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A plain reference to CompTIA Server+, the vendor-neutral server administration certification, as of October 2026. This guide covers the current SK0-005 exam, the four domains and their weights, the exam format and passing score, the 2025 switch from Good for Life to Continuing Education, the jobs Server+ fits, and how it compares to Network+ and Linux+.
CompTIA Server+ is a vendor-neutral certification that validates the skills to install, manage, and troubleshoot servers in data centers, on-premises, and hybrid environments.
It sits next to Network+ in the CompTIA lineup but looks at the machines rather than the links between them. The exam covers rack power and cooling, RAID and shared storage, server operating systems, virtualization, hardening, backup and recovery, and a troubleshooting domain worth 28% of the score. The current version, SK0-005, launched on May 18, 2021, and CompTIA has not published a retirement date for it.
Server+ has no formal prerequisites. CompTIA recommends A+ certification or equivalent knowledge plus two years of hands-on experience in a server environment. Since October 1, 2025 it has been part of CompTIA’s Continuing Education program, so it now renews every three years instead of being good for life. Federal candidates should know that Server+ is not on CompTIA’s list of certifications approved under DoD 8140. The certification is issued and maintained by CompTIA, the vendor-neutral nonprofit behind the A+, Network+ and Linux+ credentials.
Racking, cabling, power, cooling, RAID, and out-of-band management. 18% of the exam.
Operating systems, network services, high availability, and virtualization. The heaviest domain at 30%.
Data and physical security, access management, hardening, and decommissioning.
Hardware, software, network, and recovery faults. 28% of the exam.
Four things set Server+ apart from the rest of the CompTIA infrastructure lineup in 2026, including one change that affects everyone who already holds it.
Server+ tests how servers work rather than how one manufacturer’s hardware or one operating system works. CompTIA built it for data center, on-premises, and hybrid environments, which suits shops that run a mix of hardware, hypervisors, and Windows and Linux servers.
Rack power, cooling, cabling, RAID levels, and out-of-band management are all on the exam. Cloud certifications rarely go near a rack, so Server+ keeps its value for anyone who works on site with physical equipment.
Server Administration (30%) and Troubleshooting (28%) together make up 58% of SK0-005. The domain breakdown below shows what each one covers.
CompTIA moved Server+ from Good for Life into its Continuing Education program on October 1, 2025. Anyone who earns it now renews every three years with 30 CEUs and a $150 CE fee, or by passing the latest release of the exam.
Existing holders were moved to the CE version automatically, and CompTIA has set their first renewal deadline at October 1, 2027. If you earned Server+ years ago and assumed it never expires, check your CompTIA account.
The certification, the SK0-005 exam, and how Server+ renews, as of October 2026.
Server+ leads naturally into Linux, cloud, or automation work. CompTIA lists Server+ as recommended background for two of the three credentials below, and none of them require it formally.
The most direct next step if your servers run Linux. CompTIA recommends A+, Network+ or Server+ plus 12 months of hands-on Linux server experience before XK0-006, which launched on July 15, 2025. It takes the operating system work Server+ introduces and goes deep on one platform.
For a move toward cloud and hybrid operations. CompTIA aims Cloud+ (CV0-004) at people with two to three years as a systems administrator or cloud engineer, and its objectives carry Server+ topics like virtualization, backup and recovery, and troubleshooting into cloud environments.
CompTIA’s automation credential, AT0-001, launched on June 2, 2026. CompTIA names Server+ among the recommended certifications, along with Network+, Linux+ and Cloud+. It suits admins whose job is moving from running servers by hand to automating them.
Server+ sits on top of the A+ and Network+ foundation. CompTIA recommends A+ before it, and Network+ covers the same IP addressing and network services in more depth. From there the path branches toward Linux, automation, cloud, or security.
The IT groundwork
The hardware and administration layer
Two questions to answer before you commit: can you sit it, and should you pursue Server+ specifically. Here’s a straight answer to both.
No prerequisites, no application.
Server+ has no formal prerequisites. You can buy a voucher and book SK0-005 at a Pearson VUE test center or online without holding any other certification and without documenting your work experience.
CompTIA is specific about this.
CompTIA recommends A+ or equivalent knowledge plus two years of hands-on experience in a server environment. That’s more than the 9 to 12 months it suggests for Network+. If you have never racked a server or rebuilt a RAID array, plan on lab time before you book the exam.
CompTIA names server administrator, systems administrator, data center technician, network administrator, and field service technician as roles Server+ prepares you for. It also aligns the certification to two work roles in the NICE and DCWF frameworks.
The most direct match for Server+. Installs, patches and monitors an organization’s physical and virtual servers, and keeps storage, backups and uptime where they need to be.
Manages operating systems, accounts and the infrastructure services users depend on. CompTIA aligns Server+ to the systems administrator work role in the NICE and DCWF frameworks.
Racks and cables hardware, swaps failed drives and power supplies, and keeps an eye on power and cooling. The Server+ hardware domain maps closely to this work.
Looks after the servers behind the network as well as the network itself. Server+ covers the IP addressing, DNS, DHCP and VLAN configuration this role handles on the server side.
Travels to client sites to install, diagnose and repair equipment. The troubleshooting domain, at 28% of the exam, is built around this kind of on-site problem solving.
Monitors systems and services and responds when something breaks. CompTIA aligns Server+ to this work role in the NICE and DCWF frameworks, though Server+ is not a DoD 8140 qualification for it.
All three are CompTIA infrastructure credentials, and CompTIA lists Server+ as recommended background for Linux+. Here’s how they line up as of October 2026.
| Server+ | Network+ | Linux+ | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Issuer | CompTIA | CompTIA | CompTIA |
| Focus | Server hardware, administration and troubleshooting | Networking | Linux system administration |
| Prerequisites | None (rec. A+ and 2 years) | None (rec. A+ and 9 to 12 months) | None (rec. 12 months with Linux) |
| Current Exam | SK0-005 (May 2021) | N10-009 (June 2024) | XK0-006 (July 2025) |
| Exam Format | 1 exam, up to 90 items | 1 exam, up to 90 items | 1 exam, up to 90 items |
| Passing Score | 750 of 900 | 720 of 900 | 720 of 900 |
| Renewal | 3 years, 30 CEUs | 3 years, 30 CEUs | 3 years, 50 CEUs |
| Best For | Server and data center roles | Network technician roles | Linux administration roles |
Server+ and Linux+ overlap on server operating systems and virtualization. If your servers run mostly Linux, Linux+ goes deeper. If you also rack, cable and repair the hardware, Server+ covers ground Linux+ doesn’t.
Certification Matchups: the published facts, strengths and weak spots of 33 certifications, side by side.
Our CompTIA Server+ boot camp covers all four SK0-005 domains in four days of live, instructor-led training, in person or online. It uses official CompTIA courseware and hands-on labs, includes your exam voucher and a free retake, and lets you sit the exam on site at the end of class. If you would rather study on your own schedule, the self-paced Server+ bundle gives you 365 days of video lessons, labs, practice exams and an exam voucher.
Where Server+ fits in the CompTIA stack, what to take next, how renewal works, and what the exams cost.
Where Server+ fits in the CompTIA stack, including the systems administration path that starts with A+, Network+ and Security+ and adds Server+ or Linux+ on top.
CompTIA lists Server+ as recommended background for Linux+. This guide walks through the XK0-006 domains, the performance-based questions and a study approach for the current version.
CompTIA’s automation credential went live in June 2026 and names Server+ among its recommended prior certifications. What the four AT0-001 domains cover and who the exam suits.
Where Server+ fits for people who already hold Security+, as the credential that fills gaps in hardware, storage and disaster recovery for on-premises and hybrid estates.
How CompTIA continuing education compares with other certification bodies, and why Server+ renews on its own rather than through a higher-level CompTIA certification.
How the CompTIA lineup fits together, and why the order you earn certifications in matters as much as which ones you pick.
CompTIA voucher pricing after the June 2026 increase, plus the employer reimbursement, academic and military discount options that apply across the lineup.
The SK0-005 exam is organized into four domains, each carrying its own weight. Server Administration and Troubleshooting together make up 58% of the exam. Click any domain for what it covers.
The physical side of the job. Racking, cabling, power and cooling, RAID levels, shared storage and capacity planning, plus hardware maintenance through out-of-band management, firmware upgrades and hot-swappable components. It is the smallest domain, but if your experience is all cloud it is the one that needs the most lab time.
The largest domain, at nearly a third of the exam. Installing server operating systems (partition types, file systems, installation methods), configuring IP addressing, DNS, DHCP and VLANs, managing server roles and performance metrics, and covering high availability, virtualization, scripting basics and asset management.
Data security through encryption and retention policies, physical security and environmental controls, identity and access management with MFA and permissions, mitigation tools such as DLP and SIEM, server hardening, and decommissioning through media destruction and recycling.
Second only to administration in weight. Diagnosing hardware faults such as power issues and storage failures, software problems like OS errors and failed patches, network problems from latency to misconfiguration, and disaster recovery issues, including backup strategy, recovery testing and failover validation.
Domains and weights reflect the CompTIA Server+ SK0-005 (V5) exam objectives, launched May 18, 2021, as published on CompTIA’s Server+ page in October 2026. CompTIA had not announced a retirement date for SK0-005 at that time.
The questions candidates ask most often when researching the CompTIA Server+ certification.
CompTIA Server+ is a vendor-neutral certification that validates your ability to install, manage, and troubleshoot servers in data centers, on-premises, and hybrid environments. It covers server hardware, storage, operating systems, virtualization, security, disaster recovery, and troubleshooting, and it’s aimed at people working in server administration and data center roles.
The current exam is SK0-005, also called Version 5, which CompTIA launched on May 18, 2021. As of October 2026, CompTIA’s Server+ page lists no retirement date for SK0-005 and no replacement exam, so SK0-005 is the version to study for. Check the CompTIA Server+ page before you book in case that changes.
No. Server+ has no formal prerequisites, so anyone can register and sit the exam. CompTIA recommends A+ certification or equivalent knowledge, along with two years of hands-on experience in a server environment, but that’s a recommendation, not a requirement.
SK0-005 has a maximum of 90 questions and a 90-minute time limit. It mixes standard multiple-choice questions with performance-based questions that ask you to complete a task in a simulated environment. You need a scaled score of 750 on a scale of 100 to 900 to pass. The exam is offered in English and Japanese.
Under SK0-005 the four domains are Server Hardware Installation and Management (18 percent), Server Administration (30 percent), Security and Disaster Recovery (24 percent), and Troubleshooting (28 percent). Administration and Troubleshooting together make up 58 percent of the exam, so they deserve the most study time.
As of October 2026, CompTIA lists the Server+ exam voucher at $399 in the United States, and prices vary by region. Training Camp’s Server+ boot camp includes the exam voucher and a free retake, and the self-paced Server+ bundle includes the exam voucher. Ask your employer whether it reimburses certification fees before you pay out of pocket.
CompTIA lists server administrator, systems administrator, data center technician, network administrator, and field service technician as jobs Server+ prepares you for. It also aligns Server+ to the network operations specialist and systems administrator work roles in the NICE and DCWF frameworks.
No. CompTIA’s DoDM 8140.03 mapping lists seven approved CompTIA certifications (A+, Network+, Security+, Cloud+, CySA+, PenTest+, and SecurityX), and Server+ is not one of them. CompTIA does align Server+ to the systems administrator and network operations specialist work roles, but alignment is not the same as approval. If you need an 8140 qualification for those roles, Network+, Cloud+, and Security+ are approved for both. See the DoD 8140 work role paths.
Server+ is valid for three years from the date you earn or renew it (holders from before October 2025 have a first deadline of October 1, 2027). You renew through CompTIA’s Continuing Education program by earning 30 continuing education units and paying the $150 CE fee during your three-year cycle, or by passing the latest release of the Server+ exam. No other CompTIA certification fully renews Server+, so plan on earning CEUs or passing the current exam.
No. CompTIA moved Server+ from Good for Life into its Continuing Education program on October 1, 2025. If you already held Server+ before that date, CompTIA automatically granted you the CE version, and your first renewal deadline is October 1, 2027. Anyone who earns Server+ now renews on the standard three-year cycle.
Network+ covers how networks move data, from addressing and routing to network troubleshooting. Server+ covers the machines on that network, including server hardware, storage, operating systems, virtualization, and server troubleshooting. Server+ has a higher passing score (750 versus 720) and asks for more experience (two years versus 9 to 12 months). Network+ is approved under DoD 8140 and Server+ is not.
No, A+ is recommended but not required. CompTIA suggests A+ or equivalent knowledge because Server+ builds on the hardware, storage, and operating system basics A+ teaches. If you already work hands-on with servers, you can go straight to Server+. If your experience is mostly help desk tickets, A+ first will make the hardware domain easier.
Linux+ is a natural next step for server admins, and CompTIA lists Server+ as recommended background for it. Cloud+ suits a move into cloud and hybrid operations. AutoOps+, launched in June 2026, covers automating IT operations and names Server+ among its recommended certifications. If you’re heading toward security, Security+ is the usual entry point.
On paper, Server+ sets a higher bar than Network+ or Linux+. The passing score is 750 out of 900, compared with 720 for both, and CompTIA recommends two years of hands-on server experience. The exam includes performance-based questions, so you’ll need to apply concepts, not just recall them. If you’ve only worked in the cloud, expect the physical material (rack power and cooling, RAID levels, out-of-band management) to take the most study.
For anyone working with physical or hybrid server infrastructure, yes. Server+ is CompTIA’s vendor-neutral server credential, it covers hardware topics most cloud certifications skip, and it leads into Linux+, Cloud+, and AutoOps+. It’s a weaker choice if you need a DoD 8140 qualification, since Server+ isn’t on the approved list, or if your work is entirely in a public cloud.
Whether you’re weighing the certification, working out funding, or planning training for a server team, tell us where you are and we’ll help you map out the right path.