CompTIA Server+ Quick Facts (2025)

Exam Domain Breakdown

Domain 1: Server hardware installation and management (18% of the exam)

Install physical hardware

• Topics include racking, cabling, power, and cooling management.

Install physical hardware summary: In this section, you will focus on how to properly set up and integrate physical server components within a larger IT infrastructure. You’ll gain insight into structured cabling, power requirements, airflow management, and rack mounting best practices that keep data centers efficient and organized.
You'll also review how to balance loads, plan for redundancy, and assess physical conditions to ensure that equipment performs optimally. Understanding these foundational tasks establishes the groundwork for stable and scalable server operations throughout their lifecycle.

Deploy and manage storage

• Topics include RAID levels, shared storage, and capacity planning.

Deploy and manage storage summary: This section explores how effective storage design supports both performance and reliability. You’ll learn how RAID levels affect data redundancy and throughput, how to configure shared storage solutions, and how capacity planning impacts system scalability.
Through practical guidance, you will align storage technologies with expected workloads and user needs. Recognizing the tradeoffs among cost, performance, and resilience ensures that your storage systems remain balanced and dependable under varying demands.

Perform hardware maintenance

• Topics include out-of-band management, firmware upgrades, and hot-swappable components.

Perform hardware maintenance summary: This section highlights proactive steps for keeping server hardware operational and secure. You’ll study maintenance planning, the use of remote management tools, and how firmware updates enhance compatibility and system stability.
You will also gain understanding of hot-swappable components and their role in minimizing downtime during upgrades or repairs. Consistent hardware maintenance practices support business continuity and extend the life of physical assets, promoting an always-ready infrastructure.

Domain 2: Server administration (30% of the exam)

Install server operating systems

• Topics include partition types, file systems, and installation methods.

Install server operating systems summary: Here you’ll build expertise in preparing and deploying modern server operating systems with accuracy and consistency. You’ll examine partition structures, boot methods, and file system choices that affect performance and reliability.
You’ll also learn how automation tools simplify installation at scale. By mastering deployment processes, you enable rapid provisioning and ensure that configured systems meet enterprise standards from the very beginning.

Configure network services

• Topics include IP addressing, DNS, DHCP, and VLANs.

Configure network services summary: This section focuses on how servers interact within networks. You’ll learn about IP schemes, DNS and DHCP integration, and VLAN segmentation to enhance performance and security.
The content emphasizes practical approaches to configuring network parameters and ensuring stable connectivity. With these skills, you’ll establish structured communication layers that keep servers and client systems interacting seamlessly.

Manage server functions

• Topics include roles, monitoring, data migration, and performance metrics.

Manage server functions summary: You’ll explore how to assign, monitor, and fine-tune server roles and services efficiently. This includes performance optimization, proper logging, and resource allocation.
The section helps you relate system monitoring data to real-world operations, ensuring performance remains aligned with organizational service goals. You’ll build confidence in maintaining balanced workloads and using tools that promote continual server health.

High availability

• Topics include clustering, load balancing, and failover processes.

High availability summary: This section dives into strategies that prevent downtime and service interruption. You’ll understand techniques like clustering for resource sharing, load balancing for workload distribution, and failover designs that keep services running even during maintenance or unexpected issues.
Through these principles, you’ll build and sustain systems capable of meeting demanding uptime requirements. Implementing redundancy aligns IT infrastructure with business continuity priorities.

Virtualization

• Topics include host vs. guest, resource allocation, and cloud models.

Virtualization summary: This section helps you harness the efficiencies of virtualized environments. You’ll learn about host and guest architectures, managing resources among virtual machines, and examining how virtualization integrates with public and hybrid cloud models.
You’ll discover how to maximize compute capacity, improve testing flexibility, and streamline backups through virtualized deployments. Mastering these concepts prepares you to manage mixed environments that combine physical and virtual infrastructure seamlessly.

Scripting basics

• Topics include loops, variables, and common server tasks.

Scripting basics summary: You’ll learn to automate routine administrative duties with simple and effective scripts. Loops, variables, and structured logic become key tools for scalability and consistency.
By understanding how to translate repetitive operations into scripts, you enhance efficiency while reducing human error. These automation techniques support an adaptive and responsive IT operations framework.

Asset management

• Topics include documentation, lifecycle management, and secure storage.

Asset management summary: This section emphasizes structured control and documentation of all server assets. You’ll see how lifecycle management ensures accountability and plan refresh cycles to maintain operational harmony.
It also stresses the importance of secure storage for records and credentials. Consistent asset documentation strengthens coordination between teams and improves long-term support planning.

Domain 3: Security and disaster recovery (24% of the exam)

Data security

• Topics include encryption, retention policies, and lifecycle management.

Data security summary: In this section, you’ll explore the methods used to protect data throughout its lifecycle. Encryption, retention policies, and access restrictions are key components in maintaining confidentiality and integrity.
Understanding how data protection mechanisms work enables compliance with organizational and regulatory standards. You’ll apply these principles to preserve information securely across both on-premises and hybrid setups.

Physical security

• Topics include access controls, environmental controls, and biometric systems.

Physical security summary: This section covers how the safety of hardware and facilities supports data protection goals. You’ll review ways to manage access through locks, cards, and biometric systems while accounting for environmental controls such as temperature and humidity monitoring.
Clear physical safeguards protect against unauthorized entry and environmental hazards. This foundational knowledge merges facility safety with overall system resilience.

Identity and access management

• Topics include user accounts, MFA, and permissions.

Identity and access management summary: This section focuses on structured control of who can access what within server environments. You will see how to configure user accounts, implement multi-factor authentication, and align permissions with the principle of least privilege.
Practical understanding of IAM ensures smooth authentication processes and prevents configuration mismatches. These methods support a trustworthy environment rooted in verified and accountable user activity.

Mitigation strategies

• Topics include malware prevention, DLP, and SIEM.

Mitigation strategies summary: You’ll study how layered security strategies keep servers and data safe. This includes the implementation of malware prevention tools, data loss prevention systems, and continuous monitoring with security information and event management platforms.
By integrating these solutions, you help detect and block threats before they impact service availability. Effective mitigation safeguards business operations and reinforces proactive defense postures.

Server hardening

• Topics include OS updates, disabling unused services, and host security.

Server hardening summary: This section reinforces the practical steps to secure operating systems and applications. You’ll carry out updates, close unnecessary ports, and disable unused services to limit exposure points.
Maintaining a hardened configuration ensures that servers resist intrusion and meet industry security expectations. Routine validation of security posture supports trusted environments across all deployed platforms.

Decommissioning

• Topics include media destruction, recycling, and asset management.

Decommissioning summary: You’ll learn structured methods for securely retiring equipment and data. Secure media destruction and verified recycling reinforce responsible disposal practices.
This process ties back to proper recordkeeping to ensure every component is tracked through its end-of-life stage. Following these consistent steps protects sensitive information and ensures regulatory alignment.

Domain 4: Troubleshooting (28% of the exam)

Troubleshoot hardware

• Topics include power issues, storage failures, and connectivity problems.

Troubleshoot hardware summary: In this section, you’ll develop a logical approach to diagnosing and resolving physical issues. You’ll interpret failure symptoms, validate power delivery, and remedy storage or network connections quickly.
Methodical testing and documentation prove invaluable to maintaining service reliability. By applying structured troubleshooting methods, you continue to keep environments stable and performant.

Troubleshoot software

• Topics include OS errors, application issues, and patching failures.

Troubleshoot software summary: This part focuses on isolating and resolving software-level faults that affect server operations. You’ll analyze logs, evaluate configurations, and apply updates effectively.
You’ll also learn to restore application services and minimize downtime through remediation techniques. With these skills, you maintain productivity and user confidence.

Troubleshoot network

• Topics include latency, misconfigurations, and security breaches.

Troubleshoot network summary: This section teaches you to identify and resolve connectivity challenges affecting communication between systems. You’ll trace latency causes, adjust misconfigured components, and pinpoint security anomalies.
By correlating network metrics with performance baselines, you’ll safeguard data flows and ensure optimal throughput. These problem-solving abilities maintain smooth collaboration across all connected systems.

Disaster recovery

• Topics include backup strategies, recovery testing, and failover validation.

Disaster recovery summary: Here you’ll learn the strategies that keep organizations resilient in the face of disruption. You’ll plan backup schedules, verify recovery procedures, and validate failover performance to ensure business continuity.
By implementing reliable recovery processes, you enable quick restoration of operations after unexpected events. This proactive mindset supports uninterrupted service and preserves organizational knowledge for future growth.