1
CompTIA Server+ (SK0-005)
Advanced Certification Practice
Examination v2.0 Comprehensive
150-Question Domain-Aligned
Assessment for Server
Infrastructure Professionals a
well detailed one
written and graded A+
upgraded
, 2
Domain 1: Server Hardware Installation and Management (18%)
Question 1
A data center technician is installing a new 2U rackmount server. The server has front-to-rear
airflow and weighs 35kg (77lbs). The rack is populated with equipment from floor level to the
top. Which of the following is the MOST appropriate installation location and procedure?
A. Install at the very top of the rack to maximize cooling efficiency
B. Install at the bottom of the rack to maintain a low center of gravity
C. Install in the middle of the rack using only the front mounting rails
D. Install at the top with additional rear support brackets
-” detailed answer 100 % correct :-”B
Rationale: Heavy equipment should be installed at the bottom of the rack to maintain a low
center of gravity and prevent tipping. Front-to-rear airflow is standard and works at any rack
position. Using only front mounting rails for a 35kg server is unsafe; rail kits should support both
front and rear. Top installation of heavy equipment creates instability.
Question 2
A server administrator is planning power distribution for a new cabinet containing 15 servers.
Each server has dual 800W power supplies. The facility provides 208V AC power. Each PDU has a
30A circuit breaker. What is the MINIMUM number of PDUs required to power all servers with
full redundancy (A/B power feeds)?
A. 1
B. 2
C. 3
D. 4
-” detailed answer 100 % correct :-”B
Rationale: Each server requires approximately 800W ÷ 208V = 3.85A per power supply. Total
current per power feed = 15 × 3.85A = 57.7A. Two PDUs provide A and B power feeds with 30A
each = 60A total, meeting the requirement. However, each PDU at 30A cannot handle all 15
servers alone; with A/B feeds, each PDU powers one power supply per server.
Question 3
A technician is replacing a failed hot-swappable power supply in a server. The server has a 1+1
, 3
redundant power configuration. The failed power supply is showing a solid amber LED. Which of
the following is the MOST appropriate procedure?
A. Shut down the server, replace the power supply, and restart
B. Remove the failed power supply immediately and insert the replacement
C. Verify the replacement power supply has the same wattage and form factor before removal
D. Swap the power supply with the other operational unit to test the slot
-” detailed answer 100 % correct :-”C
Rationale: Before removing a hot-swappable power supply, verify the replacement matches the
correct wattage, form factor, and connector type. Hot-swap allows replacement without
shutdown. Removing without verification risks compatibility issues. Testing the slot by swapping
with the operational unit is unnecessary and risks disrupting the working supply.
Question 4
A server administrator is configuring out-of-band management for 50 servers across three data
centers. The security policy requires management traffic to be isolated and administrators to
authenticate using certificates. Which of the following solutions BEST meets these
requirements?
A. SSH with password authentication over the production network
B. iDRAC/iLO with dedicated management VLAN and certificate-based authentication
C. RDP over a VPN connection with smart card authentication
D. SNMPv3 with community strings over an isolated network
-” detailed answer 100 % correct :-”B
Rationale: iDRAC/iLO provides out-of-band management independent of the host OS. A
dedicated management VLAN isolates traffic. Certificate-based authentication meets the
security requirement. SSH/RDP over production networks are in-band management. SNMPv3
community strings are not certificate-based.
Question 5
A server has 16 DIMM slots populated with 8GB modules across all slots. The server is reporting
that only 64GB of the 128GB installed is available. The administrator has verified that all
modules are detected in the BIOS. Which of the following is the MOST likely cause?
A. Memory mirroring is enabled
B. The memory modules are mismatched speeds
, 4
C. The CPU does not support the installed memory capacity
D. The motherboard has a faulty memory channel
-” detailed answer 100 % correct :-”A
Rationale: Memory mirroring uses half the installed memory for redundancy, making only 64GB
of 128GB available. Mismatched speeds would cause the system to run at the lowest speed or
fail to boot. CPU capacity limits would prevent detection. A faulty channel would prevent
detection of modules on that channel.
Question 6
An administrator is deploying a new server that requires 8 × 2.5" SAS drives. The server has only
six 2.5" drive bays available. Which of the following is the MOST appropriate solution?
A. Use 3.5" drives with adapter brackets
B. Install an external disk enclosure connected via SAS
C. Use SATA drives instead of SAS drives
D. Install an additional drive cage in an available 5.25" bay
-” detailed answer 100 % correct :-”D
Rationale: Installing an additional drive cage in an available 5.25" bay provides more 2.5" drive
bays. 3.5" drives cannot fit in 2.5" bays. External enclosures add complexity and cost. SATA
drives may not meet performance requirements and are not a direct replacement for SAS.
Question 7
A server administrator is performing a firmware upgrade on a RAID controller. The upgrade
requires a system reboot. The server hosts a mission-critical application. Which of the following
represents the BEST practice for this procedure?
A. Perform the upgrade immediately using the out-of-band management interface
B. Schedule the upgrade during the next maintenance window and verify backups first
C. Replace the RAID controller with a new one that has the latest firmware
D. Perform the upgrade without rebooting using the controller's online upgrade feature
-” detailed answer 100 % correct :-”B
Rationale: Firmware upgrades requiring reboots should be performed during scheduled
maintenance windows. Backups must be verified before any firmware upgrade to protect
against corruption. Performing upgrades during production hours risks unplanned downtime.
Replacing the controller is unnecessary and complex.
CompTIA Server+ (SK0-005)
Advanced Certification Practice
Examination v2.0 Comprehensive
150-Question Domain-Aligned
Assessment for Server
Infrastructure Professionals a
well detailed one
written and graded A+
upgraded
, 2
Domain 1: Server Hardware Installation and Management (18%)
Question 1
A data center technician is installing a new 2U rackmount server. The server has front-to-rear
airflow and weighs 35kg (77lbs). The rack is populated with equipment from floor level to the
top. Which of the following is the MOST appropriate installation location and procedure?
A. Install at the very top of the rack to maximize cooling efficiency
B. Install at the bottom of the rack to maintain a low center of gravity
C. Install in the middle of the rack using only the front mounting rails
D. Install at the top with additional rear support brackets
-” detailed answer 100 % correct :-”B
Rationale: Heavy equipment should be installed at the bottom of the rack to maintain a low
center of gravity and prevent tipping. Front-to-rear airflow is standard and works at any rack
position. Using only front mounting rails for a 35kg server is unsafe; rail kits should support both
front and rear. Top installation of heavy equipment creates instability.
Question 2
A server administrator is planning power distribution for a new cabinet containing 15 servers.
Each server has dual 800W power supplies. The facility provides 208V AC power. Each PDU has a
30A circuit breaker. What is the MINIMUM number of PDUs required to power all servers with
full redundancy (A/B power feeds)?
A. 1
B. 2
C. 3
D. 4
-” detailed answer 100 % correct :-”B
Rationale: Each server requires approximately 800W ÷ 208V = 3.85A per power supply. Total
current per power feed = 15 × 3.85A = 57.7A. Two PDUs provide A and B power feeds with 30A
each = 60A total, meeting the requirement. However, each PDU at 30A cannot handle all 15
servers alone; with A/B feeds, each PDU powers one power supply per server.
Question 3
A technician is replacing a failed hot-swappable power supply in a server. The server has a 1+1
, 3
redundant power configuration. The failed power supply is showing a solid amber LED. Which of
the following is the MOST appropriate procedure?
A. Shut down the server, replace the power supply, and restart
B. Remove the failed power supply immediately and insert the replacement
C. Verify the replacement power supply has the same wattage and form factor before removal
D. Swap the power supply with the other operational unit to test the slot
-” detailed answer 100 % correct :-”C
Rationale: Before removing a hot-swappable power supply, verify the replacement matches the
correct wattage, form factor, and connector type. Hot-swap allows replacement without
shutdown. Removing without verification risks compatibility issues. Testing the slot by swapping
with the operational unit is unnecessary and risks disrupting the working supply.
Question 4
A server administrator is configuring out-of-band management for 50 servers across three data
centers. The security policy requires management traffic to be isolated and administrators to
authenticate using certificates. Which of the following solutions BEST meets these
requirements?
A. SSH with password authentication over the production network
B. iDRAC/iLO with dedicated management VLAN and certificate-based authentication
C. RDP over a VPN connection with smart card authentication
D. SNMPv3 with community strings over an isolated network
-” detailed answer 100 % correct :-”B
Rationale: iDRAC/iLO provides out-of-band management independent of the host OS. A
dedicated management VLAN isolates traffic. Certificate-based authentication meets the
security requirement. SSH/RDP over production networks are in-band management. SNMPv3
community strings are not certificate-based.
Question 5
A server has 16 DIMM slots populated with 8GB modules across all slots. The server is reporting
that only 64GB of the 128GB installed is available. The administrator has verified that all
modules are detected in the BIOS. Which of the following is the MOST likely cause?
A. Memory mirroring is enabled
B. The memory modules are mismatched speeds
, 4
C. The CPU does not support the installed memory capacity
D. The motherboard has a faulty memory channel
-” detailed answer 100 % correct :-”A
Rationale: Memory mirroring uses half the installed memory for redundancy, making only 64GB
of 128GB available. Mismatched speeds would cause the system to run at the lowest speed or
fail to boot. CPU capacity limits would prevent detection. A faulty channel would prevent
detection of modules on that channel.
Question 6
An administrator is deploying a new server that requires 8 × 2.5" SAS drives. The server has only
six 2.5" drive bays available. Which of the following is the MOST appropriate solution?
A. Use 3.5" drives with adapter brackets
B. Install an external disk enclosure connected via SAS
C. Use SATA drives instead of SAS drives
D. Install an additional drive cage in an available 5.25" bay
-” detailed answer 100 % correct :-”D
Rationale: Installing an additional drive cage in an available 5.25" bay provides more 2.5" drive
bays. 3.5" drives cannot fit in 2.5" bays. External enclosures add complexity and cost. SATA
drives may not meet performance requirements and are not a direct replacement for SAS.
Question 7
A server administrator is performing a firmware upgrade on a RAID controller. The upgrade
requires a system reboot. The server hosts a mission-critical application. Which of the following
represents the BEST practice for this procedure?
A. Perform the upgrade immediately using the out-of-band management interface
B. Schedule the upgrade during the next maintenance window and verify backups first
C. Replace the RAID controller with a new one that has the latest firmware
D. Perform the upgrade without rebooting using the controller's online upgrade feature
-” detailed answer 100 % correct :-”B
Rationale: Firmware upgrades requiring reboots should be performed during scheduled
maintenance windows. Backups must be verified before any firmware upgrade to protect
against corruption. Performing upgrades during production hours risks unplanned downtime.
Replacing the controller is unnecessary and complex.
