SK0-005 CompTIA Server+ Certification Exam Free Practice Exam Questions (2025 Updated)

Fire suppression systems are designed to extinguish or contain fires in a server room, but they can also damage the server equipment if they are not carefully researched and selected. For example, water-based fire suppression systems can cause electrical shorts and corrosion, while gas-based fire suppression systems can create thermal shock and reduce oxygen levels. Therefore, fire suppression systems must be compatible with the server environment and equipment.

A subnet mask is a number that distinguishes the network address and the host address within an IP address1. A subnet mask allows network traffic to understand IP addresses by splitting them into the network and host addresses. If the subnet mask is incorrect, the network traffic may not be able to determine the correct destination for the packets, and only reach some of the servers that have similar IP addresses. For example, if the new virtual server has an IP address of 192.168.1.100 and a subnet mask of 255.255.0.0, it can only communicate with servers that have IP addressesin the range of 192.168.0.0 to 192.168.255.2552. To fix this issue, the systems administrator needs tocheck and correct the subnet mask of the new virtual server according to the network configuration.

Shipping is a process of sending logs from one system to another system for centralized storage and analysis. Shipping can help ensure compliance with regulations that require financial systems logs to be stored in a central location. Shipping can also help improve security, performance, and scalability of log management.References: https://www.comptia.org/training/resources/exam-objectives/comptia-server-sk0-005-exam-objectives (Objective 3.4)

A power-on self-test (POST) is a diagnostic process that runs when a server is turned on to check the basic functionality of the hardware components and report any errors or faults. A POST code is a series of beeps or flashes that indicate the status of the POST process and identify any problems that prevent the server from booting up. A POST code can be heard through a speaker or seen on a display attached to the server motherboard. A POST code is useful for diagnosing errors without opening the machine or using any software tools.

The correct answer is D. A virtual switch.

A virtual switch is a software-based network device that connects the virtual machines (VMs) in a virtual environment and allows them to communicate with each other and with the physical network. A virtual switch can also create and manage virtual LANs (VLANs), which are logical segments of a network that separate the traffic of different VMs or groups of VMs. A VLAN needs a DHCP server to assign IP addresses to the VMs that belong to it. A virtual switch can act as a DHCP relay agent and forward the DHCP requests from the VMs to the DHCP server on the physical network.This way, the VMs can receive correct IP addresses for their VLANs123

A virtual router is a software-based network device that routes packets between different networks or subnets. A virtual router can also create andmanage VLANs, but it is not necessary for a VM to receive a correct IP address.A virtual router can be used to provide additional security, redundancy, or load balancing for the VMs12

A host NIC is a physical network interface card that connects the host machine to the physical network. A host NIC can also support VLAN tagging, which allows the host machine to communicate with different VLANs on the network. However, a host NIC alone cannot ensure that a VM receives a correct IP address for its VLAN.The host NIC needs to be connected to a virtual switch that can relay the DHCP requests from the VMs to the DHCP server12

A VPN is a virtual private network that creates a secure tunnel between two or more devices over the internet. A VPN can be used to encrypt and protect the data traffic of the VMs, but it is not related to the configuration of VLANs or IP addresses.A VPN does not affect how a VM receives a correct IP address for its VLAN14

A vNIC is a virtual network interface card that connects a VM to a virtual switch or a virtual router. A vNIC can also support VLAN tagging, which allows the VM to communicate with different VLANs on the network. However, a vNIC alone cannot ensure that a VM receives a correct IP address for its VLAN.The vNIC needs to be connected to a virtual switch or a virtual router that can relay the DHCP requests from the VMs to the DHCP server12

Separate circuits and multiple UPSs can provide fail-safe power redundancy for a server rack. Separate circuits mean that the server rack is connected to two or more independent power sources, such as different utility lines or generators. This can prevent a single point of failure in the power supply, as if one circuit goes down, the other circuit can still provide power to the server rack1. Multiple UPSs mean that the server rack has two or more uninterruptible power supplies, which are devices that provide backup power and surge protection in case of a power outage or fluctuation. Multiple UPSs can be connected to separate circuits, or to different outlets on the same circuit, to increase the reliability and availability of power for the server rack23.

Link aggregation is a technique that combines multiple physical network links into one logical link with higher bandwidth and redundancy. It can take advantage of all the available bandwidth of the NICs (Network Interface Cards) on the server and provide load balancing and failover capabilities for network traffic. Verified References: [Link aggregation], [NIC]

The HCL stands for Hardware Compatibility List and it is a list of hardware devices that are tested and certified to work with a specific operating system. If a network card is not on the HCL for the OS, it may not function properly or cause compatibility issues. Therefore, verifying the network card is on the HCL for the OS should be the next step to troubleshoot this issue.References: https://www.comptia.org/training/resources/exam-objectives/comptia-server-sk0-005-exam-objectives (Objective 4.1)

Retention policies are the guidelines that dictate when to delete data backups based on operational or compliance needs. They specify how long, how, where, and in what format the data backups are stored, and who has authority over them. The other options are not directly related to the deletion of data backups.

https://backup.ninja/news/Database-Backups-101-Backup-Retention-Policy-Considerations

Active-active is a configuration in which both nodes of a redundant system respond to service requests whenever possible. It can improve the performance, availability, and load balancing of the system by distributing the workload among the nodes. However, it also requires more synchronization and coordination between the nodes to avoid conflicts or errors. Verified References: [Active-active], [Redundant system]

This is the best definition of overprovisioning in a virtual server environment because it means allocating more CPU, memory, disk, or network resources to the virtual machines than what is actually available on the physical host. This can lead to performance issues and resource contention. References:https://www.hpe.com/us/en/insights/articles/10-virtualization-mistakes-everyone-makes-1808.html

FinanceApp software is running as a service named “FinanceApp Service”. The service description says “Provides financial data and calculations for the FinanceApp software”. The service status is “Stopped”, which means that the service is not running and the software is not functional. The service startup type is “Manual”, which means that the service needs to be started manually by the user or the administrator. The service log on as is “Local System”, which means that the service runs under a predefined local account that has extensive privileges on the local computer.

To fix the issue with the FinanceApp software, you need to do two things:

First, you need to start the service, so that the software can run. To do this, you can right-click on the service name and select “Start” from the menu. Alternatively, you can select the service name and click on the “Start” button on the toolbar. You should see a message saying that the service has started successfully.

Second, you need to change the service startup type, so that the service can start automatically every time the server boots up. This way,you don’t have to contact the help desk every time the issue occurs. To do this, you can right-click on the service name and select “Properties” from the menu. Alternatively, you can select the service name and click on the “Properties” button on the toolbar. You should see a window with several tabs and options. On the “General” tab, under “Startup type”, you can select “Automatic” from the drop-down list. Then, click on “OK” to save your changes.

By doing these two steps, you should be able to use the FinanceApp software without any problems.

The MarketApp software is running as a service named “MarketApp Service”. The service description says “Provides market data and analysis for the MarketApp software”. The service status is “Running”, which means that the service is running and the software is functional. However, as you reported, the software may crash sometimes, which can cause significant downtime. The service startup type is “Automatic”, which means that the service starts automatically every time the server boots up. The service log on as is “TestAccount”, which is a test account that was probably used for development or testing purposes.

To fix the issue with the MarketApp software, you need to do one thing:

You need to change the service log on as, so that the service runs under a proper account that has sufficient permissions and security settings for production use. To do this, you can right-click on the service name and select “Properties” from the menu. Alternatively, you can select the service name and click on the “Properties” button on the toolbar. You should see a window with several tabs and options. On the “Log On” tab, under “Log on as”, you can select either “Local System account” or “This account”. If you choose “Local System account”, then the service will run under a predefined local account that has extensive privileges on the local computer. If you choose “This account”, then you will need to enter a valid username and password for an account that has appropriate permissions and security settings for running the service. You may need to consult with your IT team or your software vendor to determine which option is best for your situation. Then, click on “OK” to save your changes.

The most likely cause of the servers displaying the wrong time is A. A firewall. A firewall is a network security device that monitors and controls incoming and outgoing network traffic based on predefined rules. A firewall can block or allow certain ports, protocols, or applications that are used for network communication.

One of the protocols that is used for time synchronization is the Network Time Protocol (NTP), which requires the use of UDP port 123 for all time synchronization1. If a firewall blocks this port, it can prevent the servers from obtaining the correct time from the time source. Therefore, the server administrator should check the firewall settings and make sure that UDP port 123 is allowed for NTP traffic.

A server baseline is a set of metrics that represents the normal performance and behavior of a server under a specific workload and configuration. A server baseline can help answer the server performance question by comparing the current performance with the previous performance before the upgrade. This can help identify any changes or issues that may have affected the server performance.References: https://www.comptia.org/training/resources/exam-objectives/comptia-server-sk0-005-exam-objectives (Objective 4.2)

JBOD (Just a Bunch Of Disks) is a storage configuration that combines different types and sizes of hard drives into one logical unit without any RAID level or redundancy. It allows users to see all the drives within the unit as one large storage space.JBOD can utilize all the available capacity of the drives but does not provide any performance or fault tolerance benefits. Verified References: [JBOD], [RAID]

A differential backup is a backup method that protects all the changes that have occurred since the last full backup. A differential backup copies all the files that have been added or modified since the last full backup, regardless of whether they have been backed up before or not. A differential backup does not reset the archive bit of the files, which means they will be backed up again in the next differential backup. A differentialbackup requires more storage space and time than an incremental backup, but it simplifies the restoration process, as only the last full backup and the last differential backup are needed to restore the data

A database server is a server that hosts a database management system (DBMS) that stores, organizes, and manipulates data. A database server is suitable for housing customer sales records, as it can provide fast and secure access, query and analysis capabilities, backup and recovery options, and scalability and performance optimization. Some examples of database servers are Microsoft SQL Server, Oracle Database, MySQL, and PostgreSQL. Verified References: [What is a Database Server?]

DLP (Data Loss Prevention) software is a type of security software that monitors and controls the transfer of sensitive or confidential data outside the organization. DLP software can prevent data breaches, data leaks, or data theft by blocking, encrypting, or alerting on unauthorized data transfers. DLP software can be applied to various channels, such as email, web, cloud, or removable devices.

In this scenario, the human resources analyst is attempting to email the records for new employees to an outside payroll company. The records for newemployees may contain sensitive or confidential data, such as personal information, tax information, or bank account information. The DLP software may detect this data and block the email from being sent outside the company, as it may violate the company’s data protection policy or regulations. The DLP software may also generate an error message to inform the analyst of the reason for the rejection.

chmod is a command-line tool that changes the permissions of files and directories in Linux and Unix systems. chmod go-rwx means to remove read, write, and execute permissions for group and other users from a file or directory. This can ensure only the root user can modify and execute the script, since root user has full access to all files and directories regardless of their permissions. References:https://linux.die.net/man/1/chmod