Appendix
A
The CompTIA Storage+ Exam
TOPICS COVERED IN THIS APPENDIX:
- Preparing for the CompTIA Storage+ exam
- Registering for the exam
- Taking the exam
- Reviewing exam objectives
As mentioned in the introductory chapter to the book, IT is becoming more and more important in just about everything we do. In the corporate and business IT world, storage is a key IT system that requires skilled and trained professionals who can design and manage highly available and performant systems. One way to demonstrate your ability in this area is to attain the CompTIA Storage+ Powered by SNIA certification.
To achieve this certification, you need to pass the following exam:
CompTIA Storage+ Powered by SNIA Exam SGO-001 The Storage+ exam is the only storage certification offered by CompTIA in association with the Storage Networking Industry Association (SNIA). Covering all the topics required to configure basic storage networks and systems, this exam provides a solid foundation for building a more in-depth storage skill set. The exam is aimed at professionals who have at least one year of hands-on experience.
This book covers all the exam objectives, plus more, to enable you to pass the exam and be successful in your carreer as a storage and systems administrator.
Preparing for the Exam
Preparation is key to being successful. Now that you've read this book and are ready to pass the exam, it's a good idea to consider how the exam will look and feel, so that nothing takes you by surprise.
It's highly recommended to visit the CompTIA website before taking the exam, because details about the exam can change. The CompTIA website for this exam is http://certification.comptia.org/getcertified/certifications/storage.aspx.
The first thing to be aware of is that the exam is vendor neutral. There won't be any Dell Compellent or HP 3PAR questions on the exam. They're all more universal and conceptual. That is a good thing, as the information you've learned in this book is transferrable across most, if not all, vendors.
The exam is 1 hour and 30 minutes long and consists of 100 multiple-choice questions. There are no hands-on exercises or lab simulations. To pass, you need a score of 70% or more.
The exam is broken into the domains of expertise shown in Table A.1.
TABLE A.1 Exam Objective Categories
| Expertise Domain | % of Exam |
| 1.0 Storage Components | 20% |
| 2.0 Connectivity | 24% |
| 3.0 Storage Management | 26% |
| 4.0 Data Protection | 17% |
| 5.0 Storage Performance | 13% |
Looking at the objectives table, if you feel you're weak in any particular area, do some more homework so that you can go into the exam as confidently as possible.
Taking the Exam
At the time this book goes to press, the CompTIA Storage+ Powered by SNIA exam can be taken only at Pearson VUE testing centers. Pearson VUE is a leading global training company with more than 5,000 testing centers dotted around the globe.
To book your exam, you simply go to www.pearsonvue.com/comptia and follow the online procedure. The website enables you to locate your nearest testing center, book the test, and pay for it. To complete the procedure, you'll need a Pearson VUE account (which can be set up on the website), and an electronic payment method. The exam costs around $200 (or the local equivalent in whatever country you are in).
After your exam is booked, you need to sort out a few other important things, such as these:
- Plan your route to the testing center—you do not want to arrive late!
- Be sure to bring the required identification. You cannot take the exam without providing identification documentation that has a photograph of you and your current valid signature.
Once you know where the testing center is and you have the required identification, you're ready for the day of your exam.
On the day of your exam, do yourself a favor and arrive at the testing center early. The last thing you need is the stress of running late. Be prepared to surrender all personal electronic devices and have them stored in a secure locker while you take the exam.
After signing in at the testing center, you'll be taken to a secure room, where you'll be logged in to a computer and asked to complete a short computer-based survey. The time required to take this survey has no effect on the time you have to take the exam, so take your time with the survey. The answers you give in the survey do not influence your exam marks.
After you've completed the survey, it's time to take the exam. As mentioned earlier, the exam is multiple-choice questions. You have the ability to mark questions for later review: if you're unsure of the answer to a question, you can mark that question for review, and after you've answered all other questions, the system will allow you to go back to any questions that you've marked. Do your best to answer all questions! There is no advantage in leaving a question unanswered. An unanswered question is automatically considered incorrect. If you guess at the answer, you stand a chance of guessing right. So answer all questions!
After you've answered all questions and clicked the Complete button, you'll be shown your score and whether you've passed the exam. Hopefully, you've passed, and the system will automatically print out your score card. You'll then receive an email outlining your results and giving you the option of having a certificate mailed to you. In the event that you do not pass the exam, you are able to retake the exam at any time convenient to yourself and your chosen testing center — there is no requirement for a waiting period between your first and second attempt at the exam. However, if you do not pass on your second attempt, you will need to wait a minimum of 14 days between any further retakes.
Reviewing Exam Objectives
Table A.2 provides objective mappings for the SGO-001 exam. You can also find coverage of exam objectives in the flash cards and practice exams on the book's companion website, http://www.sybex.com/go/datastoragenetworking.
TABLE A.2 Exam SGO-001 CompTIA Storage+ Powered by SNIA Objectives Map
| 1.0 Storage Components | Corresponding Book Chapter |
1.1 Describe disk types, components, and features.
|
All covered in Chapter 2: Storage Devices |
1.2 Compare removable media types, components, and features.
|
Chapter 2: Storage Devices
Chapter 10: Capacity Optimization Technologies Chapter 11: Backup and Recovery |
1.3 Given a scenario, install and maintain connectors and cable types (keeping in mind their properties).
|
Chapter 13: The Wider Data Center Neighborhood
Chapter 14: Converged Networking Chapter 5: Fibre Channel SAN |
1.4 Describe the uses of physical networking hardware.
|
Chapter 5: Fibre Channel SAN
Chapter 6: iSCSI SAN |
1.5 Given a scenario, install and maintain modular storage array components.
|
Chapter 3: Storage Arrays
Chapter 5: Fibre Channel SAN |
1.6 Identify the following environmental concerns and their associated impacts.
|
Chapter 13: The Wider Data Center Neighborhood |
1.7 Use appropriate safety techniques during installation and maintenance of storage equipment.
|
Chapter 13: The Wider Data Center Neighborhood |
| 2.0 Connectivity | |
2.1 Identify common storage networking industry terms.
|
Chapter 5: Fibre Channel SAN |
2.2 Explain the following storage networking industry terms.
|
|
2.3 Given a scenario, implement the following Fibre Channel technologies.
|
Chapter 5: Fibre Channel SAN |
2.4 Given a scenario, implement the following Ethernet network technologies.
|
Chapter 5: Fibre Channel SAN |
2.5 Identify the basics of converged storage network technologies.
|
Chapter 5: Fibre Channel SAN
Chapter 3: Storage Arrays Chapter 6: iSCSI SAN Chapter 7: Files, NAS, and Objects |
2.6 Given a scenario, use the appropriate network tools.
|
Chapter 14: Converged Networking |
2.7 Troubleshoot the following common networking problems.
|
Chapter 5: Fibre Channel SAN
Chapter 6: iSCSI SAN |
2.8 Troubleshoot the following common Fibre Channel problems.
|
Chapter 13: The Wider Data Center Neighborhood
Chapter 5: Fibre Channel SAN Chapter 6: iSCSI SAN |
2.9 Compare and contrast common storage infrastructures.
|
Chapter 13: The Wider Data Center Neighborhood
Chapter 5: Fibre Channel SAN Chapter 6: iSCSI SAN |
| 3.0 Storage Management | Chapter 3: Storage Arrays
Chapter 5: Fibre Channel SAN Chapter 6: iSCSI SAN Chapter 7: Files, NAS, and Objects |
3.1 Explain the following RAID levels and associated properties.
|
|
3.2 Given a scenario, execute storage provisioning techniques.
|
Chapter 4: RAID: Keeping Your Data Safe |
3.3 Explain volume management concepts.
|
Chapter 3: Storage Arrays
Chapter 10: Capacity Optimization Technologies |
3.4 Describe general virtualization concepts.
|
Chapter 4: RAID: Keeping Your Data Safe
Chapter 3: Storage Arrays Chapter 7: Files, NAS, and Objects |
3.5 Given a scenario, implement monitoring, alerting, and reporting.
|
Chapter 9: Storage Virtualization
Chapter 11: Backup and Recovery Chapter 5: Fibre Channel SAN Chapter 6: iSCSI SAN |
3.6 Explain management protocols, interfaces, and associated purposes.
|
Chapter 10: Capacity Optimization Technologies
Chapter 12: Storage Management |
3.7 Explain Information Lifecycle Management concepts.
|
Chapter 12: Storage Management |
3.8 Explain the various functions and differences of deduplication and compression.
|
Chapter 7: Files, NAS, and Objects
Chapter 3: Storage Arrays Chapter 10: Capacity Optimization Technologies Chapter 11: Backup and Recovery |
| 4.0 Data Protection | Chapter 10: Capacity Optimization Technologies |
4.1 Explain redundancy concepts, associated purposes, and components.
|
|
4.2 Compare and contrast different replication methods and properties.
|
Chapter 3: Storage Arrays
Chapter 4: RAID: Keeping Your Data Safe Chapter 5: Fibre Channel SAN |
4.3 Explain the basics of data backup concepts for long-term storage.
|
Chapter 8: Replication Technologies |
4.4 Explain the basic concepts and importance of data security.
|
Chapter 11: Backup and Recovery |
| 5.0 Storage Performance | Chapter 3: Storage Arrays
Chapter 11: Backup and Recovery Chapter 7: Files, NAS, and Objects |
5.1 Explain how latency and throughput impact storage performance.
|
|
5.2 Identify tuning and workload balance concepts.
|
Chapter 3: Storage Arrays
Chapter 4: RAID: Keeping Your Data Safe Chapter 8: Replication Technologies |
5.3 Describe storage device bandwidth properties and functions.
|
Chapter 3: Storage Arrays
Chapter 10: Capacity Optimization Technologies |
5.4 Describe network device bandwidth properties and functions.
|
Chapter 3: Storage Arrays
Chapter 5: Fibre Channel SAN |
5.5 Explain performance metrics, parameters, and purposes of storage/host tools.
|
Chapter 5: Fibre Channel SAN
Chapter 6: iSCSI SAN |
| Chapter 3: Storage Arrays
Chapter 5: Fibre Channel SAN Chapter 12: Storage Management |
|
Exam objectives are subject to change at any time without prior notice. Make sure you visit http://certification.comptia.org/getcertified/certifications/storage.aspx. If the URL for the exam has moved, Google probably knows where it is!
Good luck with the exam!