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CompTIA Server+ SK0-006: Planning and Deployment

Try 10 focused CompTIA Server+ SK0-006 questions on Planning and Deployment, with explanations, then continue with IT Mastery.

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Topic snapshot

FieldDetail
Exam routeCompTIA Server+ SK0-006
Topic areaPlanning and Deployment
Blueprint weight15%
Page purposeFocused sample questions before returning to mixed practice

How to use this topic drill

Use this page to isolate Planning and Deployment for CompTIA Server+ SK0-006. Work through the 10 questions first, then review the explanations and return to mixed practice in IT Mastery.

PassWhat to doWhat to record
First attemptAnswer without checking the explanation first.The fact, rule, calculation, or judgment point that controlled your answer.
ReviewRead the explanation even when you were correct.Why the best answer is stronger than the closest distractor.
RepairRepeat only missed or uncertain items after a short break.The pattern behind misses, not the answer letter.
TransferReturn to mixed practice once the topic feels stable.Whether the same skill holds up when the topic is no longer obvious.

Blueprint context: 15% of the practice outline. A focused topic score can overstate readiness if you recognize the pattern too quickly, so use it as repair work before timed mixed sets.

Sample questions

These original IT Mastery practice questions are aligned to this topic area. Use them for self-assessment, scope review, and deciding what to drill next.

Question 1

Topic: Planning and Deployment

A company is modernizing a server workload used at 18 manufacturing sites. The application must keep processing sensor data locally when the WAN is unavailable, but each site must be provisioned from the same repeatable build. The operations team also requires strong workload isolation and control over local compute, storage, and networking. Which approach best fits these requirements?

Options:

  • A. Run containers on a shared public PaaS service

  • B. Move the application to a centralized SaaS platform

  • C. Deploy edge HCI nodes with IaC-defined VM templates

  • D. Install standalone physical servers using manual build notes

Best answer: C

Explanation: The key requirements point to an edge modernization model with repeatable automation and local control. Edge computing keeps processing close to the sensors and can continue operating during WAN outages. Hyperconverged infrastructure combines compute, storage, and virtualization at each site, which simplifies local deployment and management. Defining the build with infrastructure as code and VM templates makes provisioning repeatable across all 18 sites. VMs also provide stronger workload isolation and more direct control over hypervisor, network, and storage settings than most shared managed platforms. A cloud-only or SaaS approach may reduce operations work, but it does not meet the locality and local-control constraints.

  • Centralized SaaS reduces management but does not provide local processing during WAN outages or direct infrastructure control.
  • Shared PaaS containers improve deployment consistency but reduce control over the underlying compute, storage, and networking.
  • Manual physical builds provide local placement but fail the repeatable provisioning requirement and increase configuration drift.

Question 2

Topic: Planning and Deployment

A company is replacing a tower file server with a virtualized host for file, print, and monitoring services. The workload requires 256 GB of ECC memory now, room to expand to 512 GB, redundant power, hot-swap drives, and parts listed on the OS and hypervisor HCL. The server room has standard 19-inch racks with available depth and power.

Which deployment plan best meets these requirements while preserving serviceability and growth?

Options:

  • A. Tower server with non-ECC UDIMMs and internal cabled drives

  • B. 1U rack server with maximum memory already installed

  • C. Blade server chassis with unsupported memory from inventory

  • D. 2U rack server with HCL-listed RDIMMs and hot-swap bays

Best answer: D

Explanation: The best hardware deployment plan must satisfy the stated workload and operational constraints together, not just one specification. For a virtualized host, ECC memory and HCL-listed components reduce compatibility and stability risk. RDIMMs are commonly used in servers that need higher memory capacity than typical UDIMM configurations. A rack server fits the existing data center space, and a 2U form factor usually provides better serviceability and growth options than a fully populated 1U system, including more drive bays, expansion slots, cooling headroom, and redundant power options.

The key takeaway is to choose supported, serviceable server-class hardware with capacity headroom instead of using cheaper or already-available parts that create compatibility or expansion risk.

  • Desktop-style memory fails because non-ECC UDIMMs do not meet the stated ECC and server reliability requirement.
  • No growth headroom fails because a 1U system already at maximum memory cannot expand to the required 512 GB.
  • Unsupported components fail because using memory not listed on the HCL creates compatibility risk for the OS and hypervisor.

Question 3

Topic: Planning and Deployment

A systems administrator is planning an upgrade for a rack server that will host engineering VDI sessions with 3D visualization and a small approved AI-assisted rendering tool. The server vendor HCL lists only specific data center GPUs for this chassis. The rack has enough remaining power, but the current airflow is already near the cooling design limit. Which decision is BEST?

Options:

  • A. Select an HCL-listed data center GPU and confirm cooling capacity

  • B. Install a high-end consumer GPU with the most video memory

  • C. Use the onboard graphics controller for the VDI sessions

  • D. Add system RAM instead of using a GPU

Best answer: A

Explanation: A GPU is appropriate when the server workload can actually use parallel graphics or compute acceleration, such as 3D visualization, rendering, or AI-assisted processing. In this scenario, the workload fits GPU acceleration, but the deployment decision must also satisfy server hardware constraints. For a rack server, the GPU should be listed on the vendor HCL, physically compatible with the chassis and PCIe layout, and supportable within the available power and cooling envelope. Because cooling is already near the design limit, confirming cooling capacity is part of the professional deployment decision, not an optional detail. The key takeaway is that workload fit alone is not enough; compatibility and operational limits determine whether the GPU is appropriate.

  • Consumer GPU choice ignores the HCL and may create driver, support, power, or cooling issues in a server chassis.
  • RAM-only upgrade may help memory pressure but does not address 3D rendering or AI acceleration needs.
  • Onboard graphics is intended for basic display and management tasks, not accelerated VDI visualization workloads.

Question 4

Topic: Planning and Deployment

A server will host a large file share on eight internal HDDs. The requirement is to keep the share online if any two drives fail before replacements arrive. Usable capacity should be higher than mirroring all disks, and backup restores alone are not acceptable for this availability requirement. Which storage redundancy option best meets the requirement?

Options:

  • A. RAID 5

  • B. Nightly full backup

  • C. RAID 6

  • D. RAID 10

Best answer: C

Explanation: RAID 6 is the best fit when an array must tolerate the loss of any two drives while remaining online. It provides logical storage redundancy through dual parity, so it offers better usable capacity than mirroring every drive while still meeting the stated two-drive fault-tolerance requirement. RAID does not replace backups, but backups address recovery after data loss or corruption, not immediate service continuity during disk failures. The key distinction is availability during hardware failure versus restoration after an incident.

  • Single parity fails because RAID 5 can tolerate only one drive failure before the array is at risk.
  • Mirrored stripes are not guaranteed to survive any two failed drives; RAID 10 depends on which mirrored members fail.
  • Backup only helps restore data later but does not keep the file share online during drive failures.

Question 5

Topic: Planning and Deployment

A company is replacing local storage on two virtualization hosts. The new design must provide 40TB usable storage now, scale to at least 80TB without replacing the hosts, present block storage to the hypervisors, and keep VMs running if one storage path or switch fails. Which implementation best meets these requirements?

Options:

  • A. SAN array with multipath iSCSI or Fibre Channel

  • B. NAS share over a single Ethernet switch

  • C. Larger internal SSDs in each host

  • D. External USB drives with scheduled copies

Best answer: A

Explanation: The requirement combines capacity growth, block-level presentation, and path-level redundancy. A SAN is the best fit because it can present shared block storage to hypervisors while allowing capacity to expand in the storage array instead of inside each host. Using redundant controllers, switches, and multipath I/O lets the hosts continue reaching the storage if one path or switch fails. Internal drives may be fast, but they are limited by host bays and do not provide shared resilient storage. A single-switch NAS can expand capacity, but it does not meet the stated block storage and fabric redundancy requirements.

  • Internal expansion fails because host drive bays limit growth and do not create shared block storage across hosts.
  • Single-switch NAS misses the block-storage requirement and introduces a single network path dependency.
  • USB copies are not suitable for production virtualization storage or path-failure resilience.

Question 6

Topic: Planning and Deployment

A team is designing storage for a two-host virtualization cluster. The design must support live migration, low-latency database VMs, 20 TB usable capacity, and continued operation after a controller, path, or disk failure. Both hosts have redundant 25GbE adapters and support iSCSI multipathing. There is no Fibre Channel infrastructure or HBA budget.

Which storage design best meets the requirements?

Options:

  • A. Local NVMe RAID 10 in each virtualization host

  • B. Single-controller NAS over one 1GbE connection

  • C. Fibre Channel SAN with new FC HBAs

  • D. Dual-controller iSCSI SAN with SSD RAID and MPIO

Best answer: D

Explanation: The best design is shared block storage that fits the existing host connectivity and provides redundancy at multiple layers. An iSCSI SAN can use the available 25GbE network, and multipath I/O (MPIO) allows each host to maintain access if one storage path fails. Dual controllers reduce the risk of a storage-controller outage, while an SSD-backed RAID design addresses the low-latency database workload and disk-failure tolerance. Because the cluster needs live migration, local-only storage is a poor fit unless a separate replication layer is added, which is not part of the requirement. The key is balancing compatibility, performance, redundancy, and manageability rather than choosing only the fastest media.

  • Local-only storage may be fast, but it does not provide native shared storage for live migration across hosts.
  • Single-path NAS creates bandwidth and availability risks, especially with one controller or one 1GbE link.
  • Fibre Channel could be performant, but it conflicts with the stated lack of FC infrastructure and HBA budget.

Question 7

Topic: Planning and Deployment

A virtualization team needs to deploy 25 new application servers in a private cloud. Each server must start from the same approved OS build with hardening settings, monitoring agents, and base packages already installed. The team wants the fastest repeatable method and does not need to preserve any existing server state. Which deployment approach is best?

Options:

  • A. In-place upgrade

  • B. Unattended installation

  • C. Template-based deployment

  • D. Attended installation

Best answer: C

Explanation: Template-based deployment fits best when provisioning many virtual servers from a standardized, preapproved baseline. The template already contains the OS, hardening settings, agents, and base packages, so each new VM can be cloned or instantiated quickly without manually installing or reconfiguring the same components. This differs from an unattended installation, which automates OS setup but still performs an install process rather than starting from a ready VM template. It also differs from an in-place upgrade, which preserves an existing system while upgrading it.

  • In-place upgrade preserves and upgrades an existing server, but the requirement is to create new servers with no existing state.
  • Attended installation requires manual responses during setup, which is not ideal for 25 repeatable deployments.
  • Unattended installation automates setup, but it does not use the already prepared VM baseline as directly as a template.

Question 8

Topic: Planning and Deployment

A manufacturing company runs a database server locally because it must stay close to shop-floor equipment and retained data cannot leave the company-controlled environment. The company wants to place a customer portal in a hosted provider for elasticity during seasonal demand, while using secure connectivity and centralized monitoring across both locations. Which cloud model is the best fit?

Options:

  • A. Community cloud

  • B. Private cloud

  • C. Hybrid cloud

  • D. Public cloud

Best answer: C

Explanation: Hybrid cloud combines private, company-controlled infrastructure with public or hosted cloud resources as part of one operating model. In this scenario, the database remains local for latency and data-control reasons, while the customer portal uses hosted capacity for elasticity. Secure connectivity and centralized monitoring are operational requirements that support the hybrid model rather than changing it into a purely public or private deployment.

A purely public cloud would move the local database constraint out of scope, and a purely private cloud would not satisfy the hosted elasticity requirement. The key distinction is that both environments are intentionally used together for the same service delivery strategy.

  • Public cloud only misses the requirement to keep the database in the company-controlled local environment.
  • Private cloud only misses the requirement to use hosted provider capacity for elastic customer portal demand.
  • Community cloud is for shared infrastructure among organizations with common requirements, which is not described here.

Question 9

Topic: Planning and Deployment

A systems administrator is planning a new on-premises virtualization host for several business applications. The server must be on the hypervisor vendor’s HCL, support ECC memory, allow storage growth without replacing the chassis, and be serviceable during short maintenance windows. Which hardware deployment plan is the BEST choice?

Options:

  • A. 2U rack server, HCL-listed, ECC RDIMMs, hot-swap drive bays

  • B. Blade chassis, HCL-listed, shared storage fabric, new enclosure

  • C. 1U rack server, HCL-listed, soldered memory, two fixed drives

  • D. Tower server, non-ECC UDIMMs, internal fixed-drive cage

Best answer: A

Explanation: The best physical server plan starts with compatibility and operational fit. For a virtualization host, being listed on the hypervisor hardware compatibility list reduces driver, firmware, and support risk. ECC memory is appropriate for server workloads because it helps detect and correct memory errors. Hot-swap drive bays improve serviceability by allowing failed drives to be replaced quickly, and a 2U rack chassis typically provides more drive and expansion capacity than a constrained 1U design. The plan also avoids unnecessary platform changes, such as buying a new blade enclosure when a single rack server satisfies the stated needs.

  • Non-ECC tower build fails because it misses the ECC requirement and limits serviceability with fixed internal drives.
  • Constrained 1U design is compatible but does not support the stated growth and serviceability needs well.
  • Blade chassis plan could work technically, but it overengineers the requirement by adding enclosure and shared-fabric dependencies.

Question 10

Topic: Planning and Deployment

A company is deploying a new virtualization host that must access shared block storage for cluster failover and live migration. The data center already has redundant 16Gb Fibre Channel switches and a storage array with available FC target ports. The storage traffic must remain isolated from the production Ethernet network. Which implementation should the server engineer choose?

Options:

  • A. Install a supported Fibre Channel HBA

  • B. Add a local SAS HBA

  • C. Mount a NAS file share

  • D. Use iSCSI on the production NICs

Best answer: A

Explanation: Fibre Channel is the best fit when a server needs shared block storage over an existing dedicated FC fabric. A Fibre Channel HBA provides the host-side adapter needed to connect to FC switches and the storage array target ports. This also satisfies the requirement to keep storage traffic isolated from the production Ethernet network. iSCSI can provide block storage, but it uses IP networking and would not match the dedicated FC infrastructure described in the scenario. Local SAS storage would not provide shared cluster storage, and NAS is file-level storage rather than the requested block-level SAN access.

  • iSCSI over Ethernet fails because the requirement calls for storage traffic isolated from the production Ethernet network.
  • Local SAS attachment fails because locally attached disks do not provide shared storage for clustered virtualization hosts.
  • NAS file access fails because the scenario requires shared block storage, not file-level storage.

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Revised on Thursday, May 28, 2026