P1 - Tools & Techniques Used for Technical Support

For P1, learners are expected to explain the tools (such as software diagnostic tools) and techniques (such as questioning) that enable the IT support technician to identify faults. Reference to sources of advice and guidance could be usefully incorporated here.

Tools:

Troubleshooting is often used to repair or help you with repairing a program or process. If the application has not been resolved, it will bring up a list of different steps you can perform in order to fix the problem. 

Defrag is a tool that is commonly used to clean up your hard drive. Sometimes when data is stored onto your hard drive, bits get lost and this means that it takes longer for your PC to find it. Defrag basically puts everything back in order so that you’re PC can find it quickly and efficiently.

Disk Clean-up is used to create more space on your hard drive. It basically finds files that are of no use to you anymore and deletes them, giving you a little more space for other documents.

Anti-Virus a very important tool that every PC should have. The Anti-Virus is used to prevent malicious software from getting into your PC and causing havoc. Programs like, AVG, and Norton are popular choices for preventing viruses. 

Software and Hardware Diagnostics is used to identify problems with both Software and Hardware within your PC. It tests the software for potential faults that may occur and tells you how you can prevent or fix the problem before it happens.

Monitoring tools are used for monitoring what happens on a PC(s). The most common monitoring tool are Parental Controls, used to control what the children can look at online and download. Schools and many companies also have monitoring tools to keep students and employees in check.

VNC (Virtual Network Computing) allows the owner of the PC to remotely access the PC from another. From this they can see what the non-admin is doing and also control the mouse. This is commonly used in IT support so that problems can be fixed without the technician coming down to sort out the problem. 

Multimeter is used to check the voltage, current, and resistance of an electrical appliance, for example, a PC.

A Toolkit is very handy when working for Technical Support because if hardware needs to be looked at or replaced, a toolkit has all the tools needed to open up the PC.

Ethernet cable testing is used to see of the Ethernet cable is capable of carrying a signal, to and from the PC.

Control Panel .e.g. install/uninstall is basically what is says on the tin. It allows the user to install and uninstall any program of their choice, with relative ease.

Task manager allows you to see what applications are running on your PC. From here you can end the process.

Techniques:

Questions - IT technicians will ask questions to the customer to help them have more of an idea of the problem in hand. They may either ask face to face or on the telephone, depending on where they are. Asking questions are a useful technique because without this, it will take the technician longer to find what the problem is and then solve it.

Fault Log - A fault log is used to take note of all problems that have occurred and it describes them in detail. This allows the technician to keep track of previous faults and if the fault happens again, they can solve it easily by looking at what they did to solve it before.

A fault log is usually on a PC, but IT technicians may have a paperback version for backup or ease of use.

Monitoring - This is used in companies and it allows the technician to have control over the user’s computer and solve the problem that way, e.g. VNC, RDP (Remote Desktop Protocol). This way is effective if its software based problem as the technician doesn't have to go to the computer personally and waste time.

Solution Database - A solution database is what it says on the tin. When a fault occurs that has happened before, you can access the database and find out what you have to do in order to solve the problem. When a new problem is solved, it will be added to the database for future reference.  

Future Trends:

Technology is improving and expanding every day. People want to make technology faster, more efficient, all-in-all, better. The reason for this is the demand from the public; people want better phones, better cameras, etc. 

Things like X-rays, heart monitors, etc., need to be updated every few months, so that doctors and nurses can find problems with patients faster, and more efficiently, with could potentially be the difference between life and death in some cases.

The Google Glass is a new product that allows you access the internet, speak to friends on family and Skype, and more, from simply looking. The Google Glass, is essentially a pair of glasses that has a small transparent display in it, so whilst you are walking down the road, you can play, whilst still seeing at the same time. It's not play though; Google Glass can be used for on-the-go conference meetings. This allows meeting to take place anywhere in the world, without physically having to be in the same room.



Another technology that is rapidly getting more popular is the Cloud. The Cloud is basically an online system for storing data. This allows people, or even company's, to back-up their work or systems online. If work is lost on their own PC, then can simply go onto the cloud and access your work anywhere in the world, on demand.

As technology grows, there are more jobs becoming available for people, and in this day in age, jobs are fairly hard to come by. Customers are finding it easier to purchase products online due to the online customer services become better and more efficient. Many company's now are implementing video talk with customers, this allows you to physically speak to someone whilst you show them what's wrong with your product.