F5CAB4 Control Plane Administration Practice Test 5 — 15 Questions

Question 1

An administrator needs to perform a massive configuration update. Which command should be used in TMSH to ensure the change is validated before application?

Accepted Answer

tmsh load sys config verify. Using the 'verify' option in TMSH allows the system to parse configuration changes and check for syntax or logical errors without actually applying them to the running configuration. This is essential for large updates because it prevents partial or broken configurations from being committed, which could lead to system instability, unintended traffic outages, or loss of management access, ensuring that updates are applied cleanly and safely.

Answer

tmsh save sys config

Answer

tmsh run util bash

Answer

tmsh edit sys config

Question 2

A BIG-IP device has lost synchronization with its peer. Which control plane component is responsible for detecting this state and reporting it?

Accepted Answer

mcpd. The 'mcpd' process relies on the 'configsync' functionality, which monitors the checksums of the configuration files across peers. When a mismatch is detected, mcpd triggers alerts and updates the system status. This is critical for maintaining high availability, as configuration drift between peers can lead to asymmetric traffic behavior or unpredictable failover results, making it vital for administrators to promptly resolve sync issues to ensure operational consistency.

Answer

TMM

Answer

bigd

Answer

snmpd

Question 3

Which file path contains the primary BIG-IP configuration file that the mcpd daemon loads at startup?

Accepted Answer

/config/bigip.conf. The BIG-IP configuration is stored in /config/bigip.conf. This file represents the system's defined state. During boot, mcpd parses this file and loads the configuration into memory. Understanding this location is fundamental for administrators, as it is the target for manual backups, configuration audits, and troubleshooting issues where the configuration fails to load or requires manual restoration from a known good state.

Answer

/var/tmp/bigip.conf

Answer

/etc/bigip.conf

Answer

/var/lib/bigip.conf

Question 4

Refer to the exhibit. Why is it important for the administrator to review the 'show sys hardware' output when troubleshooting a control plane issue?

Accepted Answer

It verifies that the control plane has access to sufficient physical resources.. Hardware status directly informs the administrator about resource capacity, such as CPU cores or memory, which are critical for the control plane. If hardware components are failing (e.g., memory errors, fan failure), it can manifest as sluggish GUI response or mcpd instability. Reviewing this output helps differentiate between software configuration issues and underlying hardware stress, which is essential for accurate diagnostics and determining whether an RMA or physical maintenance is required.

Answer

It displays the current traffic throughput of all virtual servers.

Answer

It lists the active users currently logged into the device.

Answer

It is required to update the system's licensing information.

Question 5

When modifying the control plane configuration, which action ensures that the changes persist after a system reboot?

Accepted Answer

tmsh save sys config. Changes made via TMSH are held in memory by mcpd until an explicit save command is issued. The 'save sys config' command writes the in-memory configuration to the /config/bigip.conf file on disk. Failing to perform this save operation will result in the loss of all configuration changes upon the next system reboot, which is a common error that can lead to catastrophic downtime if a device unexpectedly restarts.

Answer

tmsh reload sys config

Answer

tmsh commit sys config

Answer

exit

Question 6

Which THREE services are categorized as control plane services that can be managed via TMSH?

Accepted Answer

snmpd. TMSH provides a unified interface for managing various control plane services. These services are essential for system-wide operations, including platform monitoring (SNMP), time synchronization (NTP), and DNS resolution. Managing these through TMSH ensures that changes are validated, logged, and synchronized across high-availability pairs. This consistency is vital for maintaining a stable infrastructure, as incorrectly configured time or DNS settings can lead to certificate validation errors, log timestamp discrepancies, and failure of remote authentication systems.

Answer

tmm

Answer

httpd

Question 7

An administrator is managing multiple BIG-IP devices using a centralized management tool. Which protocol is most commonly used for secure, automated control plane configuration updates?

Accepted Answer

iControl REST. iControl REST is the industry-standard API for programmatic BIG-IP configuration. It provides a RESTful interface that allows administrators to push configuration changes, query device status, and automate routine tasks. Its usage is critical in modern DevOps and CI/CD environments, as it offers a scalable and efficient alternative to manual TMSH commands, allowing for consistent configuration across large device fleets while reducing the risk of human error in complex deployments.

Answer

FTP

Answer

Telnet

Answer

ICMP

Question 8

A BIG-IP administrator is preparing to upgrade the TMOS software on a device. Before the upgrade, the administrator must ensure that the current configuration is backed up and that the device can be restored if the upgrade fails. Which tmsh command creates a full configuration backup archive that can be used for restoration?

Accepted Answer

save sys ucs /var/local/ucs/backup.ucs. A UCS archive is the standard full backup format on BIG-IP, containing configuration, licenses, and certificates. The save sys ucs command creates this archive and can be directed to a specific path. Other commands either save only the running configuration to standard files or are not valid tmsh commands for creating backups.

Answer

create sys backup /var/local/ucs/backup.ucs

Answer

export sys config /var/local/ucs/backup.ucs

Answer

save sys config /var/local/ucs/backup.ucs

Question 9

An administrator is troubleshooting a BIG-IP device that is not responding to configuration changes made via the GUI. The administrator suspects that a control plane service is not running properly. Which two control plane services should the administrator check to ensure that the GUI and configuration management are operational? (Choose two.)

Accepted Answer

mcpd. The GUI and configuration management rely on httpd and mcpd. httpd serves the web interface and REST API, while mcpd processes configuration changes. If either service is not running, the administrator may experience an unresponsive GUI or failure to apply changes. Checking these services with 'tmsh show sys service' or 'bigstart status' is a key troubleshooting step.

Answer

bigd

Answer

tmm

Answer

named

Question 10

An administrator needs to add a new VLAN to a BIG-IP device. They want to ensure that the change is saved to the configuration files immediately. Which sequence of TMSH commands should they use?

Accepted Answer

tmsh create net vlan vlan10 tag 10; tmsh save sys config. Creating a VLAN in TMSH modifies the running configuration. To make it persistent, the administrator must run 'save sys config', which writes the running configuration to the stored files. Creating a UCS archive does not update the stored configuration, and loading configuration would overwrite changes.

Answer

tmsh create net vlan vlan10 tag 10; tmsh load sys config

Answer

tmsh create net vlan vlan10 tag 10; tmsh save sys ucs

Answer

tmsh create net vlan vlan10 tag 10; tmsh save sys config all

Question 11

An administrator needs to back up the full control-plane configuration of a BIG-IP device, but the security policy forbids storing user password hashes in the archive. The administrator wants a single archive that can later be restored with 'tmsh load sys ucs'. Which action should be performed?

Accepted Answer

Run 'tmsh save sys ucs /var/local/ucs/backup.ucs no-passwords' to create a UCS archive that excludes password information.. A UCS archive created with the 'no-passwords' modifier omits credential hashes while still capturing the full control-plane configuration, so it satisfies the no-password-storage policy and remains restorable. Other approaches either produce a different file type, require unsupported manual editing, or fail to remove the sensitive password data from the archive.

Answer

Run 'tmsh save sys ucs /var/local/ucs/backup.ucs' from the bash shell using the '--master-key' flag to encrypt all credentials.

Answer

Run 'tmsh save sys ucs /var/local/ucs/backup.ucs' and then manually delete the /config/bigip.conf file inside the archive before restoring.

Answer

Run 'tmsh save sys config file /var/local/ucs/backup.scf' to export a flat configuration file that can be restored with 'tmsh load sys ucs'.

Question 12

An administrator is troubleshooting a BIG-IP device that is failing to synchronize configuration changes with its peer. The administrator runs 'tmsh show cm sync-status' and sees 'Changes Pending'. Which action should the administrator take first to identify the cause?

Accepted Answer

Run 'tmsh show cm device' to check the device group and trust status.. When synchronization fails with 'Changes Pending', the first step is to verify that the device is trusted and properly configured in the device group. The 'show cm device' command provides this information. If trust is broken or the device is not in the correct group, synchronization cannot occur. Once trust and group membership are confirmed, further troubleshooting can focus on specific configuration differences or network connectivity.

Answer

Run 'tmsh show sys mcp-state' to verify the mcpd daemon is running.

Answer

Run 'tmsh show cm sync-status' with the 'verbose' option to see detailed differences.

Answer

Run 'tmsh show sys config' to compare the running configuration with the saved configuration.

Question 13

An administrator is troubleshooting an issue where changes made through the BIG-IP Configuration utility (GUI) are not appearing in the tmsh configuration. The administrator suspects that the GUI and tmsh are using different configuration sources. Which statement correctly describes how the GUI and tmsh interact with the BIG-IP configuration?

Accepted Answer

Both the GUI and tmsh modify the configuration through the mcpd daemon, which updates the configuration files.. The GUI and tmsh are both front-ends to the same configuration management system, centered on the mcpd daemon. When a change is made in either interface, it is sent to mcpd, which updates the in-memory configuration and eventually writes it to the configuration files. This design ensures that changes made in one interface are reflected in the other, provided they are saved.

Answer

The GUI uses a proprietary protocol to communicate with the configuration, while tmsh uses SNMP.

Answer

The GUI writes directly to the bigip.conf file, while tmsh reads from a separate database.

Answer

tmsh reads the configuration from the bigip.conf file every time a command is entered, while the GUI caches settings in memory.

Question 14

An administrator needs to back up the current BIG-IP configuration to a UCS archive on the local device. Which command should the administrator use?

Accepted Answer

tmsh save sys ucs /var/local/ucs/backup.ucs. The correct command to create a UCS archive is 'tmsh save sys ucs <path>'. This command captures the entire configuration, including licenses and network settings, into a single file. It is the standard backup method for BIG-IP devices. Other commands either save only the running configuration or perform a restore, not a backup.

Answer

tmsh create sys ucs /var/local/ucs/backup.ucs

Answer

tmsh save sys config /var/local/ucs/backup.ucs

Answer

tmsh load sys ucs /var/local/ucs/backup.ucs

Question 15

An administrator is preparing to upgrade the BIG-IP software on a device that is part of a high-availability pair. Before the upgrade, the administrator needs to ensure that the control plane configuration is backed up and can be restored if necessary. Which command should the administrator use to create a full configuration backup that includes both the configuration files and the license?

Accepted Answer

tmsh save sys ucs /var/local/ucs/backup.ucs. To create a full configuration backup on a BIG-IP, the administrator should use 'tmsh save sys ucs <filename>'. This command generates a UCS archive that contains the configuration, license, and other critical files. It is the standard method for backup and restore, especially before major changes like software upgrades. Other commands like 'save sys config' only save the running configuration to text files and do not include the license.

Answer

tmsh save sys config

Answer

tmsh backup sys config /var/local/backup.tgz

Answer

tmsh create sys backup