CompTIA Server+
1 Server Hardware
1-1 Server Types
1-1 1 Rack Servers
1-1 2 Tower Servers
1-1 3 Blade Servers
1-1 4 Micro Servers
1-1 5 Hyper-converged Infrastructure
1-1 6 Virtual Servers
1-2 Server Components
1-2 1 CPUs
1-2 2 Memory (RAM)
1-2 3 Storage Devices
1-2 4 Power Supply Units (PSUs)
1-2 5 Cooling Systems
1-2 6 Network Interface Cards (NICs)
1-2 7 Batteries and Uninterruptible Power Supplies (UPS)
1-2 8 Chassis and Enclosures
1-3 Server Form Factors
1-3 1 ATX
1-3 2 EATX
1-3 3 MicroATX
1-3 4 Mini-ITX
1-3 5-1U, 2U, 4U
1-4 Server Management
1-4 1 Remote Management Interfaces
1-4 2 Out-of-Band Management
1-4 3 In-Band Management
1-4 4 KVM (Keyboard, Video, Mouse) Switches
1-4 5 Serial Console
2 Server Virtualization
2-1 Virtualization Concepts
2-1 1 Hypervisors
2-1 2 Type 1 Hypervisors
2-1 3 Type 2 Hypervisors
2-1 4 Virtual Machines (VMs)
2-1 5 Virtual Disks
2-1 6 Virtual Networking
2-2 Virtualization Platforms
2-2 1 VMware vSphere
2-2 2 Microsoft Hyper-V
2-2 3 Citrix XenServer
2-2 4 KVM (Kernel-based Virtual Machine)
2-3 Virtual Machine Management
2-3 1 VM Creation
2-3 2 VM Configuration
2-3 3 VM Migration
2-3 4 VM Cloning
2-3 5 VM Snapshots
2-4 Resource Management
2-4 1 CPU Allocation
2-4 2 Memory Allocation
2-4 3 Storage Allocation
2-4 4 Network Allocation
3 Server Storage
3-1 Storage Technologies
3-1 1 Direct-Attached Storage (DAS)
3-1 2 Network-Attached Storage (NAS)
3-1 3 Storage Area Network (SAN)
3-1 4 Object Storage
3-1 5 Cloud Storage
3-2 Storage Protocols
3-2 1 SCSI (Small Computer System Interface)
3-2 2 SATA (Serial Advanced Technology Attachment)
3-2 3 SAS (Serial Attached SCSI)
3-2 4 iSCSI (Internet Small Computer System Interface)
3-2 5 Fibre Channel
3-2 6 NFS (Network File System)
3-2 7 SMBCIFS (Server Message BlockCommon Internet File System)
3-3 RAID (Redundant Array of Independent Disks)
3-3 1 RAID 0
3-3 2 RAID 1
3-3 3 RAID 5
3-3 4 RAID 6
3-3 5 RAID 10
3-3 6 RAID Levels Comparison
3-4 Storage Management
3-4 1 Disk Partitioning
3-4 2 File Systems
3-4 3 Volume Management
3-4 4 Backup and Recovery
3-4 5 Data Deduplication
4 Server Networking
4-1 Network Protocols
4-1 1 TCPIP
4-1 2 DNS (Domain Name System)
4-1 3 DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol)
4-1 4 HTTPHTTPS
4-1 5 FTP (File Transfer Protocol)
4-1 6 SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol)
4-1 7 SNMP (Simple Network Management Protocol)
4-2 Network Configuration
4-2 1 IP Addressing
4-2 2 Subnetting
4-2 3 VLANs (Virtual Local Area Networks)
4-2 4 Routing
4-2 5 Firewall Configuration
4-3 Network Services
4-3 1 Web Servers
4-3 2 Mail Servers
4-3 3 File Servers
4-3 4 Print Servers
4-3 5 Database Servers
4-4 Network Security
4-4 1 Encryption
4-4 2 Authentication
4-4 3 Access Control
4-4 4 Intrusion Detection and Prevention
4-4 5 VPN (Virtual Private Network)
5 Server Maintenance and Troubleshooting
5-1 Hardware Maintenance
5-1 1 Component Replacement
5-1 2 Firmware Updates
5-1 3 Driver Updates
5-1 4 Regular Cleaning
5-2 Software Maintenance
5-2 1 Operating System Updates
5-2 2 Application Updates
5-2 3 Patch Management
5-2 4 Backup Procedures
5-3 Troubleshooting Techniques
5-3 1 Diagnostic Tools
5-3 2 Error Logs
5-3 3 System Monitoring
5-3 4 Performance Tuning
5-4 Disaster Recovery
5-4 1 Backup Strategies
5-4 2 Restore Procedures
5-4 3 Failover and Failback
5-4 4 Business Continuity Planning
6 Server Security
6-1 Security Concepts
6-1 1 Confidentiality
6-1 2 Integrity
6-1 3 Availability
6-2 Security Measures
6-2 1 Physical Security
6-2 2 Network Security
6-2 3 Data Encryption
6-2 4 User Authentication
6-2 5 Role-Based Access Control (RBAC)
6-3 Security Protocols
6-3 1 SSLTLS
6-3 2 SSH (Secure Shell)
6-3 3 IPSec
6-3 4 Kerberos
6-4 Security Best Practices
6-4 1 Regular Audits
6-4 2 Security Policies
6-4 3 Incident Response
6-4 4 Compliance
7 Server Administration
7-1 User Management
7-1 1 User Accounts
7-1 2 Group Management
7-1 3 Permissions and Access Rights
7-1 4 Password Policies
7-2 System Configuration
7-2 1 Time and Date Settings
7-2 2 Network Configuration
7-2 3 Resource Allocation
7-2 4 Service Management
7-3 Monitoring and Reporting
7-3 1 Performance Monitoring
7-3 2 Resource Utilization
7-3 3 Event Logs
7-3 4 Reporting Tools
7-4 Automation and Scripting
7-4 1 Task Automation
7-4 2 Scripting Languages
7-4 3 Configuration Management Tools
8 Server Compliance and Standards
8-1 Industry Standards
8-1 1 ISO Standards
8-1 2 ITIL (Information Technology Infrastructure Library)
8-1 3 COBIT (Control Objectives for Information and Related Technologies)
8-2 Regulatory Compliance
8-2 1 GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation)
8-2 2 HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act)
8-2 3 PCI DSS (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard)
8-3 Best Practices
8-3 1 Documentation
8-3 2 Change Management
8-3 3 Risk Management
8-3 4 Continuous Improvement
1-3-5 1U, 2U, 4U Explained

1-3-5 1U, 2U, 4U Explained

Key Concepts

1U Server

A 1U server is the smallest form factor in rack-mountable servers, measuring 1.75 inches in height. These servers are designed to maximize space efficiency in data centers and server racks. Despite their compact size, 1U servers can pack a significant amount of computing power, making them ideal for high-density environments where space is at a premium.

Example: Think of a 1U server as a slim smartphone. Just as a smartphone fits easily in your pocket, a 1U server fits neatly into a server rack, maximizing space while providing powerful computing capabilities.

2U Server

A 2U server is twice the height of a 1U server, measuring 3.5 inches. This form factor allows for more internal components and greater expansion capabilities compared to 1U servers. 2U servers are commonly used in environments where additional storage, cooling, or expansion slots are required without sacrificing rack space.

Example: Consider a 2U server as a tablet. Just as a tablet offers more screen real estate and features than a smartphone, a 2U server provides more internal space and capabilities than a 1U server, making it suitable for more demanding applications.

4U Server

A 4U server is four times the height of a 1U server, measuring 7 inches. This form factor offers significant internal space for components such as multiple hard drives, additional cooling systems, and extensive expansion options. 4U servers are often used in environments requiring high storage capacity, advanced cooling solutions, or extensive customization.

Example: Think of a 4U server as a laptop. Just as a laptop provides a balance between portability and functionality, a 4U server offers a balance between space efficiency and extensive capabilities, making it suitable for a wide range of applications.

Rack Units (U)

Rack Units (U) are a standardized unit of measurement used to describe the height of rack-mountable equipment. One rack unit (1U) is equal to 1.75 inches. This standardization allows for consistent sizing and compatibility of servers and other equipment in server racks, ensuring efficient use of space and easy installation.

Example: Imagine a rack unit as a standard shelf height in a library. Just as books of different sizes can be placed on shelves of consistent height, servers of different sizes can be placed in racks with consistent unit heights, ensuring organized and efficient use of space.