objectives
- How to identify potential risk for electrical shock or fire
- Protect against electrostatic discharge (ESD)
- Personal safety and ewaste recycling tips, part 1
- Personal safety and ewaste recycling tips, part 2
Physical Port and Cable Types
- Module 3 - Common components, ports, and cable types
- Learning objectives
- Video ports and cable types
- Universal Serial Bus (USB) and Thunderbolt port and cable types
- Serial ports and cable types
- Ethernet cable types
- Power cables - Desktop, laptop, and mobile
- Cable converters and adaptors
Common Desktop Computer Hardware Components
- Learning objectives
- A look inside a desktop computer
- How to install hardware components inside a desktop computer
- Installing random-access memory (RAM)
- Installing an internal hard disk drive (HDD)
- Installing a graphics card
- Installing a wireless adapter
- Using device manager to update and manage software drivers
- Understanding internal and external storage devices
Common Hardware Issues and Troubleshooting
- Module 4 - Troubleshooting peripherals and hardware issues
- Learning objectives
- Troubleshooting power supply issues
- Troubleshooting connectivity issues
- Troubleshooting usability issues
- Compatibility requirements - CPU, RAM, GPU, and storage
- Leveraging device manager to identify hardware issues
- Device status indicators
- Benefits and risk of firmware updates
Troubleshooting Common Issues with Peripherals
- Learning objectives
- Printer and facsimile (fax) operations and maintenance
- Troubleshooting a laser printer
- Audio devices - Speakers, headphones, and microphones
- Input devices - Keyboards, mice, scanners, and pointers
- Video devices - Webcams, conferencing, and touch panels
Common Windows Operating System (OS) and Application Issues
- Module 5 - OS, mobile device, and application issues
- Learning objectives
- Display settings, brightness, contrast, and multiple screens
- BitLocker codes and use cases
- Windows updates and considerations
- Application updates and considerations
- How to clear your browser cache and website history
- How to terminate applications using Task Manager
- The importance of backing up files
- How to locate files for backup
- Understanding OS boot sequence and safe mode
- Power management, settings, and use cases
- Windows user accessibility features
- Enabling Windows user accessibility features
Common Mac Operating System (macOS) and Application Issues
- Learning objectives
- Changing Mac display settings
- Changing Mac brightness and contrast settings
- Application permissions - Privacy, screen recording, and more
- Mounting external drives and storage devices
- How to clear your browser cache and website history
- Sharing files using AirDrop
- Using Activity Monitor to terminate processes
- Personal data backup with iCloud and Time Machine
- Backup solutions in macOS
- Power management, settings, and use cases
- macOS user accessibility features
- Enabling macOS user accessibility features
Mobile Device Operations and Troubleshooting
- Learning objectives
- How to restart a phone or tablet - iOS and Android
- Device not charging issues
- Cellular and wireless network connectivity
- Mobile email setup and troubleshooting
- Removing applications on mobile devices
- Install apps from the App Store on iOS
- Install apps from the Marketplace on Android
- Collaboration software like Webex
- Mobile device management (MDM) use cases and considerations
- Device OS - iOS
- Device OS - Android
General Connectivity and Network-Based Resources
- Module 6 - Network connectivity fundamentals
- Learning objectives
- Managing user connectivity, policies, and resources
- Directory services - Active Directory and cloud management
- Introduction to Entra ID and Azure Active Directory
- Introduction to AWS Identity (IAM)
- What is multifactor authentication Why do we need it
- Mapping shared drives and accessing cloud storage
- Updating group policies
- Password management
- Verify group membership and permissions
Network Operations and Fundamentals
- Learning objectives
- Introduction to networking, addressing, and security
- Local area networks (LAN) and wide area networks (WAN)
- Wireless local area networks (WLAN)
- Wireless SSID concepts
- IPv4 address basics
- Understanding IPv4 address ranges
- What is a subnet mask
- To the default gateway, and beyond
- Firewall use cases and placement
- IP services and address management
- Domain Name System (DNS)
- Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP)
IPv6 Fundamentals and Verification of Connectivity
- Learning objectives
- What is IPv6
- Introduction to IPv6 addressing
- IPv6 addressing types
- DHCPv6
- Importance of commands to verify connectivity
- ipconfig and ifconfig commands
- ping command
- Using the ping command
- traceroute and tracert commands
- nslookup command
- netstat command
- ping6 command
- traceroute6 command
- iproute2 (ip addr and ss) commands
Cloud and Virtualization Essentials
- Module 7 - Cloud, virtualization, and productivity
- Learning objectives
- Amazon Web Services (AWS)
- Microsoft Azure
- Google Cloud
- Virtual machines (VM) and hypervisors
- When to escalate cloud incidents to appropriate team
Productivity Applications
- Learning objectives
- Email, chat, and file sharing applications
- Collaboration tools for video, text, and whiteboarding
- Writing, spreadsheet, and slideshow applications
Introduction to Cybersecurity
- Module 8 - Cybersecurity fundamentals
- Learning objectives
- Common threats, investigation tools, and processes
- Cybersecurity best practices
- Threats and vulnerabilities
- How to scan for and detect malware
- Password hygiene and best practices
- Social engineering, impersonation techniques, and avoidance
- Protect sensitive data and PII
Common Tools and Applications for IT Support
- Module 9 - Tools and applications for IT support
- Learning objectives
- Remote Desktop (RDP) and Remote Assistance
- Remote management
- Cisco Webex
- TeamViewer
- Virtual Network Computing (VNC)
- PC Anywhere
Using Tools to Research and Solve Issues
- Learning objectives
- Knowledge base (KB) articles
- Technical forums
- Search engine results
- AI types - Narrow, predictive, and generative
- Public data - Privacy, security, and ethical risks
Stories from a Help Desk Veteran
- Module 10 - IT mentoring
- Learning objectives
- Communications, conduct, caring, and commitment
- Awkward situations
- Updating documentation
- When to be loud and when to be quiet
- Expanding your expertise
- Building relationships and business allies
- Horror stories from the field
- Safety concerns
Career Advice and Gaining Experience
- Learning objectives
- Advancing your skill set
- Volunteering for projects
- Mentorship
- Building a home lab
- IT support across verticals and customer relevancy
Course Summary - Putting It All Together
- Learning objectives
- Next steps for learning
- Community of peers
- Study habits
- Exam preparation
- Closing thoughts
Conclusion
- Summary