Prepare for the Server+ exam—and an exciting new career in tech—with this hands-on guide

In the newly updated Second Edition of the CompTIA Server+ Study Guide: Exam SK0-005, veteran technology educator Troy McMillan delivers a comprehensive, hands-on blueprint for success on the Server+ SK0-005 exam. Learn about essential hardware and software technologies used in on-premise and hybrid server environments and prepare yourself for the exam and real-world, on-the-job challenges.

This Study Guide provides you with a solid understanding of how network and cloud storage systems work by helping you learn how to store, protect, and access the data that’s ever more crucial to modern businesses. Find coverage of every objective tested by the exam, including server hardware installation and management, server administration, security and disaster recovery, and troubleshooting. You also learn:

Expert guidance on acing a certification exam is increasing demand amongst high-paying employers
Critical performance tips for professionals who want to hit the ground running on their first day on the job
Complimentary access to the Sybex interactive online learning environment and test bank, complete with hundreds of practice questions and answers, bonus exams, electronic flashcards, and a searchable glossary of key terms

A can’t-miss resource for anyone preparing for a new role as a server administrator, data storage specialist, or related IT specialty, the CompTIA Server+ Study Guide: Exam SK0-005, Second Edition, will earn a place in the libraries of anyone looking for an efficient and effective way to prep for this challenging and rewarding technical certification.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

TROY MCMILLAN has earned over 30 IT certifications, including Server+, A+, and Network+. He is a Product Developer and Technical Editor for CyberVista and helps individuals and organizations train on technology and prepare for certification exams. He specializes in teaching CompTIA, Cisco, Microsoft, and Wireless certifications.

Introduction xxiii

Assessment Test liv

Answers to Assessment Test lxi

Chapter 1 Server Hardware 1

Racking 3

Enclosure Sizes 3

Unit Sizes 3

Rack Layout 5

Power Cabling 14

Voltage 15

Redundant Power 18

Power Connector Types 23

Cable Management 25

Network Cabling 26

Redundant Networking 26

Twisted Pair 27

Fiber 30

Gigabit 31

10 GigE 31

Small Form-Factor

Pluggable (SFP) 32

SFP+ 32

Quad Small Form-Factor Pluggable (QSFP) 33

Cable Management 33

Server Chassis Types 35

Server Components 42

NICs 55

Summary 57

Exam Essentials 57

Review Questions 59

Chapter 2 Installing and Configuring Servers 63

Installing Server Operating Systems 67

Minimum Operating System (OS) Requirements 67

Hardware Compatibility List (HCL) 68

Installations 68

Partition and Volume Types 73

File System Types 75

Configuring and Maintaining Server Functions and Features 76

Server Roles Requirements 77

Data Migration and Transfer 96

Administrative Interfaces 97

The Purpose and Operation of Virtualization 98

Host vs. Guest 98

Virtual Networking 99

Resource Allocation and Provisioning 103

Management Interfaces for Virtual Machines 108

Cloud Models 110

Summary 111

Exam Essentials 111

Review Questions 112

Chapter 3 Server Maintenance 115

Given a Scenario, Perform Server Hardware Maintenance 117

Out-of-Band Management 117

Local Hardware Administration 122

Components 125

Drives 126

Hot-Swappable Hardware 129

Basic Input/Output System (BIOS)/Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) 131

Explain Licensing Concepts 132

Models 132

Open Source 134

Subscription 135

License vs. Maintenance and Support 135

Volume Licensing 136

License Count Validation 136

Version Compatibility 136

Summary 137

Exam Essentials 137

Review Questions 138

Chapter 4 Storage Technologies and Asset Management 143

Given a Scenario, Deploy and Manage Storage 146

RAID Levels and Types 146

Capacity Planning 151

Hard Drive Media Types 153

Interface Types 157

Shared Storage 161

Explain the Importance of Asset Management and Documentation 165

Asset Management 166

Documentation Management 169

Document Availability 175

Secure Storage of Sensitive Documentation 175

Summary 175

Exam Essentials 176

Review Questions 177

Chapter 5 Identifying Fault Tolerance Requirements 181

Clustering 182

Active–Active 182

Active–Passive 183

Failover/Failback 183

Proper Patching Procedures 184

Heartbeat 184

Fault Tolerance 184

Server-Level

Redundancy vs. Component Redundancy 185

Redundant Server Network Infrastructure 185

Load Balancing 185

Network Interface Card (NIC) Teaming and Redundancy 186

Summary 191

Exam Essentials 191

Review Questions 192

Chapter 6 Securing the Server 197

Summarize Physical Security Concepts 200

Physical Access Controls 200

Environmental Controls 206

Explain Data Security Risks and Mitigation Strategies 210

Security Risks 210

Mitigation Strategies 223

Given a Scenario, Apply Server Hardening Methods 226

OS Hardening 226

Application Hardening 228

Host Security 228

Hardware Hardening 230

Summary 238

Exam Essentials 238

Review Questions 239

Chapter 7 Securing Server Data and Network Access 243

Summarize Data Security Concepts 246

Encryption Paradigms 246

VPN 248

IPsec 248

Retention Policies 249

Data Storage 249

UEFI/BIOS Passwords 250

Bootloader Passwords 251

Business Impact 251

Explain Important Concepts Pertaining to Identity and Access Management for Server Administration 252

User Accounts 252

Permissions and Access Controls 256

Auditing 261

Multifactor Authentication (MFA) 264

Single Sign-on (SSO) 265

Summarize Proper Server Decommissioning Concepts 265

Proper Removal Procedures 265

Media Destruction 266

Media Retention Requirements 268

Cable Remediation 268

Electronics Recycling 268

Summary 269

Exam Essentials 269

Review Questions 270

Chapter 8 Networking and Scripting 275

Given a Scenario, Configure Servers to Use Network

Infrastructure Services 277

IP Configuration 277

Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN) 277

Default Gateways 279

Name Resolution 279

Addressing Protocols 285

Firewall 287

Static vs. Dynamic 293

MAC Addresses 296

Summarize Scripting Basics for Server Administration 297

Script Types 297

Environment Variables 299

Comment Syntax 299

Basic Script Constructs 299

Basic Data Types 301

Common Server Administration Scripting Tasks 301

Summary 302

Exam Essentials 303

Review Questions 304

Chapter 9 Disaster Recovery 309

Explain the Importance of Backups and Restores 311

Backup Methods 311

Backup Frequency 313

Media Rotation 313

Backup Media Types 315

File-Level vs. System-State Backup 317

Restore Methods 317

Backup Validation 318

Media Inventory Before Restoration 319

Explain the Importance of Disaster Recovery 319

Site Types 319

Replication 320

Testing 323

Summary 323

Exam Essentials 324

Review Questions 325

Chapter 10 Troubleshooting Hardware and Software Issues 329

Explain the Troubleshooting Theory and Methodology 334

Identify the Problem and Determine the Scope 334

Establish a Theory of Probable Cause (Question the Obvious) 336

Test the Theory to Determine the Cause 337

Establish a Plan of Action to Resolve the Problem 337

Implement the Solution or Escalate 338

Verify Full System Functionality and, if Applicable, Implement Preventive Measures 338

Perform a Root Cause Analysis 338

Document Findings, Actions, and Outcomes Throughout the Process 339

Given a Scenario, Troubleshoot Common Hardware Failures 339

Common Problems 339

Causes of Common Problems 351

Tools and Techniques 359

Given a Scenario, Troubleshoot Common OS and Software Problems 363

Common Problems 363

Causes of Common Problems 369

OS and Software Tools and Techniques 374

Summary 387

Exam Essentials 387

Review Questions 389

Chapter 11 Troubleshooting Network Connectivity and Security Issues 393

Given a Scenario, Troubleshoot Network Connectivity Issues 396

Common Problems 396

Causes of Common Problems 402

Tools and Techniques 411

Given a Scenario, Troubleshoot Security Problems 419

Common Problems 420

Causes of Common Problems 421

Security Tools 433

Summary 439

Exam Essentials 440

Review Questions 441

Chapter 12 Troubleshooting Storage Issues 445

Given a Scenario, Troubleshoot Storage Problems 447

Common Problems 447

Causes of Common Problems 458

Tools and Techniques 467

Summary 489

Exam Essentials 489

Review Questions 490

Appendix Answers to Review Questions 495

Chapter 1: Server Hardware 496

Chapter 2: Installing and Configuring Servers 497

Chapter 3: Server Maintenance 499

Chapter 4: Storage Technologies and Asset Management 501

Chapter 5: Identifying Fault Tolerance Requirements 502

Chapter 6: Securing the Server 504

Chapter 7: Securing Server Data and Network Access 506

Chapter 8: Networking and Scripting 508

Chapter 9: Disaster Recovery 509

Chapter 10: Troubleshooting Hardware and Software Issues 511

Chapter 11: Troubleshooting Network Connectivity and Security Issues 513

Chapter 12: Troubleshooting Storage Issues 515

Index 517

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CompTIA Server+ Study Guide Exam SK0-005

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Summary

Author Biography

Table of Contents

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