Free Practice Questions for WGU Introduction-to-IT Exam

To determine a student’s previous academic year’s course load, the most crucial piece of information is the course identification number. This unique identifier allows for the retrieval of specific data related to each course, such as the number of credit hours or units associated with the course, which directly contributes to the calculation of the course load.

Here’s a step-by-step explanation of how this information is used:

1.Identify the Student: The database must have a record of the student for whom the course load is being determined.

2.Retrieve Course Records: Using the student’s identification, the database retrieves all course records associated with that student for the specified academic year.

3.Use Course Identification Numbers: Each course taken by the student will have a unique course identification number.

4.Determine Credit Hours: The course identification number can be used to look up the credit hours or units for each course, as this information is typically tied to the course ID in the database.

5.Calculate Course Load: By summing the credit hours for all courses taken in the previous academic year, the student’s course load can be calculated.

1.Proprietary Software Definition:

oProprietary software, also known as commercial software, is software that is exclusively owned and controlled by a single entity (usually a software company or vendor).

oUsers must obtain a license to use proprietary software, and the terms and conditions of this license are outlined in an end-user license agreement (EULA).

2.Ownership and Access to Source Code:

oProprietary software is considered “closed-source” because the source code is not available to the public.

oOnly the original developers or copyright holders have access to the complete source code.

oUsers do not have the right to modify or distribute the software’s source code.

3.Rights Granted by a Proprietary Software License:

oWhen a business acquires a proprietary software license, it gains the following rights:

Right to Use: The business can use the software for its intended purpose.

Limited Access: Users can interact with the software’s user interface but cannot access or modify the underlying code.

Restrictions: The license may impose restrictions on copying, distribution, and reverse engineering.

Enforcement: Violating the license terms can result in legal action by the software vendor.

4.Comparison to Open Source Software:

oProprietary software differs from open source software, where the source code is freely accessible, modifiable, and distributable.

oExamples of proprietary software include Microsoft Windows, Adobe Photoshop, and commercial applications.

References

1.Montague Law: Proprietary Software License Explained for 2023

2.UpCounsel: Proprietary Software License: Everything You Need to Know

3.Wikipedia: Software License

4.TheCyberGarden: Software Licensing - The Proprietary Model and the Open Source Model

5.Toppr: What is Proprietary Software - Definition, Advantages, Disadvantages

Software protection involves safeguarding software applications from unauthorized use, distribution, or reproduction. Various methods are employed to protect software, but one of the most frequently used approaches is through copyrights. Here’s why:

1.Copyrights:

oDefinition: Copyright protection grants exclusive rights to the creator or owner of the software. It prevents others from copying, distributing, or using the software without permission.

oHow It Works:

When a software developer creates an original program, they automatically hold the copyright to it.

The copyright holder can specify licensing terms and conditions, allowing or restricting certain uses.

Users must comply with these terms to legally use the software.

oBenefits:

Legal Protection: Copyright laws provide legal recourse against infringement.

Revenue Control: Developers can license their software and generate revenue.

Innovation Encouragement: Copyright protection encourages innovation by rewarding creators.

oReferences: 12

2.Other Methods:

oGNU General Public License (GPL): GPL is an open-source license that allows users to freely use, modify, and distribute software. However, it requires derivative works to be open-source as well.

oFair Use: Fair use is a legal doctrine that permits limited use of copyrighted material without permission for purposes such as criticism, commentary, or education.

oTrademarks: Trademarks protect brand names, logos, and symbols associated with software. While not directly related to software protection, trademarks play a role in branding and identity.

In summary, while other methods exist, copyrights remain a fundamental and frequently used approach to protect software from unauthorized use and ensure developers’ rights are respected.

The computing term that describes a collection of hardware and software components working together to meet the needs of the user is C. A computer system.

A computer system consists of both physical hardware components (like the central processing unit, monitor, keyboard, etc.) and software components (such as operating systems, applications, and programs).

References

1.WGU Introduction to IT (KSO1) Algorithm1.

Risk planning in project management includes identifying risks and then analyzing and prioritizing them so the team can focus on the most serious threats. A standard step taught in Information Technology project management is prioritizing risks by severity and likelihood. Severity reflects the impact on scope, cost, schedule, security, or quality if the risk occurs, while likelihood reflects the probability of occurrence. Combining these factors helps create a risk matrix and guides decisions about mitigation strategies, contingency plans, and resource allocation. Comparing project progress to milestones is part of monitoring and controlling during execution, not risk planning. Listing each possible cause of failure is related to risk identification, but on its own it does not complete the analysis step that determines which risks matter most. Establishing clear and attainable goals is part of initiation and planning, but it is not specifically a risk analysis technique. Because the question asks for a step for considering risk during planning, prioritizing by severity and likelihood is the best match. Therefore, the correct answer is option A.

Off-site storage is a key component of disaster recovery strategies because it protects critical data from local disasters and facility failures. In Information Technology, disaster recovery focuses on restoring systems, applications, and data after disruptive events such as fires, floods, theft, ransomware, or power failures. If backups are stored only on-site, the same event that damages the primary systems can destroy the backups as well. Off-site storage places backup copies in a physically separate location, reducing the risk of total data loss. It may be implemented through secure tape vaulting, remote backup servers, third-party backup facilities, or cloud-based backup services. Disaster recovery planning typically defines backup schedules, retention periods, recovery procedures, and target recovery goals, such as recovery time objective and recovery point objective. While user authentication supports security and parallel processing relates to performance, they are not core elements that ensure data remains available after a site-level disaster. Therefore, off-site storage is correctly identified as a component of disaster recovery strategies.

Computer Professionals for Social Responsibility is an example of a professional organization in the IT industry. Professional organizations are generally membership-based groups that support practitioners through community, publications, conferences, ethical guidance, and advocacy related to professional practice. CPSR historically focused on the social and ethical impacts of computing, encouraging responsible technology use and informed public policy discussion. By contrast, the National Security Agency is a government intelligence and cybersecurity agency, the Institute for Telecommunication Sciences is a U.S. government research organization under the Department of Commerce, and the Federal Communications Commission is a government regulatory body overseeing communications. Those entities may influence IT and telecommunications, but they are not professional membership organizations in the standard sense used in IT fundamentals coursework. Professional organizations often provide networking opportunities, professional development resources, and codes of ethics or best-practice guidance for members. Therefore, among the options given, CPSR is the correct example of a professional organization in the IT industry.

1.Translates human-friendly aliases into IP addresses: DNS serves as the “phone book” of the internet, converting user-friendly domain names (like www.example.com) into numerical IP addresses (such as 192.0.2.1) that computers and network devices use to locate one another on the internet12.

2.Stores IP addresses and aliases in a table on the server: DNS servers maintain records that map domain names to corresponding IP addresses. These records are stored in distributed databases across various DNS servers, ensuring efficient and reliable resolution of domain names1.

References

1.GeeksforGeeks: What is Domain Name System (DNS)?

2.Cloudflare: What is DNS? How DNS works

A repeater extends cable range by regenerating or amplifying a signal so it can travel farther without degrading. In Information Technology networking, signals weaken over distance due to attenuation and interference. A repeater receives the incoming signal, cleans or reconstructs it, and then retransmits it at full strength. This allows network segments to exceed the normal maximum cable length limits for a given standard and helps maintain reliable communication. Repeaters are commonly associated with the physical layer of networking because they deal with signal transmission rather than packet routing or traffic decisions. A switch operates mainly at the data link layer and forwards frames based on MAC addresses within a local network, but it does not primarily exist to boost signal strength. A router connects different networks and forwards packets using IP addressing and routing tables. A firewall is a security device that filters traffic based on rules to protect networks. Since the question focuses on increasing signal strength to extend range, the correct equipment is a repeater.

1.Ethical Leadership: Leaders should model ethical behavior, make decisions in the best interest of stakeholders, and ensure fairness. Ethical leaders influence followers to do the right thing.

2.Ethical Practices: Implement critical organizational practices related to ethics, including recruitment, training, policies, accountability, and decision-making.

3.Ethical Climate: Communicate ethical expectations beyond policies. Foster an environment where employees understand ethics and their implications.