CompTIA Server+ SK0-005 (V5) Exam Objectives
This page translates the CompTIA Server+ SK0-005 (V5) exam objectives into clear, practical language. You’ll see what each domain covers, the real tasks you’ll face on servers (on-prem and hybrid), and a focused study plan that turns objectives into repeatable labs, PBQs, and job-ready skills.
Last updated: November 11, 2025. Always verify against the official CompTIA blueprint before your exam.
TL;DR: Server+ SK0-005 validates hands-on server skills across hardware installation & management, server administration, security & disaster recovery, and troubleshooting.
Table of Contents
- What Is Covered on CompTIA Server+ SK0-005 (V5)?
- Objective-By-Objective Breakdown (with examples)
- Why Server+ for Admin/Ops Roles?
- Study Plan: How to Master the SK0-005 Objectives
- Free Checklist & Next Steps
- Frequently Asked Questions
What Is Covered on CompTIA Server+ SK0-005 (V5)?
Server+ proves you can build, administer, secure, and troubleshoot physical and virtual servers in modern data centers and hybrid clouds. Expect scenario questions and PBQs that test how you design, implement, maintain, and recover:
- Install, configure, and manage server hardware, firmware, storage, and connectivity
- Administer operating systems and services, virtualization, and basic container/cloud touches
- Implement security baselines, backup/restore, and disaster recovery plans
- Diagnose and resolve hardware, OS, network, and performance faults methodically
Note
Wording below is learner-friendly. Map your prep to the official SK0-003 (V5) objectives before test day.
Objective-By-Objective Breakdown (with examples)
1) Server Hardware Installation & Management
Lay a reliable physical foundation.- Rack & power: rack units, rails, cable management, PDUs, UPS sizing, redundancy (A/B power), grounding
- Hardware: CPUs (cores/threads), RAM types/slots, DIMM population rules, BIOS/UEFI, firmware/driver management
- Storage: SATA/SAS/NVMe, RAID levels (0/1/5/6/10) and trade-offs, HBAs, hot-swap bays, backplane indicators
- Networking: multi-NIC, bonding/teaming, out-of-band management (iDRAC/iLO/Redfish awareness), VLAN tagging at the NIC
- Environmental: airflow (front-to-back), hot/cold aisles, thermal monitoring, asset labels and documentation
2) Server Administration
Keep servers stable, patched, and observable.- OS install & config: unattended installs, imaging, drivers, post-install hardening, time sync (NTP)
- Services: directory, DNS/DHCP basics, web/app/database services (admin awareness), logging locations and rotation
- Virtualization: type-1 hypervisors, VM creation, templates, snapshots (safe use), resource allocation (vCPU/RAM/storage/network)
- Storage services: LUNs, iSCSI/NFS/SMB shares, multipathing, quotas, dedupe/compression awareness
- Automation: scripting fundamentals for admin tasks, scheduled jobs, config templates and golden images
- Observability: system metrics (CPU/RAM/disk/network), logs, alerts, performance baselines
3) Security & Disaster Recovery
Protect systems and keep data recoverable.- Hardening: least functionality, secure boot/firmware, host firewalls, EDR/AV on servers when appropriate
- Identity & access: role-based access, privileged account hygiene, key/secret handling, certificate basics
- Network security: mgmt plane isolation, jump hosts/Bastion, segmentation, patch windows and change control
- Backup & restore: full/incremental/differential, application-aware backups (e.g., databases), snapshots vs. backups, offsite/immutable copies, test restores
- DR/BCP: RTO/RPO targets, failover vs. failback, runbooks, replication (synchronous vs. asynchronous), tabletop exercises
4) Troubleshooting
Recover quickly with structure and evidence.- Method: identify → form theory → test → plan remediation → implement → verify → document
- Hardware: POST/beep codes, memory errors, CPU thermal throttling, PSU faults, disk SMART alerts, backplane/cable faults
- OS & services: boot loops, driver conflicts, hung services, permission issues, runaway processes, patch regressions
- Network/perf: duplex/speed mismatches, link flaps, VLAN mis-tags, DNS/DHCP problems, congestion, IOPS and latency bottlenecks
- Root cause & prevention: document findings, implement preventive measures (patches, config, monitoring), and schedule follow-ups
Why Server+ for Admin/Ops Roles?
Server+ demonstrates you can run the stack from metal to VM and services—safely and repeatably. It aligns with server administrator, data center technician, virtualization admin, and platform operations roles that value reliability, documentation, and recovery discipline.
Study Plan: How to Master the SK0-005 Objectives
- Build a lab you can break
Rack-style layout (or nested virtualization), two NICs per host, a small SAN/NAS or virtual storage, and a type-1 hypervisor. Practice firmware updates and out-of-band access. - Standardize installs
Create a golden image, automate post-install config, and capture baseline performance. Document every step so you can reproduce it. - Operate with dashboards
Wire metrics/logs/alerts. Track CPU ready, memory pressure, disk latency/IOPS, and NIC errors. Tune alerts to cut noise. - Practice DR for real
Do a backup and a restore of a service. Test a snapshot rollback and a full restore. Record RTO/RPO results and gaps. - Troubleshoot by layers
When service breaks, check hardware → hypervisor → OS → service → network → identity. Take notes, capture evidence, and write a short “lesson learned.”
