Installing and Configuring Windows Server 2012 Exam Professional Standards & Competencies 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A Windows Server 2012 R2 administrator is preparing for a third-party security audit. Which log should be reviewed to demonstrate that privileged account usage is being monitored?
- Application Event Log
- Security Event Log with Account Logon and Privilege Use auditing enabled (Correct answer)
- System Event Log only
- DNS Debug Log
Correct answer: Security Event Log with Account Logon and Privilege Use auditing enabled
The Security Event Log, when configured with Account Logon and Privilege Use audit policies, records all privileged account activities and provides the evidence auditors require.
Question 2: According to professional standards, when decommissioning a Windows Server 2012 R2 server that stored sensitive data, what must be done to the storage media?
- Delete all files using Windows Explorer and donate the server
- Perform certified data destruction (DoD wipe or physical destruction) per organizational data sanitization policy (Correct answer)
- Format the drive with a quick format before disposal
- Move the hard drives to a closet for potential future reuse
Correct answer: Perform certified data destruction (DoD wipe or physical destruction) per organizational data sanitization policy
Professional data sanitization standards require certified media sanitization methods such as multi-pass overwriting or physical destruction to prevent data recovery from decommissioned servers.
Question 3: An administrator needs to transfer Windows Server 2012 R2 administration responsibilities to another team. Which deliverable is MOST important for a successful handover?
- A verbal briefing during a 10-minute meeting
- Comprehensive runbooks documenting configurations, credentials locations, procedures, and escalation paths (Correct answer)
- Sharing the administrator's personal notes stored locally on their laptop
- Providing access to the server without documentation
Correct answer: Comprehensive runbooks documenting configurations, credentials locations, procedures, and escalation paths
Comprehensive runbooks that document configurations, procedures, and escalation paths are essential for a professional handover, ensuring continuity of operations when personnel change.
Question 4: A Windows Server 2012 administrator is asked to validate that server configurations comply with the Center for Internet Security (CIS) benchmark. What does this benchmark primarily define?
- Hardware purchasing guidelines for new servers
- Prescriptive configuration recommendations to securely configure operating systems and applications (Correct answer)
- Internet bandwidth allocation policies
- Software licensing cost guidelines
Correct answer: Prescriptive configuration recommendations to securely configure operating systems and applications
CIS Benchmarks are internationally recognized prescriptive configuration guides that define secure settings for operating systems including Windows Server, used for compliance validation.
Question 5: Which Windows Server 2012 R2 capability allows administrators to group related management tasks and automate repetitive configuration work across multiple servers simultaneously?
- Manual RDP sessions to each server
- PowerShell Desired State Configuration (DSC) (Correct answer)
- Notepad scripts copied manually
- Device Manager remote view
Correct answer: PowerShell Desired State Configuration (DSC)
PowerShell Desired State Configuration (DSC) allows administrators to define the desired state of servers declaratively and automatically enforce that configuration across multiple servers.
Question 6: Professional IT governance frameworks recommend that Windows Server 2012 R2 production change windows be scheduled during which time period?
- During peak business hours to maximize IT staff availability
- During defined maintenance windows when business impact is minimized, typically nights or weekends (Correct answer)
- Randomly throughout the week to keep administrators on their toes
- Only during incidents when changes are forced
Correct answer: During defined maintenance windows when business impact is minimized, typically nights or weekends
IT governance best practices require scheduling production changes during defined maintenance windows with low business activity to minimize user impact and allow rollback if needed.
Question 7: When a Windows Server 2012 R2 administrator identifies a critical vulnerability in a deployed server role, which action sequence aligns with professional vulnerability management standards?
- Ignore it until the next scheduled maintenance cycle regardless of severity
- Assess severity and exploitability, apply the patch in test first, then production, and document remediation (Correct answer)
- Immediately apply the patch to production without testing to minimize exposure time
- Announce the vulnerability publicly before patching
Correct answer: Assess severity and exploitability, apply the patch in test first, then production, and document remediation
Professional vulnerability management requires assessing the vulnerability's severity and exploitability, testing the patch in a non-production environment, then deploying to production with full documentation.
Installing and Configuring Windows Server 2012 Exam Professional Standards & Competencies 5
A Windows Server 2012 R2 administrator is preparing for a third-party security audit.
Which log should be reviewed to demonstrate that privileged account usage is being monitored?