SK0-005 Practice Question: A server administrator is tasked with ensuring that a critical database server remains…
A server administrator is tasked with ensuring that a critical database server remains available in the event of a hardware failure. The solution must provide automatic failover with minimal administrative overhead. Which of the following should be implemented?
⚠ Common exam trap
SK0-005 often tests the distinction between storage-level redundancy (RAID) and server-level high availability (clustering)—candidates pick RAID 1 thinking disk mirroring equals server failover, missing that RAID cannot survive a whole-server outage.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Server clustering
Server clustering groups two or more servers so that if one node fails, another automatically takes over the workload with minimal manual intervention. This provides the automatic failover and low administrative overhead the scenario requires for a critical database server. Clustering is the standard high-availability solution for database workloads needing continuous uptime.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Load balancing
Why it's wrong here
Load balancing distributes requests across servers but does not automatically fail over a database node or transfer its state; a failed node simply leaves the pool. It is tempting because it improves availability, and would be correct for stateless web tiers rather than a stateful database.
- ✗
Scheduled backups
Why it's wrong here
Scheduled backups restore data after an outage but do not provide automatic failover, and recovery requires manual intervention, contradicting minimal administrative overhead. It is tempting because backups protect data, and would be correct for disaster recovery or point-in-time restoration rather than continuous availability.
- ✗
RAID 1 mirroring
Why it's wrong here
RAID 1 mirrors disks within one server, so it survives a disk failure but not a server hardware failure, and provides no failover to another node. It is tempting because mirroring delivers redundancy, and would be correct when protecting against a single drive failure only.
- ✓
Server clustering
Why this is correct
Server clustering links nodes so a surviving member automatically takes over the failed node's workload, delivering failover with minimal manual intervention. This satisfies the stem's automatic failover and low administrative overhead constraints, unlike standalone backups or manual restore procedures.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Server Hardware Components and Form Factors
Key term
Event
An event is any identifiable occurrence or action in a computer system, network, or application that can be logged, monitored, or analyzed for security or operational purposes.
Key term
Failover
Failover is the automatic switching to a backup system when the primary system fails, ensuring continuous operation and minimal downtime.
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Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Security Systems Architect · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official CompTIA exam blueprint
This SK0-005 practice question is part of Courseiva's free CompTIA certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the SK0-005 exam.