Candidates who would like to be real professionals and work with data centers or in cloud environments are potential candidates for the CompTIA Server+ certification. This designation proves that you possess practical skills to set up, operate, as well as troubleshoot servers in data centers, on-premise, and hybrid environments. This certification is vendor-neutral which means the breadth of the work done and implies no restriction to one definite platform. To become an accredited professional, you have to pass one exam either SK0-004 (will retire on 7th of Jan., 2022) or a newer version SK0-005.
The CompTIA Server+ certification validates your skills in:
- server hardware installation and management: This implies your skills to set up and support physical storage and hardware.
- server administration: This means that you are proficient in operating and managing servers, including virtualization, access control, and OS configuration.
- security and disaster recovery: This includes your ability to implement network data security techniques, backup techniques, and describe disaster recovery.
- troubleshooting: This implies that you are competent in resolving and diagnosing system connectivity, hardware, software, storage and security issues.
Exam SK0-004 includes no more than 100 multiple choice questions, which you are to complete within 90 minutes. To succeed in the test, you are to score 750 points on a scale of 100-900. Before taking this exam you need to gain the A+ certification and at least 18 months of practical experience.
Exam SK0-005 contains 90 questions of multiple choice and performance-based. You are to solve them within 90 minutes. Before sitting for this evaluation, you need to have either the A+ designation or the corresponding knowledge and at least 2years of practical experience in dealing with a server environment. The Server+ exam is priced at $338 and can be registered at the Pearson VUE platform.
To become Server+ certified professional you need to be fully prepared for the exam. For that, thorough preparation is a necessity. Luckily, CompTIA refers to such vendors that offer several training options you can choose from and get the required knowledge as well as develop your skills. These options include virtual labs, instructor-led training, study guides, CertMaster Practice tool (with practice questions, e-Book, and labs).
Having the Server+ certification from CompTIA makes you visible for potential employers as your skills are proved by one of the leading IT giants. The companies that trust the CompTIA Server+ designation include Intel, Microsoft, HP, Lenovo, Dell, and XEROX. In addition, you can apply for such job positions as systems administrator, server administrator, data center technician, field service technician, network administrator, IT technician, and data center engineer. According to the statistics mentioned on the vendor’s website, the Server+ certified professionals earn annually about $82,000 per year and the demand for the network and computer systems administrators is expected to grow by 12% in 2022. What you need more is that the CompTIA Server+ certification is good for life and should not be renewed.