Server+ Certification

Skills Gained

After completing this five-day course, students will know how to:

• Discuss the difference between peer-to-peer and client-server networking models; identify server functions and benefits; and identify three main types of servers.
• Determine the most appropriate server solution for a given business purpose, plan for user demands on the server, and consider interoperability among operating systems; optimize server placement and diagram server plans; plan the server environment and physical site readiness; and implement sound physical server security practices.
• Explain various motherboard buses and describe how clock frequency affects performance; identify common server processors and various types of memory; and configure the BIOS and identify common server configuration items.
• Identify features of server power supply and correctly implement an uninterruptible power supply (UPS); and plan optimum placement of equipment in a server rack, configure a keyboard, video, mouse (KVM) console, and list tips for installing equipment in racks.
• Identify basic physical hard disk components, compare physical and logical drives and describe their functionality, and identify major file systems; identify characteristics of the IDE interface and configure IDE cabling and connectors; identify characteristics of the SCSI interface; configure SCSI cabling and connectors; and become familiar with Fibre Channel technology and storage area networking, and identify and configure various types of RAID.
• Prepare for a server upgrade, verify availability of system resources, and adequately test and pilot the server upgrade; upgrade the processor and memory; and upgrade the BIOS, power supply, UPS, and adapters.
• Identify bus, ring, and star network topologies, and discuss NetBEUI, IPX/SPX, and TCP/IP protocols; describe Token Ring and Ethernet media access methods, and specify the purpose of bridges, switches, hubs, and routers; list thinnet, shielded twisted-pair, unshielded twisted-pair, and fiber optic cable characteristics, and make straight-through and crossover cables; and describe network adapter teaming techniques and understand networking with a modem pool.
• Discuss general network operating system (NOS) characteristics and versions, list NOS hardware requirements, and perform NOS installations and upgrades; and identify the major NOS characteristics and versions, list hardware requirements, perform an installation and a proper shutdown of each NOS.
• Identify and understand major network operating system services; discuss other NOS services such as e-mail, Web, FTP, and fax; and discuss the different ways that servers run network applications and specify the functions of the server as a network device, router, and firewall.
• Describe the primary types of hardware used to back up critical data; discuss the primary types of software used to back up critical data, and the strategies to their use; describe the need for high server availability/redundancy, and identify key areas for SNMP monitoring; and determine key server management and disaster recovery strategies for preserving system uptime.
• Effectively use performance monitoring tools; establish a baseline; and recognize acceptable and unacceptable performance thresholds, and provide solutions to performance bottlenecks.
• Utilize sound troubleshooting logic to determine and solve problems, document problems and solutions, and check for common causes of server failure; utilize network, connectivity, NOS, and hardware diagnostic tools; troubleshoot from a remote location; recognize and solve boot, virus, and hardware problems; and locate help from vendors and peers

Prerequisites

Students taking this course should be familiar with personal computers and the use of a keyboard and a mouse. Some student experience with servers and network basics would also be beneficial.