220-1101 Practice Test 17 — 15 Questions

Question 1

A company runs a private cloud infrastructure for its internal applications. During seasonal sales events, demand for computing resources doubles. The IT team wants to automatically expand the private cloud by utilizing a public cloud provider during these peak periods, and then scale back when demand normalizes. Which cloud computing concept does this scenario BEST describe?

Choose an answer to begin — your selection is scored in the full session.

Accepted Answer

Elasticity. This scenario describes elasticity, which is the ability of a cloud system to dynamically scale resources up or down based on demand. The private cloud automatically expands into a public cloud (cloud bursting) during peak periods and scales back when demand normalizes, matching the definition of elasticity.

Answer

High availability

Answer

Load balancing

Answer

Disaster recovery

Question 2

Match each network protocol to its well-known port number.

Accepted Answer

HTTP: 80. The correct matches are HTTP:80, HTTPS:443, FTP:21, SSH:22, and DNS:53. Common mistakes include swapping ports between HTTP/HTTPS and assigning SSH (port 22) to FTP.

Answer

FTP: 22

Answer

HTTP: 443

Question 3

Match each tool to its primary purpose in PC repair.

Accepted Answer

Multimeter: Measure voltage, resistance, and continuity. The correct matches are: Multimeter measures electrical properties, compressed air removes dust, antistatic wrist strap prevents ESD, and thermal paste improves heat conduction. Common mistakes include confusing the multimeter with compressed air.

Answer

Multimeter: Remove dust from components

Answer

Compressed air: Measure electrical values

Question 4

A technician installs a new CPU into an existing desktop motherboard that is listed as compatible. When the system is powered on, the fans spin and LEDs light up, but the screen remains black, and there are no POST beeps. The technician has reseated the RAM and GPU, and verified the power supply voltages are within spec. Which of the following should the technician check NEXT?

Accepted Answer

Check the CPU socket for bent pins. The symptoms—fans spin, LEDs light, but no POST and no beeps—indicate the motherboard is receiving power but the CPU is not initializing. Since the CPU is listed as compatible but was just installed, the most likely cause is physical damage to the CPU socket, such as bent pins, which prevents proper contact between the CPU and the motherboard. Reseating RAM and GPU and verifying PSU voltages already ruled out those common issues, making a socket inspection the logical next step.

Answer

Update the motherboard BIOS to the latest version

Answer

Replace the power supply with a higher-wattage unit

Answer

Test each RAM module one at a time in different slots

Question 5

A technician connects a new workstation to a managed switch port. The workstation receives an IP address from the DHCP server and can ping its own IP address, but it cannot ping any other devices on the local network, including the default gateway. The technician verifies that the Ethernet cable is functional and that the link lights are solid on both the NIC and the switch port. Which of the following is the MOST likely cause of this issue?

Accepted Answer

The switch port is configured with an incorrect VLAN assignment.. The workstation receives an IP address and can ping itself, confirming Layer 3 configuration is functional. However, it cannot ping other devices on the local network, including the default gateway. Since the cable and link lights are good, the issue is at Layer 2. An incorrect VLAN assignment on the switch port isolates the workstation into a different broadcast domain, preventing it from communicating with devices in the correct VLAN, including the gateway.

Answer

The workstation's network adapter is set to half-duplex.

Answer

The DHCP server has excluded the workstation's MAC address.

Answer

The default gateway is not configured on the switch.

Question 6

A company runs multiple virtual machines (VMs) on a single hypervisor host. The administrator wants to ensure that if one VM is compromised by malware, it cannot read the memory contents of other VMs running on the same host. Which hypervisor feature primarily provides this protection?

Accepted Answer

Virtual machine isolation. Virtual machine isolation is the hypervisor feature that prevents one VM from accessing the memory or processes of another VM on the same host. Each VM runs in its own isolated execution environment, enforced by the hypervisor's memory management unit (MMU) and hardware-assisted virtualization technologies like Intel VT-x or AMD-V. This ensures that even if a VM is compromised by malware, it cannot read the memory contents of co-resident VMs.

Answer

Resource pooling

Answer

Memory ballooning

Answer

Virtual machine snapshots

Question 7

A technician is troubleshooting a desktop computer that powers on (fans spin, LEDs light) but the monitor displays 'No Signal.' The technician has already verified the monitor is functional by testing it with another computer, and the video cable is securely connected to both the computer and monitor. The computer has both an integrated GPU on the motherboard and a discrete graphics card installed. Which of the following should the technician do NEXT?

Accepted Answer

Remove the discrete graphics card and connect the monitor to the motherboard's video port. The correct next step is to remove the discrete graphics card and connect the monitor to the motherboard's video port. This isolates whether the discrete GPU is faulty or improperly seated, because the system may be defaulting to the discrete card even if it is malfunctioning, preventing the integrated GPU from outputting video. Since the monitor and cable are verified functional, the issue is likely with the video output path, and testing the integrated GPU bypasses the discrete card entirely.

Answer

Replace the RAM modules with known-good sticks

Answer

Check the monitor's input source setting

Answer

Reseat the discrete graphics card in its PCIe slot

Question 8

A technician is troubleshooting a workstation in a small office that loses network connectivity sporadically. The technician notices that the problem occurs every time a nearby heavy-duty laser printer starts a print job. The workstation is connected to the same network switch as the printer but is on a different electrical circuit. The technician has already replaced the Ethernet patch cable and verified the workstation’s network settings are correct. The link light on the workstation’s NIC turns off during the outages. Which of the following should the technician check NEXT?

Accepted Answer

Check the power supply unit (PSU) output voltage during a printer startup. The sporadic network outage coinciding with the heavy-duty laser printer starting a print job, combined with the link light turning off, strongly indicates a power quality issue. The printer and workstation are on different electrical circuits, but a large inductive load like a laser printer's fuser can cause electrical noise or a voltage sag on the shared mains supply, which can disrupt the workstation's power supply unit (PSU) output. If the PSU cannot maintain stable voltages (e.g., +3.3V, +5V, +12V) during the sag, the NIC may lose power or become unstable, causing the link light to drop. Checking the PSU output voltage during printer startup is the logical next step to confirm or rule out this power-related cause.

Answer

Replace the network interface card (NIC)

Answer

Increase the DHCP lease time on the router

Answer

Disable power management on the network adapter

Question 9

A user in a small office can access shared files on the local network and can connect to the internet using a web browser when entering IP addresses directly (e.g., http://198.51.100.1) but cannot access any websites by their domain names (e.g., www.example.com). The network uses a DHCP server. Which of the following is the most likely cause of this issue?

Accepted Answer

The DNS server address is incorrect or unreachable.. The user can access resources by IP address but not by domain name, which indicates that name resolution is failing. Since the network uses DHCP, the most likely cause is that the DHCP server is providing an incorrect or unreachable DNS server address, preventing the client from resolving domain names to IP addresses.

Answer

The default gateway is configured incorrectly.

Answer

The subnet mask is set to a value that prevents Internet access.

Answer

The DHCP server has exhausted its address pool.

Question 10

A company hosts multiple VMs on a Type 1 hypervisor. The physical host has two NICs configured in a teamed pair for redundancy and load balancing. The administrator creates a new VM and attaches it to a virtual switch that is bound to the NIC team. The VM can communicate with other VMs on the same host but cannot communicate with any devices on the physical LAN. Other VMs on the same host can reach the physical LAN. Which of the following is the most likely cause?

Accepted Answer

The VM is assigned to a VLAN that is not allowed on the physical switch ports.. The VM can communicate with other VMs on the same host but not with the physical LAN, while other VMs on the same host can reach the LAN. This indicates the virtual switch is correctly bound to the NIC team and the host has external connectivity, but the specific VM is isolated at Layer 2. The most likely cause is that the VM is assigned to a VLAN that is not allowed (pruned) on the physical switch ports, so its tagged frames are dropped by the upstream switch, preventing any communication beyond the hypervisor.

Answer

The VM's virtual switch is configured as an internal-only switch.

Answer

The NIC teaming mode is set to fault tolerance only.

Answer

The VM's network adapter is set to the wrong MAC address.

Question 11

A technician is troubleshooting a workstation that cannot connect to any network resources. The IP configuration shows an APIPA address (169.254.x.x). Other workstations on the same physical network are functioning normally. What is the MOST likely cause?

Accepted Answer

Switch port configured for a different VLAN. An APIPA address (169.254.x.x) is assigned when a DHCP client fails to receive a lease. Since other workstations on the same physical network are working, the issue is isolated to this workstation's switch port. If the switch port is configured for a different VLAN, the workstation's DHCP broadcast will not reach the DHCP server in the correct VLAN, causing the client to self-assign an APIPA address. This is the most likely cause because the physical connectivity is intact, but Layer 2 segmentation prevents DHCP communication.

Answer

Faulty network interface card

Answer

Duplicate IP address on the network

Answer

Incorrect default gateway configured

Question 12

A technician is replacing a failed hard drive in a server that uses RAID 1 (mirroring). The server has hot-swappable drive bays, and the operating system continues to function with the remaining drive. Which of the following steps should the technician perform FIRST to restore fault tolerance?

Accepted Answer

Remove the failed drive, insert a new drive of equal or larger capacity, and allow the RAID controller to rebuild the mirror automatically. In a RAID 1 (mirroring) configuration with hot-swappable bays, the failed drive can be removed and a new drive of equal or larger capacity inserted while the system remains online. The RAID controller will automatically detect the new drive and rebuild the mirror, restoring fault tolerance without manual intervention or backup restoration. This is the standard first step because it leverages the hot-swap capability and the automatic rebuild feature of RAID 1.

Answer

Replace both hard drives and restore the data from a recent backup

Answer

Format the new drive in the server's file system before inserting it

Answer

Remove the failed drive, insert a new drive, and launch the RAID configuration utility to designate the new drive as a hot spare

Question 13

A technician is rebuilding a desktop PC after a motherboard failure. The technician installs a new motherboard that supports DDR4-3200, an Intel Core i5-11400 CPU, and 2x8GB of DDR4-3200 RAM. The system powers on for about 10 seconds, then shuts down and immediately restarts, repeating this cycle indefinitely. The technician has verified that the CPU cooler is properly mounted with thermal paste and that the RAM is fully seated in the correct slots (A2 and B2). Which of the following is the MOST likely cause of the issue?

Accepted Answer

CPU power connector is not fully seated. The most likely cause is that the CPU power connector (typically the 4+4 pin 12V EPS connector) is not fully seated. Without proper power delivery to the CPU, the system will attempt to start, fail the Power-On Self-Test (POST) due to a CPU initialization error, and then automatically reboot in a continuous loop. The technician has already verified RAM seating and cooler installation, making an incomplete CPU power connection the primary suspect.

Answer

RAM modules are not installed in the correct slots

Answer

The motherboard BIOS does not support the Intel Core i5-11400 CPU

Answer

Power supply wattage is insufficient for the new components

Question 14

A technician is configuring a small office network with a PoE-managed switch and several VoIP phones. All phones are connected and working except one. On the non-working phone, the Ethernet link light is solid on both the phone and the switch port, but the phone's display remains dark and it does not power on. The technician has verified the cable with a tester and it passes. The switch port is enabled and configured for the same VLAN as other working phones. Which of the following is the MOST likely cause?

Accepted Answer

The switch port's PoE power budget has been exceeded.. A PoE-managed switch allocates power from a finite budget. If the total power draw of all connected devices exceeds the switch's PoE power budget, the switch may deny power to additional devices even if the port is administratively enabled and the link is up. The solid Ethernet link light indicates Layer 1 connectivity, but the phone's dark display and lack of power suggest it is not receiving PoE, which is consistent with the switch having exhausted its PoE budget.

Answer

The phone's MAC address is incorrect.

Answer

The cable is a crossover cable.

Answer

The switch port is in a different subnet.

Question 15

A user reports that they can access the internet and browse other websites normally, but when they try to visit https://www.example.com, the browser displays 'This site can't be reached'. Other computers on the same network can access the website. The technician has confirmed that the computer can ping the IP address of the website's server (93.184.216.34) successfully. The DNS settings appear correct. Which of the following should the technician check FIRST?

Accepted Answer

C. Verify the computer's hosts file has no entry for www.example.com. The hosts file (located at C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts on Windows) is a local override for DNS resolution. Since the computer can ping the server by IP (93.184.216.34) but fails to reach the FQDN (www.example.com) via HTTPS, a misconfigured hosts entry could be redirecting the domain to an incorrect or unreachable IP, bypassing the otherwise correct DNS settings. This is the first check because it directly explains the symptom without affecting other computers.

Answer

A. Check the browser's proxy settings

Answer

B. Run the Windows Network Troubleshooter

Answer

D. Release and renew the DHCP lease