350-601 Network Practice Question
A network engineer is troubleshooting high CPU utilization on a Nexus 9000 switch. Which command is most useful to identify the process consuming the most CPU?
⚠ Common exam trap
Cisco often tests the distinction between 'show processes cpu' (which lists all processes unsorted) and 'show process cpu sort' (which sorts by CPU usage), and the trap here is that candidates may confuse 'show cpu usage' with a valid command or assume 'show system resources' provides process-level detail.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
show process cpu sort
The 'show process cpu sort' command on Nexus 9000 switches displays the current CPU utilization sorted by the process consuming the most CPU, allowing the engineer to quickly identify the top CPU consumer. This command provides a real-time, sorted list of processes with their CPU usage percentages, which is directly useful for troubleshooting high CPU utilization.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
show processes cpu history
Why it's wrong here
This command shows historical CPU usage data, not the current top consuming processes.
- ✓
show process cpu sort
Why this is correct
This command sorts processes by CPU usage, allowing identification of the most intensive process.
- ✗
show system resources
Why it's wrong here
This command shows overall CPU and memory utilization, but does not break down by process.
- ✗
show cpu usage
Why it's wrong here
This is not a valid command on Cisco Nexus switches.
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This 350-601 practice question is part of Courseiva's free Cisco certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the 350-601 exam.