CompTIA Server+ study guide
CompTIA Server+ · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
CompTIA Server+ is a vendor-neutral certification that validates skills in server installation, management, and troubleshooting, positioned for professionals working in data centers, on-premises, and hybrid environments. The current release is V5, exam series code SK0-005, launched May 18, 2021. The exam contains a maximum of 90 questions in multiple-choice and performance-based formats, allows 90 minutes, and requires a passing score of 750 on a scale of 100-900. It is delivered in English and Japanese at Pearson VUE testing centers and through online testing. Topics on this exam: Server hardware installation and management, Server administration, Security and disaster recovery, and Troubleshooting. The CompTIA Server+ study guide has 4 sections and about 1,382 words.
01Server Hardware Installation and Management
Servers are measured in rack units (U); 1U = 1.75 in (44.45 mm). Confirm rail-kit compatibility, install heavier units low, and leave space for airflow. Use cable management arms or hook-and-loop ties, label both ends of every cable, and never block intake fans. Front-to-back airflow means a cold aisle in front of the rack and a hot aisle behind it.
336 words, about 2 min02Server Administration
Boot methods include USB, ISO/optical, and PXE network boot. Before installing, plan partitions and file systems, licensing, hostname, and IP addressing. Common roles: AD DS/DNS/DHCP, file and print, web, database, mail, and hypervisor. A Type 1 hypervisor runs on bare metal (ESXi, Hyper-V); a Type 2 hypervisor runs on top of a host OS (Workstation, VirtualBox).
327 words, about 2 min03Security and Disaster Recovery
Physical controls include locked racks, badge access and mantraps, cameras, BIOS/UEFI passwords, disabling boot from removable media, TPM, Secure Boot, and chassis intrusion detection. Logical controls include least privilege, RBAC, MFA, account lockout, ACLs, and separation of duties. Data controls include encryption at rest and in transit (TLS, IPsec), PKI and certificates, key management, data classification, and PII handling. Harden servers by removing unused roles and services, closing unused ports, patching on a schedule, and enforcing a known baseline.
356 words, about 2 min04Troubleshooting
Use a structured path: identify the problem and gather information (user questions, logs, recent changes), establish a theory by questioning the obvious, test the theory, plan the fix including downtime and rollback, implement, verify full functionality, and document. Change one variable at a time and escalate when the issue is outside your scope or data is at risk. No POST: verify power at the outlet, PSU LED, and power button; reseat components; try a minimal configuration; listen for beep codes and use a POST card. Memory faults: reseat or replace DIMMs one at a time and check ECC logs.
363 words, about 2 min