What the CompTIA Server+ SK0-005 is and who it is for
CompTIA Server+ is the vendor neutral certification for server administration professionals. It validates that you can install, configure, manage, secure and troubleshoot server hardware and software across data centre, on premises and hybrid environments. That takes in physical hardware, storage, virtualisation, security, disaster recovery and scripting basics. The current version is V5, series code SK0-005, launched on 18 May 2021.
It is for you if you look after servers day to day, you are moving from desktop support into infrastructure, or you want a credential that proves hands on server skills without tying you to one hardware or operating system vendor. CompTIA recommends A+ or equivalent knowledge plus two years of hands on server experience.
Server+ is valid for three years. CompTIA lists it in its continuing education programme, so you can renew it through continuing education instead of resitting the exam.
CompTIA Server+ SK0-005 at a glance
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Exam code | SK0-005 |
| Questions | Up to 90, including performance based questions |
| Time allowed | 90 minutes |
| Passing score | 750 on a scale of 900 |
| Exam fee | US$399 per voucher |
| Where you sit it | Pearson VUE testing centres or online proctored |
| Certification valid for | 3 years |
What is on the exam
Four domains. Server administration and troubleshooting together make up 58% of the exam, which is more than most candidates expect.
Server hardware installation and management (18%). Racking and cabling, form factors, power and cooling, processors, memory and expansion cards, and storage: drive types, RAID levels and how storage is attached. Expect questions that ask which component or configuration meets a requirement, and what to check before installing it.
Server administration (30%). The largest domain. Installing and configuring server operating systems, network settings and roles, virtualisation, scripting basics, asset management and documentation, licensing, and the end of life handling of hardware. This is the day to day work of running servers, and the questions assume you have done it.
Security and disaster recovery (24%). Physical security of the data centre, hardening servers, access controls and data security, secure disposal of media, and then backups, replication, recovery sites and the plans and tests that make recovery work. Many questions ask for the right backup or recovery approach for a given business need.
Troubleshooting (28%). A structured method, then its application to hardware, storage, operating system, software, network connectivity and security problems. Questions describe a symptom and ask for the likely cause or the next step, and the performance based questions often live here.
Why people fail it
The exam is broader than most candidates expect. It spans server hardware, server administration, security and disaster recovery, and troubleshooting, and the performance based questions need hands on knowledge rather than definitions. People who come to Server+ thinking of it as a hardware exam prepare mainly on component specs, and then find that server administration alone is 30% and troubleshooting another 28%. The marks sit in running and fixing servers, not in naming their parts.
Troubleshooting is its own trap. Knowing the right fix is not always enough: CompTIA also wants the right order, starting with identifying the problem and ending with documenting it. Candidates who jump straight to the fix they would use at work pick a sensible answer that is not the one being marked.
Then there is the clock and the cost. Up to 90 questions in 90 minutes, with PBQs in the mix, leaves little room for a slow start. And failing means paying the US$399 voucher again, so a rushed first attempt is an expensive way to find out where your gaps are.
A study plan that fits the exam
Seven weeks, weighted to the domains: two for administration, one and a half for troubleshooting, one and a half for security and disaster recovery, one for hardware, and a final week of timed practice.
- Week 1: server hardware. Form factors, power and cooling, components, storage and RAID. At the end of the week, try the free Server+ practice questions to see how CompTIA frames them.
- Week 2: server administration, part one. Operating system installation, network configuration, server roles and virtualisation. Work the matching questions in the SK0-005 practice question pack and read every explanation, including the wrong options.
- Week 3: server administration, part two. Scripting basics, asset management, documentation, licensing and end of life. Then a mixed set across hardware and administration.
- Week 4: security. Physical security, hardening, access control, data security and media disposal. Start on backup types before the week ends.
- Week 5: disaster recovery and the troubleshooting method. Backups, replication, recovery sites and testing for the first half, then learn the troubleshooting steps in order.
- Week 6: troubleshooting in practice. Hardware, storage, operating system, network and security problems. Practise the PBQs until the simulated environment feels routine.
- Week 7: timed runs. Use the questions only PDF for full sittings against the 90 minute limit, score yourself by domain, and spend the last days on the lowest one.
On exam day
You sit SK0-005 at a Pearson VUE testing centre or online with a proctor. For online delivery, check the room and webcam rules ahead of time and run the system test on the computer you will use. For a centre, bring the identification your booking asks for and arrive early.
You have the same number of minutes as the maximum number of questions, so keep moving. If a PBQ looks long, flag it if the interface allows, work through the multiple choice items and return to it with the time you have saved. On troubleshooting questions, check whether you are being asked for the cause, the fix or the next step in the method. The passing score is 750 on a scale of 900, and the scale is not a straight percentage, so do not count marks as you go.
Frequently asked questions
Does Server+ expire?
Yes. Server+ is valid for three years. CompTIA includes it in its continuing education programme, so you can renew it through continuing education rather than resitting the exam.
What happens if I fail? Can I retake it?
You can, but each attempt needs a new US$399 voucher. CompTIA publishes its retake policy, including any waiting period, on its website, so check it before you book. The practice pack is refunded if you fail, but the voucher is not, so put your timed practice before the first attempt.
Is the practice question pack enough on its own?
No. It is 584 practice questions, MCQs and PBQs, mapped to the SK0-005 objectives, with an explanation for every answer and every wrong option. It shows you how CompTIA asks about servers and where your gaps are. It is not a course, and it does not replace a study guide or real time spent configuring and fixing servers. Use it alongside both.
When you are ready to practise, get the 584 question SK0-005 pack for US$39, pass or your money back.