The CompTIA Server+ exam is an IT industry certification for individuals who want to gain experience and knowledge of server administration’s essential principles.
How long is it going to last?
The answer is straightforward: it lasts as long as you desire. Unlike most other certifications, the CompTIA Server+ test has no expiration date; instead, it is valid for the rest of your career.
We’ll go through what the CompTIA Server+ is, how to use it to renew other certifications, and what you can do to keep your technical skills sharp in this blog post!
Definition (Server+)
CompTIA Server+ is a certification that demonstrates knowledge of physical and virtual server architecture, configuration, operational processes, and security concerns. It’s also a well-recognized accreditation for people who desire to work in data centres or comparable IT sectors.
The CompTIA Server+ certification exam assesses the knowledge and skills listed below:
- How servers work both on their own and as part of a network.
- How to install or upgrade an operating system and properly setup the hardware on a server.
- How to set up, maintain, debug, and recover servers.
- How to use firewalls, intrusion detection systems, and cryptography to assure security.
The exam has 90 questions and takes roughly 90 minutes to complete (as of 2021). Multiple-choice and performance-based questions are two sorts of questions you’ll see. Multiple-choice questions are those that have multiple viable answers, one (or more) of which is accurate. Performance-based questions demand you to configure a server or answer other queries that cannot be solved simply by pressing buttons on the exam interface.
The key to success is having the necessary information, which can be gained through hands-on experience or formal training.
You can work as a server administrator, data centre technician, system administrator, IT technician, and more with this certification.
Server+: It’s a Way of Life
CompTIA certifications (such as the A+ and Network+) typically last three years after you complete your exam. After those three years have passed, you must renew your certification in order to keep it current.
This is not the case with CompTIA Server+, as this certification is good for life and will always be useful in your career. It does not require any renewal, but that does not rule out the possibility that your abilities will become obsolete.
SK0-004 vs. SK0-005
In 2015, the CompTIA Server+ SK0-004 exam was published. Because it covers some server technologies that are no longer in use, it will be partially obsolete by 2021. Similarly, it is deficient in knowledge on container-based virtualization and other more recent software innovations. As a result, the CompTIA Server+ was rumored to be lagging behind other tests of its ilk in the market.
CompTIA, on the other hand, is constantly updating and refining its certifications; a new edition of the Server+ test was just launched this year. The SK0-005 is more up-to-date than the previous edition since it covers more recent technological breakthroughs such as virtualization and cloud computing principles. It also covers concepts for hybrid server environments that can handle both large and small organizations.
The learning content for the 004 was delivered as follows:
- Administration of the server (24 percent )
- Problem-solving (20 percent )
- Safety is paramount (13 percent )
- Architecture of the Server (12 percent )
- Keeping things in storage (12 percent )
- Collaboration (10 percent )
- Recovering from a disaster (9 percent )
The 005 has a more comprehensive knowledge base:
- Administration of the server (30 percent )
- Problem-solving (28 percent )
- Disaster Recovery and Security (24 percent )
- Installation and Management of Server Hardware (18 percent )
The 004 exam will be phased out in December 2021, and IT professionals will only be able to take the 005 exam after that. Until then, you can select your preferred alternative. It’s a better idea to take the 005 to guarantee that your skillset is up to date with current industry demands.
How to Maintain Your Skills?
It’s relatively easy to let your server knowledge and skill level deteriorate over time due to its good-for-life status. You earn a lifetime certification and become complacent, enabling new discoveries and server innovations to slip past you. How do you stay up with the industry’s constant changes?
To avoid this, it’s a good idea to keep up with the latest technologies and employ best practices in your sector.
If you work as an IT expert and are responsible for server administration, for example, staying current on new releases of operating systems or other software will guarantee that your abilities remain fresh.
Every two years, it is advised that you take courses or receive training to keep your technical knowledge up to date. Even if you have the proper qualification, knowledge gaps may hamper further job advancement.
Organizations must also hire skilled individuals with the necessary practical abilities for the task.
Renewing Other Server+ Certifications
You can utilize this certification to renew one of your other certifications even if you don’t have to renew the Server+.
CompTIA’s certifications have a complicated renewal process that isn’t good for life. You have two options for renewing your membership:
Pass a higher-level CompTIA cert, a non-CompTIA cert that is still in the IT industry, or the most recent version of the certification you already hold to renew with a single action.
Earning CompTIA certs that aren’t higher-level or the newest versions, on-the-job training and other industry education, writing relevant articles, blog posts, or white papers, and even getting relevant IT work experience are all examples of many activities. CEUs, or Continuing Education Units, are earned through all of these activities. For renewal, each certification requires a different number of CEUs (except the lifetime ones).
If you’re an IT pro with the A+ or Network+ certifications but not the Server+, you can use the Server+ to renew your previous certification. The Server+ fully renews the Network+ and A+, making it an excellent choice if you haven’t taken these examinations in almost three years.
Conclusion
You won’t have to worry about the CompTIA Server+ certification expiring because it’s a lifetime certification. However, you must evaluate how you will maintain your hands-on abilities in an ever-changing sector. Learning new technologies, taking courses or receiving training every two years, and renewing other certifications are all ways to stay qualified as an IT expert for the rest of your career.
The Server+ can also be used to renew other certifications that have expired, such as the A+ and Network+.
The SK0-005 is the most recent version of the Server+, and it is valid as of this year.