SK0-005 Practice Test 3 — 25 Questions

Question 1

Several users report sluggish performance from a database server. The server administrator notices that the CPU fans are running at maximum speed and the baseboard management controller (BMC) reports CPU temperatures of 85°C even at idle. The administrator already cleaned dust from the chassis and verified all fans are operational. Which of the following should the administrator do NEXT?

Accepted Answer

Reapply thermal paste on the CPU heat sinks.. High temperatures persist after cleaning and fan checks suggest poor heat conduction between the CPU and heatsink, typically caused by dried or inadequate thermal paste.

Answer

Add additional case fans to improve airflow.

Answer

Replace the CPU fans with higher RPM models.

Answer

Increase the fan speed thresholds in the BIOS.

Question 2

A technician is installing a new 2U server into a datacenter rack. The server is equipped with redundant power supplies. According to best practices for power redundancy, how should the technician connect the power supplies?

Accepted Answer

Connect each PSU to a separate circuit. Option B is correct because connecting each power supply to a separate circuit (or separate PDUs fed by different circuits) ensures that if one circuit fails, the other keeps the server powered. Option A is wrong because connecting both to the same PDU creates a single point of failure. Option C is wrong because while a UPS is important, connecting only one PSU to a UPS defeats redundancy if the non-UPS circuit fails. Option D is wrong because operating voltages are standardized and must match the server specifications.

Answer

Connect one PSU to a UPS and the other directly to mains

Answer

Run one PSU at 110V and the other at 220V for load balancing

Answer

Connect both PSUs to the same power distribution unit (PDU)

Question 3

After a brief power outage, a server does not power on when the power button is pressed. The power supply LED indicator is green, but the internal fans do not spin and there is no video output. Which of the following is the MOST appropriate troubleshooting step?

Accepted Answer

Check that the 24-pin ATX power connector is securely connected to the motherboard.. A green LED indicates standby power is present. If the system does not fully power on, the primary power delivery from the PSU to the motherboard may be disrupted, often by a loose connector.

Answer

Test the system with a known-good CPU.

Answer

Reset the server's configuration via the CMOS jumper.

Answer

Replace the power supply.

Question 4

A server administrator needs to set up out-of-band management for a new server. Which THREE of the following are essential for successful configuration and remote access? (Choose three.)

Accepted Answer

A dedicated management network interface (e.g., iDRAC, iLO dedicated port).. Out-of-band management relies on a dedicated hardware controller (BMC), a separate network interface for remote access, and a client-side tool to interact with it.

Answer

A DHCP server configured to provide an IP to the management interface.

Answer

An installed operating system on the server.

Question 5

A server has four 1 Gbps network interface cards (NICs) configured in a Link Aggregation Control Protocol (LACP) team with a managed switch. The switch ports are confirmed to be correctly configured for LACP. However, during a file transfer test, the observed aggregate throughput is only about 2 Gbps. Which of the following should the administrator verify FIRST?

Accepted Answer

Examine the load-balancing algorithm on the server or switch. Option B is correct because LACP uses a load-balancing algorithm (hashing) to distribute traffic across member links. The default hash policy (e.g., Layer 2 based) may not utilize all links effectively for certain traffic patterns. Checking and adjusting the load-balancing algorithm (e.g., to Layer 2+3 or Layer 3+4) often resolves uneven distribution. Option A (drivers) could affect teaming but less likely if the team is formed. Option C (MTU) issues would typically cause fragmentation or performance problems, not simply limiting aggregate throughput. Option D (Spanning Tree) would block ports, not limit throughput. Option E (flow control) could affect performance but is not the most common cause of suboptimal LACP throughput.

Answer

Update the NIC drivers to the latest version

Answer

Verify the MTU settings on the NICs and switch

Answer

Check for Spanning Tree Protocol blockages

Question 6

Refer to the exhibit. A server technician sees the following output. What is the current status of the RAID array?

Accepted Answer

Degraded. The 'State' line clearly indicates 'clean, degraded', and one device is marked as 'removed'. The array is operational but missing a drive.

Answer

Rebuilding

Answer

Healthy

Answer

Failed

Question 7

A server has been experiencing random crashes and generating memory-related errors in the system event log. The technician has already run memory diagnostics which show frequent errors on a single DIMM. The server has four DIMMs installed. Which of the following is the BEST next step?

Accepted Answer

Replace the failing DIMM with a known good, matching module. With diagnostics confirming errors on a specific DIMM, the best action is to replace that faulty module. Reseating may not fix a physical failure. Updating BIOS or replacing all DIMMs is unnecessary and could be wasteful.

Answer

Update the BIOS firmware

Answer

Replace all four DIMMs to prevent future issues

Answer

Reseat all DIMMs and re-run diagnostics

Question 8

A technician is installing a new 2U server into an existing rack. The rack is fully populated with servers that use front-to-back airflow. The new server also uses front-to-back cooling. The technician notices gaps between some servers and several open rack units without equipment. To ensure optimal airflow and prevent potential thermal issues, which of the following actions should the technician take FIRST?

Accepted Answer

Install blanking panels in all unused rack spaces.. Option A is correct because installing blanking panels in unused rack spaces prevents hot air from recirculating to server intakes, maintaining proper cooling airflow. Option B is wrong because increasing fan speed only treats the symptom and wastes energy without solving recirculation. Option C is wrong because leaving gaps disrupts the designed front-to-back airflow, allowing hot air to mix with cold intake air. Option D is wrong because adding exhaust fans may interfere with the existing airflow pattern and does not directly address recirculation caused by gaps.

Answer

Install additional exhaust fans at the rear of the rack to pull hot air out.

Answer

Increase the fan speed of the new server to compensate for recirculated air.

Answer

Leave the gaps to allow passive air movement and reduce pressure.

Question 9

Refer to the exhibit. A technician reviewing the server's storage array status sees the above output. The server is using a hot spare with a RAID 5 array. What should the technician do NEXT?

Accepted Answer

Immediately replace the drive in slot 1I:1:3 to prevent data loss. A predictive failure warning means the drive is likely to fail soon. Immediate replacement prevents array degradation and possible data loss. The hot spare is activated only on actual failure; rebuilding the array to include the hot spare is not possible manually for predictive failures. Backing up is prudent but not the most urgent next step.

Answer

Run a full backup and then replace the drive

Answer

Rebuild the array to include the hot spare

Answer

Continue monitoring; the drive is still functional

Question 10

A server displays a 'CMOS battery low' error during POST. After the technician replaces the CR2032 battery with a new one, the server still loses date and time settings when disconnected from power. Which of the following should the technician try NEXT?

Accepted Answer

Verify the new battery is functional and properly seated. Option A is correct because it is possible the new battery is defective, installed incorrectly, or not making proper contact. The first step is to verify the battery itself and its installation. Option B is wrong because a faulty motherboard is possible, but troubleshooting should start with the simplest and most likely cause. Option C is wrong because power supply fluctuations are unlikely to cause CMOS settings loss specifically when unplugged. Option D is wrong because the BIOS chip retaining settings is part of the CMOS circuit, but the immediate issue is likely the power source (battery) for the CMOS.

Answer

Check the power supply for voltage fluctuations

Answer

Update the BIOS firmware

Answer

Replace the motherboard

Question 11

A systems administrator is configuring a new server that will host a mission-critical database. The server has two redundant power supplies. The organization's data center has two separate power circuits, each backed by a different UPS. Which of the following power configurations provides the BEST redundancy?

Accepted Answer

Connect each power supply to a different power circuit.. Connecting each power supply to a different power circuit ensures that if one circuit or UPS fails, the server continues to receive power from the other source. Option B is correct because it eliminates single points of failure in the power path. Option A is incorrect because connecting both to the same circuit creates a single point of failure; a circuit trip would take down the server. Option C is incorrect because using a single live PSU with a cold spare does not provide automatic failover and would cause downtime if the active PSU fails. Option D is incorrect because a single high-capacity UPS is still a single point of failure, and does not protect against UPS failure or circuit issues.

Answer

Connect both power supplies to a single, high-capacity UPS.

Answer

Use a single power supply and keep the second as a cold spare.

Answer

Connect both power supplies to the same circuit to balance load.

Question 12

A small business relies on a tower server that acts as a file and print server for 15 employees. The server has a single Intel Xeon E-2300 series processor, four 16GB DDR4 ECC RDIMMs installed in dual-channel configuration, and two 2TB 7200 RPM SATA hard drives in a hardware RAID 1 mirror. The power supply unit (PSU) is a 500W 80+ Bronze unit that is about four years old. Recently, the server has started experiencing random, intermittent crashes resulting in a blue screen, typically during periods of heavy disk I/O, such as when multiple users access large files. Event Viewer logs show occasional corrected memory errors (ECC events) but no uncorrected errors. The administrator runs MemTest86+ on all four DIMMs for multiple passes, and no errors are detected. The server room ambient temperature is normal, and all fans are operating. The crashes are becoming more frequent. Which of the following actions would MOST likely resolve the underlying issue?

Accepted Answer

Upgrade the power supply to a higher wattage, 80+ Gold unit. Option B is correct. Intermittent crashes under heavy load, combined with ECC corrected errors but passing memory tests, can indicate a power supply that is failing or inadequate under peak load. A 500W PSU may be marginal, especially with aging capacitors, causing voltage drops that lead to memory and system instability. Option A: Replacing the motherboard is premature, as no clear evidence points to a faulty memory controller. Option C: Reseating RAM may help if a connection issue, but given MemTest passes and errors are corrected, physical seating is less likely. Option D: Replacing HDDs with SSDs would reduce I/O load but does not address the likely power instability causing memory errors and crashes.

Answer

Reseat all memory modules and clean the DIMM slots

Answer

Replace the hard drives with solid-state drives (SSDs)

Answer

Replace the motherboard, as the memory controller is likely failing

Question 13

A small business has purchased a new server to function as a file server for 25 employees. The server is equipped with four 1TB SATA hard disk drives and no hardware RAID controller; the operating system supports software RAID. The business owner's primary requirements are data redundancy to protect against a single drive failure and maximum usable storage capacity, while keeping costs low. The IT technician is tasked with configuring the storage. The technician evaluates the following options: RAID 0 striping across all four drives; RAID 1 mirroring using two pairs (drives 1+2 mirrored, drives 3+4 mirrored), providing two separate volumes; RAID 5 with parity across all four drives; and RAID 10 combining mirroring and striping. The technician needs to recommend the configuration that best meets the requirements. Which of the following should the technician implement?

Accepted Answer

Configure RAID 5 to stripe data and parity across all four drives, providing 3TB of usable storage with single-drive fault tolerance.. Option C is correct because RAID 5 provides single-drive fault tolerance and maximizes usable capacity (3TB out of 4TB), offering the best balance between redundancy and storage space. Option A provides no redundancy. Option B uses mirroring, which wastes half the total capacity (only 2TB usable). Option D also provides only 2TB and adds performance benefits that are not the primary requirement, while costing more in usable space.

Answer

Configure RAID 10 by mirroring two pairs and striping across them, providing 2TB of storage with high performance and redundancy.

Answer

Configure RAID 0 to stripe across all four drives for maximum 4TB storage and performance.

Answer

Configure RAID 1 with two mirrored pairs, providing 2TB of total storage across two volumes, ensuring redundancy.

Question 14

A server administrator receives reports that a production server is shutting down unexpectedly after running for several hours. The server is a 2U rackmount unit located in a data center with proper ambient cooling (20°C/68°F). The server has redundant power supplies connected to separate PDUs and no power anomalies are reported. The administrator checks the operating system event logs and finds a critical log entry: 'The system was shut down due to a thermal event.' However, the CPU temperature logs show that the CPU was at 47°C at the time of shutdown, and the chassis inlet temperature was 23°C. The server's internal fans are running at high speed and are clearly audible. The administrator suspects a thermal issue but is unsure why the CPU is not showing high temperature. The server has a baseboard management controller (BMC) that monitors various sensors. Which of the following components should the administrator investigate FIRST to identify the likely cause of the shutdown?

Accepted Answer

Inspect the voltage regulator module (VRM) temperatures and airflow around the motherboard.. Option B is correct because voltage regulator modules (VRMs) can overheat and trigger a thermal shutdown via the BMC even when the CPU temperature is within normal limits. VRMs are often located in areas with restricted airflow and are critical to CPU power delivery. Option A is incorrect because CPU temperature is normal, so the heatsink is likely functioning. Option C is incorrect because power supply faults would not generate a thermal event. Option D is a possible long-term fix for a firmware bug, but physical inspection of temperature-sensitive components should come first.

Answer

Swap the redundant power supplies to rule out a failing PSU.

Answer

Replace the CPU heatsink and reapply thermal paste.

Answer

Update the server firmware and BIOS to the latest version.

Question 15

A company is expanding its data center to support a new four-node database cluster for a critical application requiring 99.999% uptime, meaning only minutes of downtime per year. Each server node has dual 1000W power supplies. The facility provides two independent power feeds from separate utility substations, each backed by its own online double-conversion UPS. There are four 20A/208V PDUs available, two per power feed. The design must ensure that the loss of any single power feed, any single UPS, or any single PDU does not cause any server to lose power or impact the cluster's availability. The servers are located in a single rack, and cabling must follow best practices for manageability and airflow. The IT architect is evaluating different power distribution strategies to meet these fault-tolerance requirements. Which of the following configurations achieves full redundancy with no single point of failure in the power path?

Accepted Answer

Connect the first power supply of each server to a PDU on power feed A and the second power supply to a PDU on power feed B.. Option D is correct because connecting each server's power supplies to two different PDUs that are on separate power feeds guarantees that if one feed, UPS, or PDU fails, the server continues to receive power from the remaining source. Option A does not protect against PDU failure. Option B exposes servers to a power feed failure. Option C introduces a single PDU as a single point of failure.

Answer

Connect each server's power supplies to two PDUs that are both on the same power feed, and use the second feed only as a cold standby in case of a primary feed failure.

Answer

Connect each server's power supplies to the same PDU, but distribute servers across the four PDUs for load balancing.

Answer

Use a single large PDU with dual inputs from both feeds and an automatic transfer switch, connecting all servers to that PDU.

Question 16

A server technician replaces a failed RAM module with an identical spare. After installation, the server powers on but emits continuous short beeps and does not complete POST. Which of the following is the MOST likely cause?

Accepted Answer

The RAM module is not fully seated in the slot.. Continuous short beeps typically indicate a memory error, and the most common cause after a RAM replacement is that the module is not fully seated. Even though the module is known good and compatible, improper installation can prevent POST. Option C is correct because reseating the module will often resolve the issue. Option A is incorrect because an incompatible module would likely produce a different beep code or no POST at all, but the module is identical and known good. Option B is incorrect because insufficient power would likely prevent the server from powering on at all, not cause RAM beep codes. Option D is incorrect because CPU damage is unlikely from a simple RAM swap and would produce different symptoms.

Answer

The new RAM module is incompatible with the motherboard.

Answer

The CPU has been damaged during the installation.

Answer

The power supply is providing insufficient voltage.

Question 17

A server has been intermittently crashing, and the system logs repeatedly show 'Machine Check Exception (MCE) errors' referencing a specific CPU core. The server is under warranty. The technician suspects a hardware fault. Which of the following actions should be taken FIRST to resolve the issue while minimizing downtime?

Accepted Answer

Run a diagnostic stress test to confirm the CPU failure.. Machine Check Exceptions are serious hardware errors often indicating a failing CPU or system board. Before replacing components under warranty, it is best practice to run diagnostics to confirm the failure and gather evidence for the vendor. Option D is correct because diagnosing the failure first avoids unnecessary parts replacement and provides documentation for warranty service. Option A is incorrect because disabling the core might temporarily mask the issue but does not resolve the root cause and could degrade performance. Option B is incorrect because replacing the CPU without confirming the fault could waste time and resources if the issue lies elsewhere (e.g., motherboard). Option C is incorrect because firmware and driver updates are unlikely to fix a confirmed hardware MCE, and applying them would delay actual repair.

Answer

Update the server's firmware and device drivers to the latest versions.

Answer

Disable the faulty CPU core in the BIOS and continue monitoring.

Answer

Replace the CPU with a known-good unit immediately.

Question 18

A small business plans to deploy a new on-premises server for a virtualization environment. The server will run a hypervisor hosting four virtual machines: a domain controller, a file server, a web application server, and an SQL database server. The business expects moderate workloads and needs to ensure reliable performance and data protection. The procurement department has proposed the following server configuration: single Intel Xeon E-2300 series CPU (4 cores, 8 threads), 16 GB DDR4 ECC RAM, two 1 TB SATA hard drives configured in RAID 1, a single 1 GbE network interface, and a 500W power supply. The IT manager reviews the proposal and identifies several deficiencies that will not meet the expected workload requirements. Which of the following changes to the server configuration is the MOST important to address first to ensure the VMs can run effectively?

Accepted Answer

Increase the RAM to at least 32 GB to support the four VMs.. In virtualization, RAM is typically the first resource to become a bottleneck because each VM requires its own memory allocation. 16 GB is insufficient for four VMs, especially with an SQL database server, which often demands a large memory footprint. Option C is correct because increasing RAM to at least 32 GB allows the hypervisor to allocate adequate memory to each VM, preventing excessive swapping and performance degradation. Option A is incorrect because the proposed CPU (4c/8t) can handle moderate workloads if RAM is sufficient; more cores are secondary. Option B is incorrect because while SSDs and RAID 10 would improve disk I/O, the immediate showstopper is insufficient RAM, which would cause VMs to fail or thrash regardless of storage speed. Option D is incorrect because a single 1 GbE link might be adequate initially, and NIC teaming addresses redundancy, not the fundamental resource deficit.

Answer

Replace the SATA hard drives with SSDs and configure RAID 10 for better I/O performance.

Answer

Add a second 1 GbE network interface and configure NIC teaming for redundancy.

Answer

Upgrade the CPU to a model with at least 8 cores and 16 threads.

Question 19

A technician receives an urgent alert that a critical file server at a remote branch office has gone offline and is unreachable over the network. The server is accessible via out-of-band IPMI, which indicates that chassis power is present, but the power LED on the server is blinking amber instead of steady green. The IPMI system event log reports "System board voltage regulator failure" as the last critical event before the failure. Attempts to use the remote KVM show no video output, and Wake-on-LAN commands have no effect. The branch office has no on-site IT personnel; the only staff are general office workers with minimal technical training. The earliest a field technician can travel to the site is 48 hours. The main office has an identically configured spare server and a backup image of the file server's system disk. The branch office staff can follow simple plug-and-play instructions if provided. Which of the following is the BEST immediate course of action to restore the file services with minimal downtime?

Accepted Answer

Ship the spare server and a pre-configured backup image to the branch office for local staff to swap.. Given the voltage regulator failure on the system board, the server is not repairable remotely. Shipping the pre-configured spare server allows non-technical staff to swap the entire unit by following simple cabling instructions, restoring service quickly without waiting for a technician. Option A is correct because it minimizes downtime by leveraging available resources. Option B is incorrect because voltage regulator modules are rarely field-replaceable; they are integrated into the motherboard, and dispatching a technician would take 48 hours plus repair time. Option C is incorrect because reseating the power supply is unlikely to fix a system board voltage regulator fault, and could cause further confusion for untrained staff. Option D is incorrect because ordering a replacement board and waiting for a technician to install it would take even longer, extending downtime unnecessarily.

Answer

Order a replacement system board and express ship it to the branch for a technician to install later.

Answer

Instruct a non-technical employee at the branch to reseat the power supply and clear the error log.

Answer

Dispatch a technician with a replacement voltage regulator module for on-site repair.

Question 20

A system administrator is configuring a backup schedule for a critical database server that must be available 24/7. The company's recovery point objective (RPO) is 1 hour and recovery time objective (RTO) is 4 hours. The database files change frequently, but the operating system and application binaries rarely change. Which of the following backup strategies would BEST meet these requirements while minimizing storage and backup window impact?

Accepted Answer

Full backup daily, incremental backup every hour. Option D is correct because daily full backups provide a recent recovery base, and hourly incremental backups are small and fast, meeting the 1-hour RPO with minimal backup window. Restoration applies at most 24 incrementals to the latest full, which fits within the 4-hour RTO. Option A is wrong because weekly full backups with hourly incrementals may require restoring too many incrementals, risking the RTO. Option B is wrong because hourly differential backups grow in size throughout the day, increasing backup time and storage. Option C is wrong because weekly fulls with hourly differentials cause exponential growth in differential size over the week.

Answer

Full backup daily, differential backup every hour

Answer

Full backup weekly, differential backup every hour

Answer

Full backup weekly, incremental backup every hour