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System Administration Midterm Exam Guide

1. The document contains a midterm examination for a system administration and maintenance course consisting of true/false questions, multiple choice, and identification questions testing students' knowledge of storage technologies. 2. Questions cover topics like file systems, direct attached storage (DAS), network attached storage (NAS), storage area network (SAN), logical volume manager (LVM), solid state drives (SSD), and interface standards like serial ATA (SATA) and parallel ATA (PATA). 3. Students are asked to identify components, advantages, and concepts related to different storage models and how they are used to provide file-level data access to multiple clients.

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EFREN LAZARTE
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0% found this document useful (0 votes)
15 views3 pages

System Administration Midterm Exam Guide

1. The document contains a midterm examination for a system administration and maintenance course consisting of true/false questions, multiple choice, and identification questions testing students' knowledge of storage technologies. 2. Questions cover topics like file systems, direct attached storage (DAS), network attached storage (NAS), storage area network (SAN), logical volume manager (LVM), solid state drives (SSD), and interface standards like serial ATA (SATA) and parallel ATA (PATA). 3. Students are asked to identify components, advantages, and concepts related to different storage models and how they are used to provide file-level data access to multiple clients.

Uploaded by

EFREN LAZARTE
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

PASSI CITY COLLEGE

City of Passi, Iloilo

School of Information and Communication Technology


MIDTERM EXAMINATION
SA 301- SYSTEM ADMINISTRATION AND MAINTENANCE
2nd Semester A.Y. 2022-2023
Instructor: Efren B. Lazarte

LAST NAME : _________________________________ FIRST NAME : ___________________________ M.I.:_______

I. True or False. Write TRUE if the statement is correct and FALSE if it is wrong. Write your
answer on the space provided before each number. (20 points)

_________1. The storage model file system is created to make available the disk space as a useful unit.
_________2. Direct Attached Storage (DAS) – was effectively created only after other approaches become
popular enough to require a simple differentiating name.
_________3. The application system managing the file system and running the application software then
acts as the agent making actual I/O possible.
_________4. Logical Volume Manager (LVM) is part of network attached storage.
_________5. Network Attached Storage) the host’s file system has to know how to get the data from a
central location.
_________6. A server with a single hard drive is consider as storage area networks.
_________8. Network Attached Storage (NAS) allows multiple clients to access the same file system over
the network.
_________9. DAS a dedicated file server generally contains significantly more and larger disks.
_________10. Cloud Storage allows access across even a Wide Area Network (WAN).
_________11. Fibre Channel over Ethernet (FCoE) or iSCSI, for example, allow connecting switched
SAN components.
_________12. The term “cloud storage” still has a number of conflicting or surprisingly different meanings.
_________13. A single bad hard drive is easy to replace; rebuilding the storage array underneath
hundreds of clients much less so.
_________14. SAN must eventually underly any storage solution, since the bits do have to be stored
somewhere after all.
_________15. SSD stands for Solid State Disk
_________16. The traditional interfaces are the HDD, PATA and SATA.
_________17. The Serial Advanced Technology Attachment (PATA) standard, also frequently referred to as
IDE (for Integrated Device Electronics
_________18. Most motherboards have integrated PATA host adapters, but a server can be extended
with additional HBAs.
_________19. Fibre Channel HBAs finally allow a server to connect to a dedicated Fibre Channel SAN.
_________20. DAS and a SAN server managing multiple terabytes of file space which is housed in a
separate device and which it accesses over a NAS.
II. Multiple choice. Choose the letter of the best answer. Write the letter only before each number. (20
points)

____1. The operating system managing the file system and running the application software

A. DAS
B. Storage Model
C. NAS
D. SAN
____2. It allows multiple clients to access the same file system over the network
A. DAS
B. Storage Model
C. NAS
D. SAN
____3. LUN stands for
A. Logical Unit Numerical
B. Logical Unit Numeric
C. Logical Unit Number
D. Logical Unit Neural
____4. It will benefit of being able to accommodate larger requirements: more clients, more disk space,
increased redundancy, etc.
A. DAS
B. SAN
C. NAS
D. Cloud Storage
____5. A single bad hard drive is easy to replace; rebuilding the storage array underneath hundreds of
clients much less so.
A. DAS
B. Storage Model
C. Model Consideration
D. Cloud Storage
____6. TLS/SSL
A. Transport Layer System/Secure Server Layer
B. Transport Layer Security/Secure Socket Layer
C. Transport Layer Security/Secure System Layer
D. Transport Layer System/System Socket Layer
____7. It offers significant advantages such as lower power consumption.
A. HBA
B. SATA
C. PATA
D. SSD
____8. It allows a server to connect to a dedicated Fibre Channel____?
A. SAN
B. NAS
C. CLOUD STORAGE
D. DAS
____9. is a common choice in storage area networks
A. SCSI
B. PATA
C. SATA
D. IDE
____10. the concepts of _____ permeate any infrastructure spanning more than just a few work stations
A. NAS
B. SAN
C. DAS
D. WAN

III. Identification. Identify what is being asked. (20 points)

__________1. The operating system managing the file system and running the application software
then acts as the agent making actual I/O possible.
__________2. It was effectively created only after other approaches become popular enough to require a
simple differentiating name.
__________3. Individual disks can simply be mounted in different locations of the file system hierarchy.
__________4. This allows for improved performance, increased amount of storage and/or redundancy.
__________5. The host’s file system has to know how to get the data from a central location
__________6. lt be considered a requirement in this solution, so as to ensure both performance and failover

__________7. Other than the performance impact we mentioned above, the distinct disadvantage lies
in the fact that the data becomes unavailable if the net- work connection suffers a disruption
__________8. Operating system kernel and user data may reside on the network
__________9. The NAS file server manages and handles the creation of the file systems on the storage media
and allows for shared access.
__________10. In these dedicated networks, central storage media is accessed using high performance interfaces
__________11. In fact, today’s network file servers frequently manage storage made available to them over a
SAN to export a file system to the clients as NAS.
__________12. Fibre Channel switches used in SANs allow further partitioning of the fabric by LUNs
and subdivision into SAN Zones.
__________13. This additional layers of indirection with the added benefit of being able to accommodate
larger requirements: more clients, more disk space, increased redundancy, etc.
__________14. But this restricts access to clients on this specific network.
__________15. A single bad hard drive is easy to replace; rebuilding the storage array underneath
hundreds of clients much less so.
__________16. The Optical media such as CDs, various non-volatile memory based devices such as flash drives
__________17. It is used as a single data/control cable and a separate power cable
__________18. This standard, also frequently referred to as IDE (for Integrated Device Electronics.
__________19. A number of revisions and updates to the standard added more advanced features and,
most significantly, increasingly greater transfer speeds.
__________20. Most motherboards have integrated _______host adapters.

Common questions

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SATA offers several advantages over PATA, including higher transfer speeds due to its serial communication protocol, which allows for faster data exchange and greater efficiency in data flow. SATA cables are thinner and longer, which improves cooling and airflow inside computer cases, while PATA uses a bulky, flat ribbon cable that can obstruct airflow. Additionally, SATA supports hot-swapping, an advantage for maintenance and upgrades .

NAS allows multiple clients to access the same file system over the network, which provides a centralized storage solution and improves collaboration. It differs from DAS, which typically involves storage directly connected to a single server, limiting its accessibility and scalability . NAS offers advantages like improved performance, increased storage, and better redundancy .

Implementing TLS/SSL protocols in storage networks is essential to encrypt data transmission and protect sensitive information from interception and unauthorized access. These protocols ensure data integrity and confidentiality during transfer across networks, which is particularly important in distributed or cloud-based storage systems where vulnerabilities exist due to multiple access points .

Cloud storage provides accessibility across multiple geographical locations through the internet, unlike traditional NAS or SAN, which require physical connections or local network environments. This makes cloud storage particularly suited for distributed teams and remote work environments. Additionally, it offers scalability and flexibility, often incorporating pay-as-you-go models. However, cloud storage also introduces concerns such as data security and latency, especially when accessing data over wide area networks .

FCoE allows Fibre Channel communications to run over Ethernet networks, combining the benefits of both technologies. This integration uses standard Ethernet infrastructure while maintaining SAN features like reliability and high speed. Compared to traditional Fibre Channel, FCoE reduces the need for dedicated hardware and can lower costs and complexity by using existing Ethernet networks .

SAN zoning is a method of partitioning a storage area network into manageable segments to enhance security and performance. By restricting access between different zones, SAN zoning limits broadcast traffic, improves data flow efficiency, and isolates potential breaches to a single zone rather than the entire network. This controlled access helps manage and protect the infrastructure, providing a more secure and organized network environment .

Fibre Channel HBAs (Host Bus Adapters) are crucial components in a SAN as they allow servers to connect to the SAN infrastructure. These adapters enable high-speed data transmission and robust error handling, ensuring reliable and efficient access to centralized storage resources. They facilitate data flow between servers and storage devices, thus maintaining the performance and scalability of the SAN .

SSD technology offers significantly lower power consumption and faster data access speeds compared to HDDs due to their lack of moving parts. This results in higher reliability and performance, particularly in applications requiring fast read and write operations. SSDs are also quieter and generate less heat, which is beneficial for maintaining optimal computer system environments .

Replacing a single bad hard drive is relatively straightforward; however, rebuilding the storage array in a solution with hundreds of clients is much more complex. It requires ensuring data consistency and availability during replacement, which can affect performance and accessibility if not managed carefully. Recovery operations can place additional load on the system, leading to potential service disruptions .

LVM is not inherently part of network-attached storage but is a system that helps manage disk storage logically instead of physically. Although not directly related to NAS, it can enhance storage management for systems interfacing with NAS by abstracting and organizing storage volumes .

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