SK0-005 Practice Questions

Question 1

You are a server administrator at a mid-sized company that hosts its own on-premises Exchange server and file server. The infrastructure consists of three racks: Rack A contains the core switches and firewalls, Rack B contains the Exchange server (Dell PowerEdge R740) and the file server (HP ProLiant DL380 Gen10), and Rack C contains backup devices and a tape library. The data center cooling is provided by a raised-floor system with perforated tiles. Recently, the file server has been experiencing random shutdowns during peak usage hours (10 AM to 2 PM). The shutdowns are preceded by system event log warnings indicating that the CPU temperature has exceeded the threshold. The ambient temperature around the rack is 20°C (68°F) as measured by a handheld thermometer. Other servers in Rack B do not exhibit this behavior. The file server is a 2U server with two Xeon processors, 128 GB RAM, and six hot-swap SATA drives. It runs Windows Server 2019. The server has been in service for three years with no prior issues. The data center manager has noted that the perforated tiles are clear of obstructions. You have verified that the fans in the file server are spinning and the internal air filters are clean. Which of the following is the MOST likely cause of the overheating issue?

Accepted Answer

The perforated tile under the file server has insufficient airflow due to cable blockage below the raised floor.. Option B is correct because the file server's shutdowns occur during peak hours when cooling load is highest. If the server is located in a spot with inadequate underfloor airflow (e.g., a tile blocked by cables or a misaligned tile), it will not receive enough cool air, leading to CPU overheating despite the ambient reading. Option A is incorrect because the fans are verified to be spinning and filters clean. Option C is unlikely because the ambient is normal and other servers are fine. Option D is possible but not as specific to peak hours; a failing PSU usually causes power loss, not CPU thermal events.

Answer

The ambient temperature sensor in the data center is reporting incorrectly and the actual temperature is higher.

Answer

The internal fans are not operating at full speed due to a failed fan controller.

Answer

The file server's power supply is failing and causing voltage drops that affect fan performance.

Question 2

A medium-sized company uses a backup strategy that includes a full backup every Sunday at 2:00 AM and differential backups Monday through Saturday at 2:00 AM. The backups are written to a network-attached storage (NAS) device. On Thursday morning, the company experiences a ransomware attack that encrypts all data on the file server, including the NAS. The administrator needs to restore the file server with minimal data loss. The last successful full backup was from the previous Sunday, and differential backups were successful on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. However, Thursday's differential was not completed because the attack occurred before the scheduled time. The administrator attempts to restore using the Sunday full backup and Thursday's differential, but the restore fails because the differential backup on the NAS is also encrypted. Which of the following is the best course of action?

Accepted Answer

Restore from the Sunday full backup and Wednesday's differential backup. The most recent clean backup set is Sunday's full plus Wednesday's differential, as both were taken before the ransomware attack. Restoring from these will recover data as of Wednesday's backup, minimizing data loss. Using only Wednesday's differential requires the full backup first. Paying the ransom is not recommended and may not work. Reinstalling the OS and restoring from cloud would not apply because cloud was not mentioned.

Answer

Pay the ransom to decrypt the differential backup

Answer

Reinstall the operating system and restore files from cloud storage

Answer

Restore using only Wednesday's differential backup

Question 3

A server fails to boot after installing new memory. The POST beep code indicates a memory error. What is the most likely cause?

Accepted Answer

The new memory is incompatible with the server. The POST memory error most commonly indicates an incompatible or improperly seated memory module. Incompatible memory (e.g., wrong type, speed, or rank) is a frequent issue when adding memory to servers. Option B is less common because most servers auto-detect slots. Option C is not required for basic memory compatibility. Option D would cause system instability, not a specific memory error.

Answer

The memory module is not seated properly

Answer

The BIOS is not updated to support the new memory

Answer

The memory is installed in the wrong slot

Question 4

A server with dual redundant power supplies shuts down unexpectedly. One power supply has a solid amber LED. What is the most likely cause?

Accepted Answer

The power supply has failed. A solid amber LED on a redundant power supply typically indicates a power supply failure. Overheating would cause both to fail or trigger thermal shutdown. A power cord unplugged would show no LED. Server overload would not cause a single amber LED.

Answer

The server is drawing too much power

Answer

The power cord is unplugged

Answer

The server is overheating

Question 5

Refer to the exhibit. During boot, the server displays this error and shuts down. Which of the following is the most likely cause?

Accepted Answer

The CPU fan is not connected to the CPU_FAN header.. The log explicitly states 'No fan detected', which directly points to a missing connection on the CPU_FAN header. The shutdown is a protective response.

Answer

The CPU heatsink is not properly installed.

Answer

The BIOS fan profile is set to 'Silent' mode.

Answer

The CPU has failed.

Question 6

A technician installs additional RAM in a server. After powering on, the server emits a continuous beep code and does not POST. The server documentation indicates this beep code signifies a memory error. Which of the following is the MOST likely cause?

Accepted Answer

The new RAM is not fully seated in the memory slot.. Memory errors after installation commonly result from improper seating. A beep code indicating memory detection failure points to a physical connection issue.

Answer

The total RAM exceeds the server's maximum supported capacity.

Answer

The new RAM is ECC and the existing RAM is non-ECC.

Answer

The server BIOS needs to be updated to support the new RAM type.

Question 7

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 8

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 9

Refer to the exhibit. A Linux server is reporting slow I/O on the root filesystem. Which of the following actions should the administrator take to resolve the immediate storage bottleneck?

Accepted Answer

Move non-essential data from / to /backup.. Option B is correct because moving non-essential data from the nearly full root filesystem to /backup (which has ample space) quickly alleviates the space shortage and I/O pressure. Option A is wrong because resizing /dev/sda1 may require downtime and complex partitioning operations; it is not an immediate fix. Option C is wrong because deleting log files may free some space but might also delete valuable diagnostic data and may not be sufficient. Option D is wrong because changing the RAID level of /dev/sda is a fundamental hardware change that does not address the immediate space issue and could be destructive.

Answer

Delete log files in /var/log.

Answer

Resize /dev/sda1 to 30G.

Answer

Change the RAID level of /dev/sda.

Question 10

A MySQL database server on Linux is experiencing high CPU utilization during peak business hours. Upon investigation, the administrator finds that the query cache hit ratio is below 20%, and the query_cache_size is set to 0. The server has 64 GB of RAM and the database workload is primarily read-heavy. Which of the following actions should the administrator take FIRST to improve performance?

Accepted Answer

Set query_cache_size to an appropriate value, such as 256M, and monitor.. Option D is correct because the query cache is disabled (size 0). Enabling it and setting an appropriate size will increase cache hits and reduce CPU load. Option A adds RAM but does not address the misconfigured cache. Option B identifies queries but does not directly fix the cache. Option C rebuilds indexes, which may not impact query caching.

Answer

Add more RAM to the server.

Answer

Rebuild all indexes on the database tables.

Answer

Enable the slow query log to identify inefficient queries.

Question 11

A small accounting firm has a single server that hosts their client database and financial applications. The server is backed up nightly using a full backup to an external USB hard drive, which is stored on a shelf next to the server. Last month, a fire broke out in the office, completely destroying the server and the backup drive. The company lost all data since their last offsite backup, which was six months old because they occasionally took a copy home. The business owner wants to prevent such a catastrophic data loss in the future but is concerned about cost and complexity. They have a limited IT budget and no dedicated IT staff. The firm operates 9-5 Monday to Friday, and can tolerate up to 24 hours of downtime and up to one day of data loss. After the fire, they had to rebuild their client records from paper files, which took weeks. The owner realizes the importance of an offsite backup routine but cannot afford an expensive cloud service or a second server. The firm's internet connection is a basic DSL line with limited upload bandwidth, making large cloud backups slow. The server has a single internal drive with enough free space to store additional copies. Which of the following backup strategies would best meet the firm’s recovery objectives while minimizing cost and complexity?

Accepted Answer

Continue nightly full backups to an external drive, but have an employee take the drive home every evening.. Option B is correct because it provides a daily offsite backup, limiting data loss to at most 24 hours, which meets the RPO. It requires minimal additional cost (just the external drive) and no complex technology, fitting the firm's budget and lack of IT staff. Option A (cloud backup) would exceed the slow internet connection's capability and likely incur ongoing subscription costs, making it less suitable. Option C (NAS in another room) does not protect against a site-wide disaster like fire, so it fails to provide offsite redundancy. Option D (weekly rotation) would result in an offsite copy that is up to a week old, violating the one-day RPO.

Answer

Buy a second external drive, alternate them, and keep one offsite at the owner’s house, rotating weekly.

Answer

Purchase a network-attached storage device and configure it to receive daily backups; place it in a different room in the building.

Answer

Subscribe to a cloud backup service and perform daily incremental backups over the internet.

Question 12

A regional hospital operates two data centers located 10 miles apart, with synchronous replication of critical patient record systems between them. The replication ensures that any write to the primary storage is immediately mirrored to the secondary site. The hospital also maintains weekly full backups to LTO-8 tapes, which are stored in a fireproof safe at an offsite warehouse 30 miles away. The IT team has not implemented storage snapshots or continuous data protection due to budget constraints. Last week, a ransomware attack encrypted all files on the primary site. The replication process promptly mirrored the encrypted data to the secondary site, rendering both copies inaccessible. The attackers demanded $500,000 in Bitcoin. The hospital's disaster recovery plan specifies an RPO of 1 hour and an RTO of 4 hours. The IT director must now choose a restoration strategy that minimizes data loss and downtime while ensuring a clean, malware-free environment. The backup tapes are confirmed to be unencrypted and free of ransomware. Which of the following actions should the IT director take first?

Accepted Answer

Wipe the secondary data center storage, restore from the latest clean tape backup at the secondary site, and then reverse replication to the primary.. Option C is correct because both the primary and secondary copies are encrypted, so the only clean data source is the offsite tape. Wiping the secondary site, restoring from tape there, and then reversing replication to the primary ensures a malware-free environment and uses the existing replication infrastructure to bring the primary back online quickly, potentially within the 4-hour RTO. Option A is unrealistic since no decryption tool is available for modern ransomware without the key. Option B runs the risk of the primary becoming reinfected if any remnants remain, and it leaves the encrypted secondary uncorrected. Option D is inadvisable as paying the ransom does not guarantee data recovery and funds criminal activity.

Answer

Pay the ransom demand to obtain the decryption key and decrypt both sites.

Answer

Restore the most recent tape backup to the primary site and re-enable replication.

Answer

Fail over to the secondary data center and attempt to decrypt the ransomware using available tools.

Question 13

Which THREE of the following are typically essential elements of a disaster recovery plan (DRP)? (Choose three.)

Accepted Answer

Emergency contact and communication plan. Options A, C, and E are correct. A business impact analysis (A) identifies critical functions and recovery priorities. An emergency contact and communication plan (C) ensures key personnel are reachable. A test and exercise schedule (E) validates the plan's effectiveness. Server hardware specifications (B) are operational details, not a core DRP element. A network topology diagram (D) supports recovery but is not always considered an essential DRP component; it is supplementary.

Answer

Server hardware specifications

Answer

Network topology diagram

Question 14

A server administrator is troubleshooting an issue where a database server's performance degrades every night at 2 AM. Resource monitor shows high disk I/O and CPU usage during that time. There are no scheduled tasks on the server. Which of the following should the administrator investigate FIRST?

Accepted Answer

Scheduled antivirus scans on the server. Option A is correct because centrally managed antivirus software may perform scans at a default time, causing high resource usage. Option B would result in network utilization, not local disk I/O. Option C is possible but typically scheduled and would appear in the task scheduler. Option D contradicts the statement that no scheduled tasks exist.

Answer

Network congestion from backups

Answer

Disk defragmentation tasks

Answer

A cron job misconfiguration

Question 15

A database server with 64 GB of RAM and RAID 5 storage is experiencing intermittent performance degradation. System monitoring shows constant 95% memory utilization, high disk queue length, and frequent page faults. The server is running a critical application that cannot be restarted during business hours. Which action will provide the BEST permanent resolution?

Accepted Answer

Add more physical RAM. High memory utilization combined with frequent page faults indicates a memory bottleneck. Adding physical RAM eliminates the need for paging, permanently resolving the root cause. Increasing or moving the page file only mitigates the symptoms, while replacing RAID 5 with RAID 10 improves disk performance but does not address the underlying memory shortage.

Answer

Replace the RAID 5 array with RAID 10

Answer

Move the page file to a dedicated SSD

Answer

Increase the size of the page file

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