CompTIA Server+ (SK0-005)Server AdministrationHard
A server administrator is configuring a new web server running Linux. The server needs to host multiple domains, each with its own dedicated IP address, and serve HTTP content. The administrator also wants to ensure that the server's network configuration is persistent across reboots. Which of the following configuration adjustments is most appropriate?
- AUse a load balancer to distribute traffic to different domains on a single IP address.
- BSet up a single NIC with multiple virtual LANs (VLANs) and assign each domain to a VLAN.
- CInstall multiple physical NICs and assign one IP address per NIC for each domain.
- DConfigure multiple IP aliases on a single network interface card (NIC) and edit the network script for persistence.
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: D. Configure multiple IP aliases on a single network interface card (NIC) and edit the network script for persistence.
Configuring multiple IP aliases on a single NIC allows a server to listen on multiple IP addresses using only one physical network adapter. Editing the network configuration files (e.g., /etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/ifcfg-eth0:0 on RHEL-based systems or /etc/network/interfaces on Debian-based systems) ensures these settings are persistent after a reboot.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. A load balancer distributes incoming traffic but doesn't directly configure multiple dedicated IP addresses on the web server itself for hosting distinct domains at the OS level.
- B. VLANs segment network traffic at Layer 2 and are not directly used to assign multiple dedicated IP addresses to a *single* server for hosting multiple domains on the same physical NIC in this manner.
- C. While possible, installing multiple physical NICs for each domain's IP address is often unnecessary and resource-intensive compared to IP aliasing when dedicated IP addresses are needed on the same server.
IP Aliasing
A networking feature that allows a single network interface controller (NIC) to be assigned multiple IP addresses, enabling a host to be reachable via different addresses.
- Uses one physical NIC for multiple IP addresses.
- Commonly used for hosting multiple websites/services on one server.
- Configuration typically involves creating virtual interfaces or sub-interfaces.
Memory trick: Alias IPs, Always Persistent