Computer maintenance technologies are required to enable the smooth work ing condition of our computers and servers. We all work with computers one way or the other, either ourselves or by using computer services like the internet which is a collection of computers/servers around the world.

Companies nowadays tend to have servers who are so crucial that they have to be online at all times, there is no downtime allowed, so by keeping maintaining those servers at all times, supervising them, and use computer maintenance technologies and certain condition to ensure that those servers never go down.

Companies keep IT (information technology) professionals to keep maintaining those vital servers to prevent them to ever go down and become unreachable. Those maintenance techniques include proper installations, configurations, repair skills, LAN & WAN understanding, data communication, telecommunications, and computer integration.

There are schools/colleges that teach computer maintenance technology to students who wish to become computer-integration engineers and maintain those vital servers by using their wide knowledge in computer infrastructure and integration.

Let’s go over some of the basic computer maintenance technologies:

1. Performance maintenance of computers and servers.
   • This includes installation, configuration, optimization, upgrades, identifying tools, diagnostic procedures, troubleshooting techniques, preventive maintenance actions
2. Managing operating systems.
   • This includes an understanding of client/server environment, keep the network integration of such environment intact, supervised at all times, prevent harmful events causing the system to become unstable, recovery precautions, abilities to resolve and troubleshoot problems.
3. Taking security measures.
   • This includes the understanding of security, the harmful environments out there, the amount of allowed exposure, how to block attacks, how to provide inner and outer protection against attackers and harmful programs, identifying intrusions, perform and implement preventive measures.
4. Network monitoring systems.
   • There are open-source monitoring systems and there are Microsoft windows monitoring systems that can track changes in your network capabilities, and check your server’s availability making sure you get notified in case your servers are unreachable.

• I gave some basics, just to understand what computer maintenance technologies relate to. I will have more details on the techniques on other posts, which will be covered in more detail on how to do those theoretical Ideas to use the computer maintenance technologies while keeping your organization safe from harm and damages.

Microsoft has many tools out there like its server operating systems, client operating systems, business applications, and development tools. Microsoft has given us a wide range of solutions for

the business world, so to master them you need to learn their many options and possibilities.

The Microsoft certificates are divided to major categories:

1.    IT Professionals

• MCTS, MCITP, MCDST, MCSA, MCDBA, MCSE

2.    Developers

• MCPD, MCAD, MCSD

3.    Advanced Certificates

• Microsoft Certified Master, Microsoft Certified Architect

4.    Home and Office

• MCAS, MOS

5.    Trainer

• MCT, MCLC

There are a series of exams for each certificate title, which you have to pass in order to become Microsoft certified and get the achievement certificate that proves you have learned the tool, and are familiar with all aspects of it. Those certificates are considered at some businesses as a must for specific positions since they are thorough and very comprehensive of all of the capabilities the Microsoft tools have, and there are many of them.

When someone wants to specialize in a specific area or just expand his knowledge in the Microsoft tool of his choice, it is recommended to take one of those courses or study from the Microsoft professional books that prepare you for the exams and pass those exams. These certifications will enable you to get the job you might want, change you to get a more professional point of view when working with the Microsoft tool.

Microsoft has many professional teaching schools that teach those professional Microsoft lessons according to the certificate needed and they teach you how to pass those Microsoft exams to gain the Microsoft certificate you need. Make sure that the certificates given by the teaching school are really the Microsoft authentic certificates, so the certificate will be legit and accepted by the organizations which might need you to show you are certified by Microsoft.