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Server+ Exam Objectives
1.0 – INSTALLATION
1.1 Conduct pre-installation planning activities
· Plan the installation
· Verify the installation plan
· Verify hardware compatibility with operating system
· Verify power sources, space, UPS and network availability
· Verify that all correct components and cables have been delivered
1.2 Install hardware using ESD best practices (boards, drives, processors, memory, internal cable, etc.)
· Mount the rack installation
· Cut and crimp network cabling
· Install UPS
· Verify SCSI ID configuration and termination
· Install external devices (e.g., keyboards, monitors, subsystems, modem rack, etc.)
· Verify power-on via power-on sequence
2.0 – CONFIGURATION
2.1 Check/upgrade BIOS/firmware levels (system board, RAID, controller, hard drive, etc.)
2.2 Configure RAID
2.3 Install NOS
· Configure network and verify network connectivity
· Verify network connectivity
2.4 Configure external peripherals (UPS, external drive subsystems, etc.)
2.5 Install NOS updates to design specifications
2.6 Update manufacturer specific drivers
2.7 Install service tools (SNMP, backup software, system monitoring agents, event logs, etc.)
2.8 Perform Server baseline
2.9 Document the configuration
3.0 – UPGRADING
3.1 Perform full backup
· Verify backup
3.2 Add Processors
· On single processor upgrade, verify compatibility
· Verify N 1 stepping
· Verify speed and cache matching
· Perform BIOS upgrade
· Perform OS upgrade to support multiprocessors
· Perform upgrade checklist, including: locate/obtain latest test drivers, OS updates, software,
etc.; review FAQs, instruction, facts and issues; test and pilot; schedule downtime;
implement ESD best practices; confirm that upgrade has been recognized; review and
baseline; document upgrade.
3.3 Add hard drives
· Verify that drives are the appropriate type
· Confirm termination and cabling
· For ATA/IDE drives, confirm cabling, master/slave and potential cross-brand compatibility
· Upgrade mass storage
· Add drives to array
· Replace existing drives
· Integrate into storage solution and make it available to the operating system
· Perform upgrade checklist, including: locate and obtain latest test drivers, OS updates,
software, etc.; Review FAQs, instructions, facts and issues; test and pilot; schedule
downtime; implement using ESD best practices; confirm that the upgrade has been
recognized; review and baseline; document the upgrade.
3.4 Increase memory
· Verify hardware and OS support for capacity increase
· Verify memory is on hardware/vendor compatibility list
· Verify memory compatibility (e.g., speed, brand, capacity, EDO, ECC/non-ECC,
SDRAM/RDRAM)
· Perform upgrade checklist including: locate and obtain latest test drivers, OS updates,
software, etc.; review FAQs, instructions, facts and issues; test and pilot; schedule
downtime; implement using ESD best practices; confirm that the upgrade has been
recognized; review and baseline; document the upgrade
· Verify that server and OS recognize the added memory
· Perform server optimization to make use of additional RAM
3.5 Upgrade BIOS/firmware
. Perform upgrade checklist including: locate and obtain latest test drivers, OS updates,
software, etc.; review FAQs, instructions, facts and issues; test and pilot; schedule
downtime; implement using ESD best practices; confirm that the upgrade has been
recognized; review and baseline; document the upgrade
3.6 Upgrade adapters (e.g., NICs, SCSI cards, RAID, etc.)
. Perform upgrade checklist including: locate and obtain latest test drivers, OS updates,
software, etc.; review FAQs, instructions, facts and issues; test and pilot; schedule
downtime; implement using ESD best practices; confirm that the upgrade has been
recognized; review and baseline; document the upgrade
3.7 Upgrade peripheral devices, internal and external
. Verify appropriate system resources (e.g., expansion slots, IRQ, DMA, etc.)
. Perform upgrade checklist including: locate and obtain latest test drivers, OS updates,
software, etc.; review FAQs, instructions, facts and issues; test and pilot; schedule
downtime; implement using ESD best practices; confirm that the upgrade has been
recognized; review and baseline; document the upgrade
3.8 Upgrade system monitoring agents
. Perform upgrade checklist including: locate and obtain latest test drivers, OS updates,
software, etc.; review FAQs, instructions, facts and issues; test and pilot; schedule
downtime; implement using ESD best practices; confirm that the upgrade has been
recognized; review and baseline; document the upgrade
3.9 Upgrade service tools (e.g., diagnostic tools, EISA configuration, diagnostic partition, SSU,
etc.)
. Perform upgrade checklist including: locate and obtain latest test drivers, OS updates,
software, etc.; review FAQs, instructions, facts and issues; test and pilot; schedule
downtime; implement using ESD best practices; confirm that the upgrade has been
recognized; review and baseline; document the upgrade
3.10 Upgrade UPS
. Perform upgrade checklist including: locate and obtain latest test drivers, OS updates,
software, etc.; review FAQs, instructions, facts and issues; test and pilot; schedule
downtime; implement using ESD best practices; confirm that the upgrade has been
recognized; review and baseline; document the upgrade
4.0 – PROACTIVE MAINTENANCE
4.1 Perform regular backup
4.2 Create baseline and compare performance
4.3 Set SNMP thresholds
4.4 Perform physical housekeeping
4.5 Perform hardware verification
4.6 Establish remote notification
5.0 – ENVIRONMENT
5.1 Recognize and report on physical security issues
· Limit access to server room and backup tapes
· Ensure physical locks exist on doors
· Establish anti-theft devices for hardware (lock server racks)
5.2 Recognize and report on server room environmental issues (temperature, humidity/ESD/
power surges, back-up generator/fire suppression/flood considerations)
TROUBLESHOOTING AND PROBLEM DETERMINATION
6.1 Perform problem determination
· Use questioning techniques to determine what, how, when.
· Identify contact(s) responsible for problem resolution
· Use senses to observe problem (e.g., smell of smoke, observation of unhooked cable, etc.)
6.2 Use diagnostic hardware and software tools and utilities
· Identify common diagnostic tools across the following OS: Microsoft Windows NT/2000;
Novell Netware, UNIX, Linux, IBM OS/2
· Perform shut down across the following OS: Microsoft Windows NT/2000, Novell Netware,
UNIX, Linux, IBM OS/2
· Select the appropriate tool
· Use the selected tool effectively
· Replace defective hardware components as appropriate
· Identify defective FRUs and replace with correct part
· Interpret error logs, operating system errors, health logs, and critical events
· Use documentation from previous technician successfully
· Locate and effectively use hot tips (e.g, fixes, OS updates, E-support, web pages, CDs)
· Gather resources to get problem solved:
- Identify situations requiring call for assistance
- Acquire appropriate documentation
· Describe how to perform remote troubleshooting for a wake-on-LAN
· Describe how to perform remote troubleshooting for a remote alert.
6.3 Identify bottlenecks (e.g., processor, bus transfer, I/O, disk I/O, network I/O, memory)
6.4 Identify and correct misconfigurations and/or upgrades
6.5 Determine if problem is hardware, software or virus related
DISASTER RECOVERY
7.1. Plan for disaster recovery
· Plan for redundancy (e.g., hard drives, power supplies, fans, NICs, processors, UPS)
· Use the technique of hot swap, warm swap and hot spare to ensure availability
· Use the concepts of fault tolerance/fault recovery to create a disaster recovery plan
· Develop disaster recovery plan
· Identify types of backup hardware
· Identify types of backup and restoration schemes
· Confirm and use off site storage for backup
· Document and test disaster recovery plan regularly, and update as needed
7.2 Restoring
· Identify hardware replacements
· Identify hot and cold sites
· Implement disaster recovery plan
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