Server+ SK0-005 exam questions

Correct answer: Implement log rotation and archive logs off-host to secure storage for 12 months
Explanation: Log rotation and off-host archiving prevent production disks from filling while preserving long-term retention for compliance and forensic analysis. Off-host storage also protects logs from tampering if the host is compromised. The objectives include retention policies and the importance of backups/archives.

Correct answer: Use redundant power supplies and dual PDU feeds on separate circuits
Explanation: Redundancy requires independent paths—dual PSUs connected to separate PDUs/circuits ensure that a single electrical failure doesn’t take the server offline. This approach to power redundancy and high availability is addressed in the objectives for racking, power distribution, and high-availability design.

Correct answer: Securely wipe or physically destroy storage media prior to disposal or redeployment
Explanation: For privacy and compliance, drives must be sanitized (secure erase, DoD/ISO methods) or physically destroyed to prevent data recovery. Simple deletion or powering down is insufficient because forensic tools can recover data. These secure decommissioning processes are explicitly called out in the Server+ objectives under decommissioning and disposal.

Correct answer: Synthetic full with regular incremental backups
Explanation: A synthetic full backup reconstructs a full backup from previous full and incremental backups on the backup target, avoiding repeated full read from source systems. Combined with frequent incremental backups, it balances restore speed, storage usage, and reduced load on production systems. The Server+ objectives list full, synthetic, incremental, differential, and snapshot methods and discuss backup frequency and media rotation.

Correct answer: Available CPU cores, RAM, and I/O capacity on the physical host
Explanation: Virtualization shares finite physical resources. Proper capacity planning for CPU, memory, storage I/O, and NIC bandwidth is essential to avoid performance degradation or VM contention. Overprovisioning without tracking utilization risks noisy-neighbor issues and SLA breaches. The objectives cover resource allocation, provisioning, and overprovisioning considerations for virtualization.

Correct answer: RAID 1 (mirroring)
Explanation: RAID 1 mirrors data across two drives so each drive contains a full copy. If one drive fails, the other continues to provide full data access and rebuilding is straightforward (copy the mirror to the replacement). RAID 5/6 require more drives and involve parity calculations and longer rebuild times; RAID 0 offers no redundancy. The Server+ objectives include drive types and RAID as storage fundamentals.

Correct answer: Confirm rack airflow, blanking panels, and intake/exhaust alignment
Explanation: Overheating in racks typically stems from airflow problems—hot exhaust mixing with cool intake air, blocked venting, missing blanking panels, or tangled cables blocking flow. Correcting physical airflow and installing blanking panels and proper cable routing often resolves thermal events without replacing components. The objectives list cooling management and rack layout as core considerations for hardware installation/maintenance.

Correct answer: To confirm hardware (NICs, RAID controllers, chipsets) are supported by the OS/hypervisor
Explanation: An HCL is used to verify manufacturer-tested compatibility between hardware components and an OS or hypervisor. Using unsupported hardware can result in missing drivers, instability, unbootable systems, or unsupported configurations—problems that are avoidable if you check the HCL in advance. The Server+ objectives emphasize verifying minimum OS requirements and hardware compatibility prior to installation.

Correct answer: IP KVM (remote keyboard-video-mouse)
Explanation: IP KVM devices provide direct console-level access to hardware (BIOS/UEFI, boot menus, and local consoles) via a network interface independent of the host OS. That makes them essential for initial installs, BIOS changes, or recovery when the server’s primary network or OS is unavailable. They are mentioned in the objectives as a form of out-of-band management (remote console).

Correct answer: Verify total rack weight capacity and floor loading limits
Explanation: The physical integrity of racks and raised floors must be confirmed prior to adding heavy equipment. Racks have RU (rack unit) space and a maximum static/dynamic load; floors and tile systems also have load ratings. Overloading can cause structural failure or create unsafe working conditions, and may also impede proper airflow. This kind of racking and floor-load consideration is explicitly noted in the Server+ objectives under racking and safety.