1.3.

1 Using the Simulator

Click one of the buttons to take you to that part of the video.

Use the Simulator 0:04-0:14

TestOut's lab activities are key to your training. In this demonstration, I'm going to show you the components of the lab simulator so that you
can successfully complete the lab activities in this course.

Scenario Window 0:15-0:46

The lab has four main areas. Over here, on the left, is the Scenario window. The Scenario window is very important. The Scenario describes
the task you're required to perform during the lab activity. Typically, the items in this bullet list provide you with all the tasks that you're
going to be evaluated on. Therefore, you'll be expected to perform these tasks correctly as you go through the lab. If you need more space
while you're working, you can hide the Scenario window by clicking this button right here, and you can click it a second time to bring it back.

Workspace Area 0:47-0:54

The main area where you're going to do most of your work is called the Workspace. It includes all the items you'll work with and configure.

Shelf Area 0:55-1:05

In addition to the Scenario and the Workspace, we also have the Shelf. The Shelf holds pieces of equipment organized by category. Right
now, we have cables and monitors.

Read the Scenario 1:06-1:17

Now, let's go through the process of completing a lab. The first thing you need to do is read the Scenario. Read it very carefully because when
you're done, you're evaluated on whether you did everything it asked you to.

Review Objects in the Workspace 1:18-2:58

Then you need to examine the objects within the Workspace. You can use this slider to zoom in and out if you need to. You can also use the
zoom out and zoom in buttons or the drop-down list here.

Before we go any further, I need to point out that each object within the Workspace occupies a certain amount of space, which is denoted by
the outline that's around each object. For example, this is the area for the power strip, this is the area for the computer, this is the area for the
keyboard, this is the area for the mouse, and this is the area for the wall plates. Within each of these windows, there are several buttons that
allow us to change the perspective of the view for that object.

I'm currently looking at the front of the computer. But let's suppose I need to do some work on the back of the computer. I can come up here
and click the Back button. And when I do, I can see all the various connectors that are implemented on the back of the computer. If I need to
see the front of the computer again, say, to power it on, I can click the Front button. You'll notice that not all of the objects have multiple
views. The computer does, but the keyboard only has one view, the top view.

You're not stuck with this layout within the Workspace. You can rearrange the objects in the Workspace to make them more convenient to
work with. For example, I could grab the keyboard and move it to the other side of the computer. Let's move the mouse as well. There are
some objects that you cannot move within the Workspace. For example, I can't move this wall plate because, well, it's a wall plate. It's
mounted to the wall to replicate a real wall plate. But you can move objects around the fixed items. For example, I could move the computer
to the other side of the wall plate.

Find Objects on the Shelf 2:59-4:29

So, once you've familiarized yourself with the items within the Workspace, you need to go over here, to the Shelf, and use the categories
displayed to find the objects required to complete the Scenario.

If you're looking at an item on the Shelf and you're not really sure what it is, or you need a better idea of how it functions, you can click on
the Details link for that object. For example, I can click the Details link for the video cable here. When I do, an overview of the cable is
displayed. Notice, for this particular object, we can see the cable itself. We can see each connector, and I can look at the front, back, and top
of the connector. Also, notice that when I click an item on the Shelf, it's displayed down here, in the Selected Component window, and we can
access the same information using the Details links down here. Being able to view the details of a particular object on the Shelf is very useful
because it helps you verify the object you've selected is actually the correct object for the particular requirements of the Scenario.

And I should point out here that, with some objects, when you view their details, you'll see an additional tab called the Specifications tab,
which opens a window that provides more information. Right now, we don't have an object on the Shelf or in the Workspace that has a
specification tab, but some do (for example, a motherboard will have a specifications tab). The information in the Specifications tab is similar
to what you might find in a user manual for that particular item. Go ahead and close this window.

Add Items to the Workspace 4:30-5:28

Before we can work with an object within the Workspace, we have to add it to the Workspace or connect it to an item that's already there. For
example, to add this monitor to the Workspace, we'll expand Monitors and then and drag it over here. Notice, when I do this, you can see
yellow lines appear that tell me where I can drop the monitor in relation to the other objects that are already within the Workspace. So, in this
case, I want to add the monitor to the Workspace right next to the PC system itself, so I'm going to drop it right here. And now that object is
added to the Workspace.

Once the object is in the Workspace, I can manipulate it to accomplish the tasks in the Scenario. In this example, I need to look at the back of
the monitor, and I need to use cables to connect this monitor to the computer system and the power outlet. Let's look at the back of the
computer as well as the monitor. By doing this, I can see the various connectors that are implemented on the monitor and on the PC system.

Connect Devices 5:29-8:10

With this done, now I need to use the appropriate cables to connect these two devices together and connect the monitor to the power outlet.
Let's go over here and expand Cables, and let's connect the monitor to the computer system using a video cable. I can click on the video cable
so that it appears down here, in the Selected Components window. Let's grab each connector and add it to the appropriate port on the back of
the computer and on the back of the monitor. Let's drag this connector to the monitor.

Notice here that there are three different ports available on the monitor, and as I hover over each port, it's outlined in blue. That blue rectangle
tells me that this is a potential place where you could connect this particular device. It doesn't mean it's the right connector--it just means that
it's an option you could use. In this case, I'm dealing with an HDMI connector, so I need to make sure that I drag and drop it onto an HDMI
port, right here. I'll release the mouse, and now, one end of the connector is connected to the monitor. If we look at the status of the connector
down here, you can see that one end is now connected to the monitor. The other is still unconnected. And notice when I did that, the partial
connections window is displayed. You'll always see this partial connection window when one end of a cable is connected, but the other end
isn't connected to anything.

Now, we need to connect the other end of the cable to the PC system. So, I'm going to click and drag. And just like with the other end of the
cable, I need to pick the right port to connect it to, and now it's connected. Once again, the status of the cable is updated down here, in the
Selected Components window. One end is connected to the computer, the other to the monitor.

Now, you might be wondering, what happens if I drop this connector on an incompatible connector? When you do, an error is displayed down
here, saying, "Hey you can't connect that there." Let's go ahead and put it back on the correct port. So, that's one way you can connect devices
together using an item from the Shelf.

There's another way to do it as well, and that's to drag the cable directly from the Shelf and then drop it on the appropriate connector. In this
case, I'm going to drag the power connector, and I'm going to drop it on the power socket on the monitor. Now, notice that this cable has two
different connectors; we have a female connector and a male connector. The simulator doesn't know which end of that cable I want to connect
to this particular connector on the monitor. It brings up a list of possibilities, and I have to tell it which one I want to use. Let's go ahead and
use the AC power female connector. And that end is now connected to the monitor itself, and let's plug the other end into the power strip.

Turn on the Computer 8:11-8:42

So, at this point, we've applied power to the monitor, and we've connected it to the PC. Now, let's go ahead and switch to the front view of the
monitor and the front view of the PC. And just like in real life, before I can use either of these components, I have to turn them on. Let's turn
on the monitor. If you hover over the Power button, you'll notice that it's highlighted in blue. I'm going to click it to turn the monitor on. Let's
go over to the computer and power it on as well. When I do, the system comes on, and we switch into the operating system view of the
computer.

Operating System View 8:43-9:56

And as you can see, we have a full simulated Windows environment. It's not a real Windows system--it's a simulated Windows desktop.
However, it does function in pretty much the same way a real Windows desktop would. For example, I could come over here, to the Start
button, and click on it. When I do, all of the things that you would expect to see in the Start menu are displayed. For example, I have my
Settings. I can view a list of the installed applications on the system. And I have my tiles over here. I can come down and search for Control
Panel and go up and click on it. When I do, Control Panel is displayed, just like it would be on a real Windows system. And using the various
links in the Control Panel, I can go ahead and configure this simulated workstation. For example, I could go down here, to Hardware and
Sound, and I could use this link, right here, to add a new printer to the system. The steps that you need to take within the simulation are
exactly the same ones that you would need to take on a real Windows system.

Now, I do need to point out that as you go through the lab exercise, you'll see that not everything in the Windows interface is going to be
enabled. If a feature isn't necessary for a lab, it's not enabled. The components you do need to complete the Scenario will be enabled.

Workspace / Other Views 9:57-10:07

Now, while the computer is on and running, you can switch back to the Workspace and view the hardware by clicking on the Hardware
button for the particular device. This will switch you between the different views.

Move Objects to the Shelf 10:08-11:42

Now, in addition to moving objects from the Shelf into the Workspace, I can do just the opposite. I can take an object that's currently in the
Workspace and return it back to the Shelf. To do this, all you have to do is click on the object, like the monitor here, and then drag it over to
the Shelf and drop it. Notice that when I do this, an error message is displayed. It's basically telling us, "Hey, I can't be moved back to the
Shelf because I'm still plugged in." It's connected to the power cable, and it's also connected to the DVI cable. And it's warning us that if we
fail to unplug all these cables, we can't put it back on the Shelf. This is also simulating real life. You wouldn't grab a monitor that still had a
power cable and video cable connected to it and drop it on a shelf, right? Before we can put this item back on the Shelf, we've got to unplug
everything. Click OK here. To unplug a cable, simply click on it, drag it off, and drop it somewhere within the Workspace. For example, if I
unplug the power cable from the back of the monitor, we see that its status changes to Unconnected. We have to do the same thing with the
video cable. I'll click it, drag it off, and drop it, and its status changes to Unconnected as well.

At this point, there are no more connections to the monitor, so I can drop it back over here, on the Shelf. And please be aware that there are
some items that you can't move to the Shelf. A good example would be the wall plate connectors. Just as in real life, you couldn't grab a wall
plate connector, rip it out of the wall, and put it on the Shelf (at least, not very easily). You can't do that in the simulation either.

Evaluate the Lab 11:43-13:40

Now, once you've completed all the tasks in the Scenario, you're ready to submit the lab for evaluation. However, I recommend that before
you do this, you go back over to your Scenario and quickly review all the tasks that you're expected to complete and double check to make
sure that everything's done as required. Once you've identified that you've done everything that was required, go up here and click on Score
Lab. When you do, it's going to evaluate whether or not you did everything correctly.

Notice here, we have a list of tasks that I was required to perform by the scenario, and it's listed here, under Task Summary. Over here, we
have an icon that tells me whether or not I did each one. If I didn't do a particular task, I see a red X. If I did complete a task, it would be
denoted with a green icon. Now notice, in this scenario, I didn't do everything that was required. I initially had the monitor on the Workspace,
but I took it off, so it evaluated as incorrect. And because I unplugged the monitor's video cable and power cable, I got those wrong, as well.

Now, this last task is actually a multi-item task, meaning I had to complete several different sub-tasks in order to get this task correct. To see
what those sub-tasks are, I click on Show Details, and it tells me I needed to turn on the computer. I did that--notice the green icon. But I'm
also supposed to turn on the monitor. I got that wrong. Why? Because I originally had it on, but then I turned it off and put it back on the
Shelf. And, as a result, I didn't get it right.

Now, down here under, the task summary, is the explanation. The explanation part of the lab report provides step-by-step instructions for
actually completing the tasks in the Scenario. There are, of course, many ways to complete some of these tasks. The steps listed here provide
just one suggested way.
Go ahead and click Done.

Now I'm going to pause the recording while I restart the lab.

All right.

Change Locations 13:41-14:46

Before we end this demonstration, there's one more thing I want to show you. Come over here in the Scenario. It tells us that once we've
completed the tasks in the Scenario, feel free to explore the hardware and operating system interfaces within the lab. You can click Floor 1
Overview to review the rest of the office network, right here. Understand that this computer is just one system within an entire office
complex.

If you want to view the other systems within the office, you can click on the Floor 1 Overview. When I do, I see a floor plan of the
organization, and each room in the floor plan has a name. I'm currently in IT administration. I know that because the name of the room is in
orange. Within each room, there's a list of the hardware and operating systems running in that office. For example, in Office 1, we have a
computer. It's running Windows, and the name of the system is Office1. Over here, in the Networking Closet, we have a server running, and
its name is CorpServer. I can use all of these icons to switch to either the hardware or the operating system view for the computer equipment
in these different locations.

Summary 14:47-14:47

That's it for this demonstration. In this demo, we looked at the TestOut lab simulator.

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