CompTIA Cloud+ Practice Test

What technology allows for out-of-band management of a computer?

1. WMI

2. SMS

3. SNMP

4. IPMI

The correct answer is: IPMI

Out-of-band management refers to the ability to manage a computer system independently of the operating system and primary network interface. This functionality is crucial for troubleshooting and recovering systems that may be unresponsive or configured incorrectly. Intelligent Platform Management Interface (IPMI) is specifically designed for this purpose. It provides a standardized interface for monitoring and managing hardware components, allowing administrators to perform tasks such as power cycling, hardware monitoring, and system recovery even if the system is not functioning normally. This capability is essential in enterprise environments, where server uptime and reliability are critical. While other technologies might offer some management capabilities, they are not fundamentally designed for out-of-band management. For example, WMI (Windows Management Instrumentation) is mainly used for in-band management within Windows environments, while SNMP (Simple Network Management Protocol) focuses on monitoring network devices but typically requires that the operating system is running. SMS (Systems Management Server), now part of Microsoft Endpoint Configuration Manager, focuses on software deployment and inventory rather than direct hardware management. Thus, IPMI stands out as the correct choice for out-of-band management capabilities.