CompTIA Server+ Course & Lab for Exam SK0-005 - Complete

Install server operating systems by evaluating hardware and architecture, choosing GUI or core, configuring partitions (MBR vs GPT) and filesystems (ext4, NTFS, ZFS), and deploying via bare metal or imaging.

Install two servers and a workstation in VMware Workstation Pro using Windows Server 2025, Fedora Server Linux, and Windows 11 ISOs, then configure basic VM settings and TPM considerations.

Explore how servers deliver infrastructure services within a client-server model, using TCP/IP protocols, IP addresses (IPv4/IPv6), DNS and DHCP, MAC addresses, ports, and sockets.

Explore VLAN fundamentals, trunk links, and inter‑VLAN routing using router on a stick and multilayer switches, then apply DNS basics and firewall concepts across security zones.

Master IP subnetting for sysadmins by using the delta method and subnet calculator to design VLANs, allocate subnets, and optimize host ranges with VLSM and CIDR notation.

Learn to protect a server with VLAN isolation by assigning PC and admin laptop to VLAN ten and the server to VLAN twenty on a switch, then test inter-VLAN connectivity.

Enable vlan routing with a layer three switch to route between vlan ten and vlan 20, assign ip addresses and default gateways, configure vlan interfaces, and verify inter-vlan connectivity.

Apply ACL 101 on a multilayer switch to shield the web server at 192.168.20.2, allowing HTTP/HTTPS from any source and admin laptop access 192.168.10.4 while denying all other traffic.

Discover server functions and services, from file and print to directory, web, and email servers, plus virtualization. Look at storage provisioning, partitions, quotas, backups, deduplication, and compression.

Learn how to monitor server health with real-time metrics, alerts, and automated responses; manage logs, baselines, and centralized logging, and administer servers via console, SSH, and web interfaces.

monitor Linux on a Fedora server via command line using lsof and ps to inspect sockets and processes, then use netstat, wget, netcat, and top for network and performance insights.

Install and configure Active Directory Domain Services, DNS, and DHCP on Windows Server, assign a static IP, promote to domain controller, and verify DNS and DHCP with clients.

Explore high availability concepts, from fault tolerance and server redundancy to clustering, load balancing, and failover, including heartbeat, quorum, and network interface card (nic) teaming to minimize downtime.

Explore virtualization fundamentals: hosts, guests, hypervisors, and virtual networking with vnic and virtual switches. See how cloud models enable provisioning, scaling, and disaster recovery across public, private, and hybrid environments.

Automate server administration with PowerShell scripting to streamline tasks such as user creation, service monitoring, updates, and backups across Windows and Linux, learning concepts like variables, loops, and remote management.

Master server asset management by tracking and documenting all hardware, software, licenses, and virtual resources; plan lifecycle, budgeting, and governance while maintaining reliable incident response and clear documentation.

Explore licensing concepts for servers, including per instance, per concurrent user, per socket, per core, site-based, and physical versus virtual deployments, with activation, auditing, and maintenance considerations.

Explore server networking essentials, including IP addressing, DHCP exclusions, DNS, and Active Directory records. Learn practical scenarios on NIC teaming, VLANs, trunking, and IP subnetting for fault-tolerant, scalable networks.

Master disk management and storage design, from installing disks and partitioning to configuring raid levels, file systems, quotas, and mounts; compare raid options and san/nas strategies for databases and servers.

Master virtualization basics, including type one and type two hypervisors, overprovisioning, and live migration. Explore disaster recovery concepts like Hyper-V replica and Vmotion, plus networking and deployment templates.

Explore Linux disk management, hardware, and networking commands in Kali Linux, using GNOME Disk Utility to partition and format and tools like fdisk, df, mount, tcpdump, dig, nslookup, and host.

Explore data security mechanisms, including encryption (symmetric and asymmetric), hashing, and data retention, and examine data at rest, in transit, and in use, with storage options and third-party policies.

Explore symmetric encryption by using an online tool to encrypt and decrypt with various algorithms, compare AES variants and DES, and note how input length and base64 outputs influence ciphertext.

Explore asymmetric encryption with RSA key pairs generated by a JavaScript demo, encrypting with the public key and decrypting with the private key across 512, 1024, and 4096 bit sizes.

Compare online and Kali hashing tools, learn md5sum and sha1sum outputs (128-bit and 160-bit), and see how small input changes produce different hashes for integrity checks.

Assess data security risks, including hardware failure, malware, insider threats, and breaches, and mitigate them with data monitoring, two-person integrity, separation of duties, and regulatory-compliant risk-based data lifecycles.

Master backups and restores, including full, differential, incremental, and snapshot types, open file backups, and synthetic full techniques. Explore restore methods, validation, and media rotation for reliable disaster recovery.

Master server hardening methods from firmware and boot level security to OS and application hardening, implementing passwords, encryption, patching, monitoring, role-based access control, and disaster recovery.

Learn how to scan servers for open ports, identify running services, and harden systems by disabling unnecessary ports and firewalls, using nmap, putty, and basic subnet and OS fingerprinting.

Enforce identity and access with authentication, authorization, and least privilege in server administration. Apply RBAC and MFA, implement auditing, delegation, and single sign on to control access and monitor activity.

Experiment with ntfs permissions by creating a user and a group, assigning them to a test folder, exploring explicit and inherited permissions and effective access.

Learn to configure multi-factor authentication for a Gmail account, enabling two-step verification with a phone number and testing sign-in with a code.

Securely decommission servers through a policy-driven process that clears data and archives logs to prevent data leaks and ensure compliance. Document replacement plans and maintain chain-of-custody for destruction.

Explore physical security concepts for data centers, including bollards, fencing, guards and cameras, man traps, safes, shredders, cypher locks, biometric and RFID/card readers, and fire suppression and environmental controls.

Test social engineering awareness in the CompTIA Server+ course with a simulated spear phishing campaign that uses a credential harvester and a fake login site.

Explore disaster recovery by reviewing backup sites—cold, warm, hot, mirrored, and cloud—and how they support relocation. Learn high availability metrics like MTBF, MTTR, RTO, and RPO.

Explore high availability mechanisms like load balancing, multipathing, NIC teaming, EtherChannel, and replication types (synchronous, asynchronous) to ensure automatic failover, data integrity, and service continuity.

Explore practical security and disaster recovery tips, including data at rest and in transit encryption, MFA and RBAC, network segmentation, patching, logging, and insider threat mitigation.

Develop and test disaster recovery plans with tabletop exercises, simulated tests, and live failovers while mastering RTO and RPO, backups, HA, clustering, and cloud strategies for resilience.

Apply a methodical, safety aware server troubleshooting methodology that identifies problems, tests theories, documents steps, and verifies full system functionality to resolve common failures efficiently.

Troubleshoot connectivity to the server by diagnosing VLAN misconfigurations, IP and gateway settings, switch port errors, and firewall ACLs to ensure web access while restricting ICMP.

Apply the CompTIA troubleshooting model to diagnose and resolve server issues by identifying problems, testing theories, planning fixes, and documenting outcomes to prevent recurrence.

Configure and troubleshoot ip, dhcp, dns, and vlan networks, diagnose switchport issues, optimize dns and gateway reachability, and explore virtualization basics.

Finish the course and celebrate your achievement. Practice the activities to put what you learned into play and really let it sink in before the next class.